Planned closures on Piccadilly and District lines in September and October

Image above: Northfields Train Depot on the Piccadilly Line

Closures will be on weekends and during the working week

Transport for London (TfL) has announced an extended series of closures on both the Piccadilly and District lines over the coming weeks. These closures are not limited to weekends which means significant disruption is almost certain.

The first round of closures commenced on Friday, 15 September, at 9.30 pm and is set to conclude on Sunday, 17 September. Additional work is scheduled for the District line between Thursday, 26 October, and Sunday 29 October.

The closures are taking place to facilitate crucial maintenance work, including track renewal at the Hammersmith and West Kensington Tube stations. This comprehensive overhaul involves the replacement of sleepers, rails, and ballast.

Additionally, a state-of-the-art drainage system will be installed at West Kensington station during the October closure, with the aim of reducing the risk of ongoing delays on the District line. TfL promises that these efforts will lead to smoother, more comfortable, and more reliable journeys for passengers.

Image above: Chiswick Park Tube station; Photograph by Ljubima Woods

To accommodate these closures, TfL has advised passengers to complete their journeys on the Piccadilly and District lines by 8.30 pm on Friday, 15 September, as there will be no service after 9.00 pm. During this period, the District line will be closed from Earl’s Court to Ealing Broadway and Richmond.

The Piccadilly line will also be closed from Hyde Park Corner to Northfields and Uxbridge until the morning of Sunday, 17 September. Afterward, the closure will be limited to Hyde Park Corner to Acton Town.

For passengers traveling on Sunday, 17 September, the Uxbridge and Northfields branches will operate only up to Acton Town, with rail replacement buses continuing journeys between Acton Town and central London.

To cater to the affected sections of both lines, rail replacement buses will be in operation for all local stations. Passengers heading to Heathrow Airport are advised to opt for the Elizabeth line or express coach services to and from Hammersmith. The Central and Metropolitan lines, which are unaffected by the closures, continue to provide alternative routes for some of the affected areas.

Closed Piccadilly line stations will still be serviced by rail replacement buses during Night Tube operating hours. The rest of both the Piccadilly and District lines are expected to operate as usual through the weekend, with full services resuming on Monday, 18 September.

Image above: Gunnersbury station

Replacement Bus Services:

District Line

• Service DL1: Earls Court – Hammersmith – Ravenscourt Park – Stamford Brook – Turnham Green – Chiswick Park – Gunnersbury (for London Overground connections to/from Kew Gardens and Richmond) – Acton Town – Ealing Common – Ealing Broadway – South Ealing (towards Earls Court only) – Northfields
• Service DL3 (late Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights, early Saturday and Sunday morning): Turnham Green – Chiswick Park – Gunnersbury – Kew (Royal Botanic Gardens). Some early Sunday morning buses also serve Willesden Junction, Acton Central, and South Acton due to a London Overground closure.

Piccadilly Line

• Service DL1: Daytime service: Earls Court – Hammersmith – Ravenscourt Park – Stamford Brook – Turnham Green – Chiswick Park – Gunnersbury – Acton Town – Ealing Common – Ealing Broadway – South Ealing (eastbound buses towards Earls Court only) – Northfields
• Service PL2 (Friday and Saturday overnight service): Hyde Park Corner – Knightsbridge – South Kensington – Gloucester Road – Earls Court – Hammersmith – Turnham Green – Acton Town – Ealing Common – Ealing Broadway – South Ealing (eastbound buses towards Hyde Park Corner only) – Northfields
• Service PL4: Daytime service: Ealing Broadway (for Central and Elizabeth line) – North Ealing – Hanger Lane (for Central line and Park Royal) – Alperton – Sudbury Town – Sudbury Hill – South Harrow – Rayners Lane
• Service PL9: Day and overnight service: Hammersmith – Osterley, non-stop

A second round of closures is scheduled between Thursday, October 26, and Sunday, October 29. This time, only the District line will be affected, with no service between Earl’s Court and Ealing Broadway, Richmond, or Kensington (Olympia). Once again, rail replacement buses will be in operation during this closure, with the District line anticipated to return to normal service on Monday, October 30.

Richard Jones, TfL’s Director of Asset Performance Delivery, said:

“We understand that closures like this may cause disruption to our customers, but the track work being completed is vital to ensure that the Tube can continue to operate as reliably as possible in these areas. Rail replacement buses will operate throughout the work and the Elizabeth, Central and Metropolitan lines will run as scheduled to allow customers to complete their journeys.

“I would encourage customers to check before they travel using our travel tools and I thank them in advance for their understanding.”

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