Piccadilly line revealed as dirtiest tube in London

A Freedom of Information request has revealed that the Piccadilly line is the dirtiest tube line in London. If you don’t already wash your hands after using the Underground, these findings might prompt you to start.

Showers to You submitted the FOI request to Transport for London (TfL), discovering that Piccadilly line trains are fully serviced only once every 43 days. The Piccadilly line operates 86 trains, making it the third-largest fleet on the Underground.

In contrast, the Jubilee line is the cleanest, with trains receiving full-service cleans every 18 days. Interestingly, the Jubilee line has the second smallest fleet, with just 63 trains.

Hey @TfL how when alone on the tube you make extortionate amounts a week.. I’m edging on the side of caution of millions a week! How in 2024 the Bakerloo line looks like something from the Victorian era & the Central & Victoria line need more than a wash?!? Our tubes are gross. pic.twitter.com/dfYYMd5wPN

— 𝑰𝒐𝒏𝒊𝒄𝒂 (@ionica_official) September 22, 2024

TfL follows a detailed cleaning schedule for all tube trains. Each train gets a pre-service clean daily, and additional cleans every three to four days, which include cleaning window ledges, windows, and interior panels. Full interior and exterior cleans occur approximately every four weeks.

A TfL spokesperson explained: “Our cleaning schedule for Tube trains consists of three different levels of cleaning: pre-service cleans (daily), further cleans every 3-4 days which include cleaning of window ledges, windows, interior panels, and then a full clean of the interior and exterior of the train around every 28 days.”

The FOI request also disclosed cleaning frequencies for other lines: Central line trains are cleaned every 27 days, Bakerloo and Northern lines every 25 days, and Metropolitan, Hammersmith and City, Circle, and District lines every 28 days.