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when do tubes start running

For “when do tubes start running,” most people mean the London Underground (“the Tube”), so let’s answer it that way.

Short answer

On a typical day, London Underground services start running roughly between 5:00 and 5:30 in the morning , depending on the line and the station, with some first trains a little earlier and some a little later.

Usual Tube start times

Exact first‑train times vary by:

  • Line (e.g., Central vs Victoria).
  • Direction of travel.
  • Specific station.
  • Day of the week and planned engineering work.

But as a rule of thumb:

  • Most lines have first trains leaving end‑of‑line stations around 5:00–5:15 on weekdays.
  • On Sundays it can be slightly later , often closer to 6:00 for some services.

Transport for London publishes “First & last Tube” timetables for each line that show the exact first train from each terminus.

Night Tube and late services

If you’re thinking about very late or very early travel:

  • The Night Tube runs overnight on some lines on Friday and Saturday nights, so in those cases the Tube is running through the night rather than “starting” in the morning.
  • On non‑Night‑Tube nights, trains usually finish around midnight–00:30 , then restart in the early morning window above.

How to check your exact first train

Because times vary by station and change with timetables and engineering work, the safest way is to:

  • Use the TfL “First & last Tube” page and pick your line; you can then see PDFs with first‑train times from each terminus.
  • Or use journey planners (TfL app, Citymapper, Google Maps) for your specific station, date, and time ; they incorporate real‑time updates and planned closures.

Mini example

If you’re staying in central London and want to catch an early train from, say, King’s Cross:

  • On a weekday, you can usually expect the first Underground services a little after 5:00 , depending on the line (e.g., Victoria vs Piccadilly).

If you meant a different kind of “tube” (like medical tubes, ear tubes, etc.), tell me which one and I can adjust the answer.