The most controversial aspect of the new trains is that there are no toilets. A spokesman for TfL explained why. He said: Toilets are not provided on the TfL Rail/Elizabeth Line trains. Adding toilets to the trains would take up space and displace approximately 600 passengers per hour.

That’s an excellent question, and it’s one of the most common points of feedback about the otherwise highly praised Elizabeth line. The decision not to include toilets on the trains was a deliberate and multi-faceted one made by Transport for London (TfL) during the design phase.

Here are the primary reasons:

1. Maximizing Passenger Capacity and Flow

This is the single biggest reason. The Elizabeth line is designed as a high-frequency, high-capacity metro-style service for the busiest urban core of London. Space: Toilets take up a significant amount of space that could be used for standing passengers. Removing them allows for more doors and open-plan carriages, speeding up boarding and alighting. Dwell Time: Toilets can cause delays if passengers are using them as the train prepares to depart a station. Without them, the “dwell time” (time stopped at a platform) is minimized, which is critical for maintaining a service every 2-3 minutes in the central section.

2. Short Journey Times in the Core Section

The design philosophy is that for the majority of users, journeys in the central tunnels (Paddington to Abbey Wood/Stratford) are relatively short (often under 30 minutes). The expectation is that passengers can use facilities at stations before or after their trip.

3. Hygiene and Maintenance

• Cleanliness: Toilets on moving trains, especially heavily used ones, can quickly become unclean, unpleasant, and a source of complaints. TfL has had significant issues with this on other parts of its network.
• Anti-Social Behavior & Security: Train toilets can sometimes be used