Rapid Travel Chai

London’s ‘Night Tube’ has launched with weekend overnight service on the Central and Victoria lines, reports the NYT. The Jubilee, Piccadilly and Northern lines will be added later this year at a date to be announced. The first weekend did not see the expected incidents of drunken hooliganism.

See Transport for London’s Night Tube page and adjusted night bus routes for more information.

Only a few subway systems around the world run round-the-clock service, weekend or otherwise. As critical as I am of New York City area’s MTA and PATH systems, I appreciate that while the wait can be long, there eventually (usually) is a night train.

When I studied in Tokyo, evening life revolved around partying salarymen and youths chasing the last train home. Missing it meant sleeping in a capsule hotel, an all-night theater playing films on loop at low volume, or slumping in a street corner.

Subways are generally easier than buses for tourists to understand and navigate so I applaud London for expanding the night. Remember that a tube trip in London can involve significant amounts of walking and escalators, so a measure of sobriety is recommended.