Driverless Trains on the London Underground: A Vision for the Future

The London Underground of the future could look very different from the network we know in 2025, with proposals emerging for fully driverless trains that would eliminate the need for human operators.

Reform UK’s sole London Assembly Member, Alex Wilson, told the Express that his party plans to pursue “progressive automation of Tube lines” over time.

Several lines, including the Victoria, Jubilee, Central, Northern, District, Circle, Hammersmith & City, and Metropolitan, already operate with semi-automation. However, human operators remain essential for tasks such as door control and emergency assistance. Transport for London (TfL) was informed in 2021 that converting the network to full automation would cost at least £10 billion—a figure likely much higher today.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan noted in December that the Department for Transport (DfT) estimates the total cost, including “optimism bias,” would approach £20 billion for just three lines: £4.9 billion to convert the Piccadilly line, £4.4 billion for the Bakerloo line, and around £10 billion for the Central line. Khan explained that the most practical approach would be to coincide driverless operations with the introduction of new rolling stock, upgraded signalling, and platform edge doors, adding that each line would require billions in investment.

TfL’s 2021 funding deal with the Government included a mandate to assess whether a viable business case existed for automated trains on the Waterloo & City and Piccadilly lines. A 2023 DfT feasibility study concluded there are “no inherent technical impediments” to automation for most lines, although the Underground’s unique characteristics require careful consideration. The report also deemed the economic argument for automation compelling, but noted that implementing the necessary technology—including platform edge doors, additional cameras, AI systems, new signalling, and station redesigns—would demand substantial investment and many years to complete.

Depot modifications, train control upgrades, and safety measures for staff working trackside would also be necessary. The 2023 report highlighted that platform edge doors could improve both safety and passenger experience, but “more robust fortification” would be needed to maintain separation between passengers and automated trains.

Officials are currently prioritising other network improvements, including enhanced automation under the Four Lines Modernisation programme for the Circle, District, Hammersmith & City, and Metropolitan lines. A TfL spokesperson confirmed, “There are currently no plans to introduce driverless trains on London Underground.”

Professor Sabih Khisaf, infrastructure lead at Hyperloop Transportation Technologies and Fellow of the Institute of Civil Engineers, stated that full automation is technically feasible and already operational in cities worldwide. Metro systems in Dubai, Doha, Vancouver, Singapore, Copenhagen, and Paris run driverless trains. In Paris, Lines 1, 4, and 14 are fully automated, with Line 13 undergoing conversion and Lines 15–18 planned as part of the £34 billion Grand Paris Express project. Dubai’s Red and Green Lines and Denmark’s metro—operational since 2002—also operate without drivers.

Professor Khisaf explained that while automation is achievable, older and more complex systems like London’s require substantial investment and careful stakeholder negotiation. “Although immediate conversion may not be practical, the long-term trend points towards driverless operation as the standard for urban metro systems,” he said.

The cost of fully automated systems varies widely depending on design, location, and underground construction. For a 20–30 km modern metro line in a developed city, costs can range from £74 million to £148 million per kilometre, or more. Professor Khisaf emphasised that automation goes beyond driverless trains, requiring integrated urban transit solutions, advanced signalling, AI traffic management, predictive maintenance, and robust cybersecurity.

“The ultimate goal,” he said, “is a transport network that is safe, efficient, resilient, and adaptable to a modern city’s needs. While many of these technologies exist in early forms, fully integrating them into a large-scale underground system is the next frontier in urban mobility.”