Londoners are divided on whether to wake a sleeping passenger on the Tube or train, with many saying they would only intervene at the last stop. The debate follows a survey of Metro readers, which found that while most prefer to let sleeping passengers lie, there is one clear exception.
Brian Oxnard said: 'If it was the last stop yes, otherwise, probably not.' Thomas Fluskey agreed, sharing: 'At the last stop, yes.' Even a self-confessed train snoozer, Mohamed Motown Hassona, said: 'As someone who often sleeps on the train, I don't see why you would wake someone up unless its the last stop.'
'First rule of the Tube'
Others took a more hands-off approach, with one reader saying: 'I'm obeying the first rule of the Tube: don't speak to anyone.' Some readers also pointed out that you can alert train staff, who can do the awkward wake-up shove instead.
But those who had been burnt by a train nap suggested you should wake people up. Jamz Donovan said: 'I wish somebody had woken me up on that Piccadilly line train way before I ended up at Heathrow.' Clea Romeo also had an accidental excursion to the airport: 'I ended up at Heathrow. It was the last train of the night too!'
Why it feels awkward
Psychologist Stephanie Davies told Metro that the awkwardness comes from conflicting versions of politeness. 'We've got two versions of being polite arguing in our heads,' she said. 'One says: "Leave them alone, don't interfere." The other says: "They might need help." Then we imagine them shouting at us and the entire carriage turning round. Our brains play the story out in our heads and often we picture the worst.'
Davies noted that gender can play a key role, and 'can change how safe the interaction feels.' She explained: 'A woman travelling alone might worry that waking an unfamiliar man will start an interaction she can't easily get out of. A man waking a woman might worry about frightening her, particularly if touch is involved.'
Organisations like Solace Women's Aid have repeatedly backed initiatives by Transport for London (TfL) to make public transport safer for female passengers. There was a 10% increase in reported sexual offences on the network in 2024, and between 2024 and 2025, a five-year high of 595 cases were reported.
How to approach someone
Davies says that provided you feel safe to do so, 'noticing each other a bit more' could do some good. 'We don't need to become the self-appointed monitors of the Northern line, but a little kindness towards strangers wouldn't go amiss,' she said. 'Especially in a city where we share so much space and barely acknowledge each other.'
She shared tips on how to approach someone who is asleep on public transport while remaining safe: keep it calm, brief and factual, starting with your voice rather than grabbing or shaking them, and giving them a moment to respond. Make your reason clear, keep it discreet, and if they say they're fine, respect that.
