London's Waterloo & City line, often dismissed as the most useless Tube route, actually carries around 40,000 passengers every weekday and more than 17 million each year, with supporters pointing to its four-minute journey between Waterloo and Bank as proof of its value.
Spanning just 2.37km with only two stops, the line has earned a reputation as London's most pointless Underground service, largely because of its short length and restricted operating hours, with trains running only from Monday to Friday. Social media is full of posts branding the line 'pointless' and 'irrelevant', while confused tourists regularly question its purpose.
A Misunderstood Shortcut
Despite the criticism, Londoners argue the line, known colloquially as The Drain, is incredibly valuable. Connecting Waterloo train station with the financial district, it is easy to dismiss it as a route for commuters only, but it can also serve as an epic shortcut.
Without the Waterloo & City line, getting from Waterloo to Bank requires taking the Jubilee line and then changing onto the Northern line, a journey of around 13 minutes. With the line, that time is slashed to just four minutes.
Fans Praise the Line Online
A recent Instagram post by @my_ldn highlighted the line's speed, with a video captioned: 'Locals know how useful it actually is. The Waterloo & City line takes you from Waterloo to Bank in four minutes – straight into the heart of the city. And honestly I use it all the time.'
The post received more than 108,000 likes, with hundreds of comments echoing similar sentiments. @jxnhq replied: 'Most useful line ever if you know how to use it.' @itsofficialgn agreed: 'Most useful line in London! It is what I like to call the biggest shortcut known to Londoners!!! Used correctly, it can get you out of a mess very easily.'
Other commenters shared personal stories. @richard.trehane admitted: 'Saved me many a missed national train. Bless this line.' @katie_karska proclaimed: 'People don't understand!!! It's soo needed!' And @kangaroo5383 added: 'Lol it's the best, and the maps don't tell people about it, so less tourists, it's great.'
History of the Waterloo & City Line
On TikTok, users have also expressed affection for the line. @xxabbyyy remarked: 'I love the Waterloo & City line so much. It's my biggest hear me out.' Dan James said riding it 'felt like a Mario Kart side quest', while @tflspotted called it a 'really cool' line that is 'somehow fun' to ride, as long as you avoid peak commuting hours when it is crowded.
The line's history dates to the late 1800s, when a survey found 12,000 people a day needed to travel between Waterloo and the City. Work began in 1894, and the route received its royal opening by Prince George, the Duke of Cambridge, four years later.
The line is named after both of its stops. The second half refers to City Station, which was renamed Bank in 1940, though the railway's name was never updated. The line was part of British Railways until 1994, when it officially joined the London Underground. Over the decades, proposals to extend the line or connect it to others have been submitted, but cost and its awkward positioning have prevented these plans from going ahead.
