The new trains had previously been scheduled to begin operation on the line by the end of this year

A new Piccadilly Line train undergoing testing (credit Siemens)

The introduction of new Piccadilly Line trains has been delayed by another year, Transport for London (TfL) has confirmed.

The line – which terminates at Cockfosters and also serves Oakwood, Southgate and Arnos Grove – had been due to receive its new trains at the end of 2025.

But TfL confirmed today this had now been put back until the “second half of 2026”.

The new trains will offer 10% additional capacity, walk-through air-conditioned carriages, wider double doorways for easier boarding, real-time digital displays and on-board CCTV for added security. The trains are also lighter than existing designs, which means they are more energy efficient and provide a smoother ride for customers, consuming 20% less energy.

Explaining the reasons for the latest delay to the Siemens-built trains, TfL said its engineers had found the process for getting them ready for integration testing and then for passenger service “more complex than expected”. As a result, the start of a “rigorous programme of testing” has “had to be rescheduled”.

Testing will now start later this summer, but will take a whole year to complete.

Stuart Harvey, TfL’s chief capital officer, said: “We’re proud and excited that these innovative new trains on the Piccadilly line will have a transformative effect for London.

“This is an ambitious project with new 21st Century trains providing engineering challenges in both building and introduction into service on a 20th Century railway and it is critical that we ensure that safety comes first and that the trains are in top condition when they begin to service London.

“It will obviously be disappointing for customers that they will have to wait a bit longer for the new trains, and I regret that. But I would like to assure Londoners and visitors to our city that we are working extremely closely with Siemens to ensure that the new trains can be introduced as soon as possible in the second half of next year.”

Sambit Banerjee, joint CEO at Siemens Mobility, said: “We’re working really hard with TfL to deliver the new Piccadilly line trains that are going to transform travel for people in London. Any project like this is complicated – we’re bringing state-of-the-art, air-conditioned, walk-through trains into tunnels that were built 120 years ago.

“We’re sorry we can’t have our innovative trains running for passengers even sooner but, once they’re in service, the technology on these new trains will bring smoother, greener and more comfortable journeys for Londoners for the next 30 or more years.”

The recent government spending review ensured the whole new fleet of Piccadilly Line trains would be fully funded, while stopping short of funding other upgrades and extensions to the Bakerloo Line and Docklands Light Railway.

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