Overview

• TfL has posted on LinkedIn inviting exclusive bids for the Waterloo & City line and is holding initial talks with prospective sponsors, marking the first time an entire Tube line has been offered.
• The deal would keep the line’s name intact while allowing full-line branding including moquette seat fabrics, vinyl wraps, signage, maps and experiential spaces.
• The two-stop, three-minute shuttle runs only on weekdays between Waterloo and Bank and carries about 15 million passengers annually as London’s least-used Tube line.
• The proposal builds on station-level sponsorships such as Visa’s Gareth Southgate renaming in 2018, Burberry’s Bond Street activation in 2023 and Samsung’s Fold Street takeover last year.
• Campaigners like Transport For All have warned that extensive corporate branding can confuse passengers and raise accessibility concerns.