For the vast majority of Londoners, the idea of boarding the Underground wearing nothing but your underwear is the stuff of pure nightmares. Yet, for a dedicated and slightly eccentric few, it marks the highlight of the social calendar. The legendary No Trousers Tube Ride, one of the capital's most wonderfully bizarre traditions, is set to make its surreal return this weekend.
What is the No Trousers Tube Ride?
As the name unambiguously suggests, this annual event involves hundreds of participants casually riding the Tube network without their trousers or skirts on. The premise is simple: gather, travel a few stops on the Underground in your underpants, then disembark and return your lower garments to their rightful place. Contrary to what one might assume, this is not a charity stunt or a political protest. According to its organisers, it is undertaken solely for the love of the game and to inject a moment of bewildering joy into the standard commute.
Everything You Need to Know for 2026
The event for January 2026 is scheduled for Sunday 11 January. Participants are instructed to meet in Chinatown from 2.45pm, fully clothed. Groups will then be formed and directed to a nearby Tube station shortly after 3pm, where the trouser-doffing ceremony will commence.
Critical guidelines for those brave enough to partake include a non-negotiable rule: you must wear underwear. The organisers emphatically request that this underwear be "normal or low-key" to sell the illusion that you simply forgot a crucial step when getting dressed. Participation is free, though standard Tube fares apply.
The Spirit of the Event
The core mission of the No Trousers Tube Ride is pure, unadulterated silliness. It is not aimed at Transport for London (TfL) or designed to shock tourists. The goal is simply to create an unexpected, laugh-out-loud moment for unsuspecting fellow passengers when a crowd of trouser-less individuals nonchalantly enters their carriage, rides quietly for a few stops, and then exits as if nothing happened.
This event, while certainly odd, is not even the most daring annual spectacle in London. It is often followed in the summer by the even more revealing World Naked Bike Ride. For those fascinated by the city's transport quirks, several major changes are also planned for the network throughout 2026.
