Pimlico station on the Victoria line is widely dismissed as 'useless' and 'irrelevant' by frustrated commuters, yet official data shows it handles more than 7.6 million taps a year. The stop, which was added in the late 1960s to please influential local residents, continues to divide opinion among Londoners who question its purpose.
Why do commuters criticise Pimlico station?
Charlie Sawyer, a Metro lifestyle reporter who rides the Victoria line almost daily, describes a familiar scene: the train pulls into Pimlico, the doors open, no one gets off, no one gets on, and the train moves on. Despite an approximate population of 21,000 residents, the platforms are never full, and the station is often described as quiet.
On TikTok, dozens of videos jokingly describe Pimlico as a 'concept', with users debating whether the destination is real. The area does exist – its name first appeared in records in the early 17th century – but many Londoners admit they know little about the affluent neighbourhood.
What do critics say about Pimlico?
Ibrahim Diallo, 28, a content creator who has lived in South London his entire life, told Metro: 'If I'm honest with you, I've never known anyone that's got off at that station and said "yeah, this is where I live". And if I have ever seen someone get on, it'll be one or two people maximum. It's a massive waste of a tube stop.'
Diallo, who has used the Victoria line his whole life, even filmed the train's stop at Pimlico to prove that no one got on or off. He added: 'I've always known that there was something off about Pimlico. It was only when I started talking about how no one lives in Pimlico that a whole bunch of people began saying they did. But we know they're probably just joking, because no one really lives there.'
One social media user, @simonjbr, wrote: 'Scrap it. It's the only Victoria line station that doesn't interchange with another line or rail service.' Another, @ultimategrandsupreme, added: 'Literally a silly area, I can't take anyone seriously who says they live there.'
How did Pimlico get on the Victoria line?
Pimlico was a late addition to the Victoria line, added solely to please the rich and influential residents in the area. In the late 1960s, local political Sir Alan Dawtry lobbied intensely to secure the rail link. The neighbourhood, much like its neighbour Belgravia, is typically considered affluent and upscale, home to many Victorian town houses, but it is also densely populated and the station has become a vital transport hub for thousands of residents.
Anna Prudden, 29, a Trade Marketing Manager who lived in Pimlico for just under a year in 2022, told Metro: 'I lived right next to the station and so it was very convenient for me to be able to hop on the Victoria Line so easily. But I definitely understand why people get frustrated by it. It's only about a 12 minute walk to Victoria, so to be honest, you might as well just walk and get on there? Whenever I would get off at Pimlico I never saw anymore than three or four other people get off at the same time.'
What does the data say?
Data from TFL paints a very different picture of the area. In 2025, Pimlico station recorded an average of 163,790 taps in and out each day, amounting to 7,641,420 annual entries and exits. This is comparable to Bermondsey (7,038,981) and Clapham Common (7,452,584), suggesting the station is not as useless as some might think.
