London Underground passengers are being urged to plan ahead as Transport for London confirms extended weekday night closures on the Northern line’s Bank branch, introduced to allow a large-scale programme of track replacement works in central London. From January until late May 2026, trains will stop running earlier than usual on weeknights across some of the network’s busiest sections, affecting late-evening travel through key stations in Westminster and the City. The measures are designed to give engineers longer overnight access to critical infrastructure but are expected to impact commuters, shift workers and evening travellers during a period of sustained demand on the transport system, writes The WP Times, citing official Transport for London information.
When the closures start and how long they last
The early closures will begin on Monday, 12 January 2026, and are scheduled to run until late May 2026. They apply Monday to Thursday only, with the Bank branch closing at around 10:00pm each evening.
From 9:30pm, services will already start operating to a reduced timetable in preparation for the shutdown.
TfL has confirmed that normal services will continue from Friday to Sunday, and no weekend closures are planned as part of this programme.
Which section of the Northern line is affected
The disruption applies specifically to the Bank branch between Camden Town and Kennington. After 10pm on affected weekdays, trains will not operate through central London via Bank, meaning no through journeys across the City on this branch late at night.
Stations closed after 10pm (Monday–Thursday)
During the closure period, Northern line trains will not stop at the following stations after 10pm:
- Euston
- King’s Cross St Pancras
- Angel
- Old Street
- Moorgate
- Bank
- London Bridge
- Borough
- Elephant & Castle
Passengers travelling to or from these stations late in the evening will need to plan alternative routes.
Service changes by direction
To offset the loss of the Bank branch, TfL will operate additional services on the Charing Cross branch, with four extra trains per hour during late evenings. However, several routes will still see reduced frequencies:
- Kennington → Morden: reduced from around 20 to 18 trains per hour
- Kennington → Battersea Power Station: reduced from around 10 to 6
- Camden Town → Edgware: reduced from around 20 to 12
- Camden Town → High Barnet: reduced from around 16 to 12
The Finchley Central–Mill Hill East shuttle will continue to operate, but there will be no through service into central London after 10pm.
Who this matters most for
The closures will particularly affect:
- Late-night commuters travelling through the City
- Passengers using King’s Cross, Euston and London Bridge after 9pm
- Shift workers finishing in central London on weekdays
- Theatre-goers and event audiences returning home late
Those who regularly rely on the Northern line in the evenings are advised to adjust travel times where possible.
How to travel instead
TfL recommends that passengers check their journey before travelling, especially after 9pm on weekdays. Practical alternatives include:
- Using the Charing Cross branch instead of Bank
- Changing earlier at major interchange stations
- Using local bus routes for short central London journeys
- Allowing extra time for late-evening connections
Live service information is available via the TfL Journey Planner and official TfL apps.
Why TfL is doing this
TfL says extending engineering hours on weekday nights allows essential track replacement work to be completed more efficiently, reducing the likelihood of unplanned failures and avoiding longer, more disruptive weekend closures later in the year.
The works are expected to improve reliability on the Northern line once completed, but passengers are advised to plan for continued weekday evening disruption until late May 2026.
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