Central line trains get an upgrade for the first time in 30 years

TfL has allocated a budget of £500 million for the upgrade of the Central line trains. This is the most generous investment in the reconstruction of an existing line in the history of the London Underground — not in the construction of a new one. Afisha.London reports on the details and timeline of the planned upgrade.

The average age of trains on the Central line is 30 years. The goal of the reconstruction is to extend their service life and bring them up to modern standards, making the trains more comfortable and accessible for people with limited mobility. The modernization process began in 2023, and since then, two upgraded trains have been introduced into service.

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The outlook is optimistic: with the experience gained, TfL expects the team to work more efficiently moving forward. Four more new trains are expected to launch by 2026, and the entire project is scheduled for completion by 2029.

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The line began operations in 1900 under the name Central London Railway and was known for an engineering innovation: trains were designed to approach platforms on an upward slope — slowing down — and to depart on a downward slope — speeding up.

Initially, the line only covered central London — from Shepherd’s Bush to Bank — and began expanding westward and eastward, with major extensions completed in the late 1940s.

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The Central line has been popular since the day it opened: in its first six months of operation, it served 20 million passengers. Today, the red line remains one of the busiest in London — with up to 34 trains running per hour and annual passenger numbers reaching over 300 million.

Cover photo: Lincoln Holley / Unsplash

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