Halloween 2026 falls on Saturday 31st October — and honestly, the transport gods have smiled upon us. A Saturday Halloween means the Night Tube is running, the night buses are out in force, and you've got more options than ever to get your costumed self home safely.
But London's late-night transport still has its quirks, and Halloween is one of the busiest nights of the year on the network. Here's everything you need to know about getting home from Halloween in London.
Is the Night Tube running on Halloween 2026?
Yes — and this is the big one. Because Halloween falls on a Saturday this year, the Night Tube will be running through the night into Sunday 1st November. The Night Tube operates on Friday and Saturday nights only, running from around midnight through to approximately 5:30am, when normal morning services take over.
The five lines running all night are:
- Victoria line — full route, trains every 10 minutes
- Jubilee line — full route from Stanmore to Stratford, trains every 10 minutes
- Central line — between Ealing Broadway and Loughton/Hainault (note: no service to Epping), trains every 10–20 minutes
- Northern line — Morden to High Barnet/Edgware via the Charing Cross branch only (not the Bank branch), trains every 8–15 minutes
- Piccadilly line — Cockfosters to Heathrow Terminal 5 (no service on the Terminal 4 loop or between Acton Town and Uxbridge), trains every 10 minutes
The London Overground Windrush line also runs overnight on Friday and Saturday nights between Highbury & Islington and New Cross Gate — great if you're heading through Dalston, Shoreditch High Street, Whitechapel, or Canada Water. Trains run every 15 minutes.
What tube lines are NOT running overnight?
This is just as important to know. The following lines do not run through the night on any day:
- Bakerloo line
- Circle line
- District line
- Hammersmith & City line
- Metropolitan line
- Waterloo & City line
- DLR
- Elizabeth line (see below)
- Most London Overground routes (except the Windrush line)
If your nearest station is on one of these lines, you'll need to either walk to a Night Tube station or hop on a night bus.
Does the Elizabeth line run all night on Halloween?
No — and this catches a lot of people out. The Elizabeth line is a brilliant service, but it doesn't run 24 hours.
On Saturday nights, the last trains leave central London at around 12:30am–1:00am. After that, you'll need to switch to a Night Tube line or a night bus. If you're heading east towards Shenfield or west towards Reading or Heathrow, plan your last Elizabeth line train carefully.
What about the Piccadilly line — are there any disruptions?
Here's the one to watch. The Piccadilly line has been undergoing major weekend engineering works throughout 2026 as TfL prepares the line for a brand new fleet of trains arriving from December 2026. These closures have been happening nearly every other weekend, affecting sections including Hammersmith, Heathrow, King's Cross St Pancras, and Leicester Square.
We strongly recommend checking the TfL website or TfL Go app before you travel on Halloween night, as specific closures for the 31st October weekend had not been confirmed at the time of writing. If the Piccadilly Night Tube is disrupted, bus replacement services will run — but they take significantly longer, especially late at night.
If you're heading to or from Heathrow after a Halloween party, give yourself extra time and have a backup plan.
Do I need a special ticket for the Night Tube?
No. The Night Tube uses exactly the same fares as the daytime service — standard off-peak rates apply, and there's no overnight surcharge or separate ticket to buy. Pay with Oyster, contactless card, or a valid Travelcard. Cash is not accepted at the gates.
If you've already hit your daily cap during the day, you may not be charged anything extra for your Night Tube journey home. A Day Travelcard remains valid for Night Tube journeys that start before 4:30am on the morning after the printed date.
Top tip: If you're paying by mobile wallet (Apple Pay, Google Pay), make sure your phone has enough battery to tap out at the exit gate. A physical card is more reliable for a long night out.
How do night buses work on Halloween in London?
London's night bus network is extensive and covers virtually every part of the city. There are two types to know about:
- N-prefix routes (N9, N15, N73, N133, etc.) — these operate primarily at night, usually from around 11pm to 6am, and often mirror popular daytime routes
- 24-hour routes — around 70 routes run around the clock without an N prefix, at reduced frequency overnight
Night buses run the same flat fare as daytime: £1.75 per journey. The Hopper fare also applies — meaning you can make unlimited bus transfers within one hour for that single £1.75 charge. So if you need two or three buses to get home, you're still only paying once (as long as you do it within the hour).
Buses do not accept cash. You must pay with a contactless card, Oyster card, or mobile payment. Tap in when you board; you don't need to tap out.
Night buses can take longer than the equivalent Tube journey, especially if you're crossing multiple parts of London. Use the TfL Journey Planner or Citymapper to find your best route and check live timings.
What's the Hopper fare and how does it help on Halloween?
The Hopper fare is your best friend on a night bus. Pay £1.75 when you board your first bus, and you can hop onto as many other buses or trams as you need within 60 minutes — all for that same single fare. This is especially useful if the direct night bus to your area doesn't run from where your party is, and you need to change routes. Just make sure you're using the same contactless card or Oyster card for every tap.
Should I get an Uber or Bolt home on Halloween?
You can — but go in with your eyes open. Halloween is one of the busiest nights of the year for ride-hailing apps, and surge pricing can be brutal. Uber and Bolt use algorithmic pricing that responds to demand, and surge multipliers of 1.5x to 3x are common during late nights and major events. On Halloween specifically, demand spikes so sharply that cars can become very hard to find at all, and prices can reach eye-watering levels.
Also worth knowing: since January 2026, both Uber and Bolt fares in London now include 20% VAT, which has pushed prices up noticeably compared to previous years.
Our advice: Don't rely on Uber or Bolt as your primary plan for getting home on Halloween night. Use the Night Tube or night buses as your main option, and keep ride-hailing as a backup for shorter journeys or if you're in an area with limited public transport.
If you do use an app, compare Uber and Bolt simultaneously before booking — prices can vary significantly between the two.
What about black cabs?
Black cabs are a solid option on Halloween, and here's why: their fares are regulated by TfL and never surge, no matter how busy it gets. The meter runs on set tariffs, and late-night journeys (Tariff 3) apply between 10pm and 5am, adding a premium per mile — but it's a known, fixed rate with no nasty surprises.
On a night when Uber and Bolt prices can go haywire, a black cab can actually end up being the more affordable and more reliable option. You can hail one on the street, or book through apps like Free Now or Gett. Every TfL-licensed black cab must accept contactless and chip-and-PIN payments with no surcharge.
What if I'm not on a Night Tube line?
If your nearest station doesn't have Night Tube service, here's what to do:
- Walk to your nearest Night Tube station — use Citymapper or TfL Go to find the closest one
- Take a night bus — the network covers virtually the whole city, and the N-prefix routes are your best bet
- Combine the two — take a Night Tube as far as it goes, then switch to a night bus for the final leg
- Book a cab in advance — if you know you're in an area with limited late-night transport, pre-book a licensed minicab before you go out. Fixed-price pre-bookings won't be affected by surge pricing
Any tips for getting home safely on Halloween?
- Plan your route before you go out — check TfL Journey Planner or Citymapper and screenshot your route in case your battery dies
- Charge your phone (and take a portable charger if you think you'll run out) — you'll need it for maps, contactless payments, and calling a cab
- Keep your Oyster or contactless card accessible — don't bury it in a costume with no pockets
- Allow extra time — stations and buses will be busier than usual, and there may be queues
- Check TfL live status on the night — especially for the Piccadilly line, which has had ongoing weekend disruptions in 2026
- Travel in groups where possible — it's more fun and safer
- Stay aware of your surroundings on night buses and at stations, especially late on
Key apps and links to bookmark
- TfL Go — live Tube status, journey planning, and service alerts
- Citymapper — brilliant for complex multi-modal routes and live bus tracking
- TfL Journey Planner — tfl.gov.uk/plan-a-journey
- Free Now / Gett — for booking black cabs with no surge pricing
- TfL Night Tube map — tfl.gov.uk/maps
Always check tfl.gov.uk for the latest service information before you travel. Engineering works and disruptions can be confirmed or updated close to the date.
