The Time Out London blog team

Could Londoners one day reach Paris in less time than it takes to get from north to south London? Thanks to new research into land travel, it might soon be easier to meet your pals for un café et croissant in Paree than making the dreaded journey from Hackney to Peckham.  Engineers are looking into hyperloop technology, which isn’t something from Star Trek, but instead could be a very real mode of transport that would make land travel as fast as flying. The European Hyperloop Center Veendam in the Netherlands, where the research is taking place, said one day travellers could reach Paris from London in just 20 minutes.  If it were to become a reality, passengers would be shuttled through hyperloop vacuums, travelling 600 miles per hour. Pods are not attached to rails, but are suspended in midair by magnets attached to the roof of the vehicles. It sounds a little scary, but advocates for the futuristic mode of travel say it could alter how we perceive time and distance forever, affecting everything from holiday planning, to house prices.  Hyperloop travel was once just a pipe dream, but it gained more recognition in 2013 after Elon Musk wrote a white paper on the topic. The world’s first hyperloop passenger test was conducted in Nevada in 2023, but then the project folded amid skyrocketing costs.  Thanks to funding from the European Union, research in the Netherlands is still zooming ahead. But it’s not been total plain sailing (or looping) – the project still faces...

This week south London’s very own RAYE has kicked off one of the capital’s biggest music residencies of the year. The former Time Out cover star is set to play a whopping six dates at the O2 Arena in Greenwich between February and May 2026. Since the This Tour May Contain New Music Tour was announced back in September, RAYE has confirmed that she has a new record on the way. Her sophomore album This Music May Contain Hope., which was previewed with last year’s hit single ‘Where Is My Husband!’, will be released at the end of the March. Heading to see RAYE at the O2 between now and May? Here’s what you need to know about the shows, from timings and setlist to any remaining ticket availability. When is RAYE playing at London’s O2 Arena? London is first in the capital for four shows between February 26 and March 2. She’ll then go off to tour North America before returning to London for two more dates in May. Here’s the full list of shows: Thursday February 26 Friday February 27 Sunday March 1 Monday March 2 Tuesday May 19 Wednesday May 20 What time do doors open? For all shows apart from March 1, doors open at 6.30pm. On March 1 – as it’s a Sunday – doors are at 6pm. As always, you’ll be able to get into the venue (but not the arena) earlier, with all its shops, restaurants, bars etc. When will RAYE come on stage? Previous tour dates have seen RAYE take to the stage at around 8.30-8.40pm. Expect similar timings at the London shows. The only exception is Sunday March 1,...

Dreams of a fully walkable Oxford Street are officially set to become a reality. No more being shoved off the pavement for near-misses with blaring pedicabs and lumbering double-deckers. Soon you’ll be able to saunter down the famous shopping street all the way from Marble Arch to Tottenham Court Road. London Mayor Sadiq Khan has been working towards a car-free Oxford Street since 2017. Sir Sadiq officially unveiled plans for pedestrianisation in 2024 and last September the shopping district went totally car-free for a day, with street food stalls and live music to boot.   Following two rounds of consultation, Khan gave pedestrianisation plans final approval yesterday (February 26). The plan will turn much of the iconic road into a walkable street, with vehicles banned and buses diverted. Additional cycle routes will be constructed around the shopping district.  The mayor said: ‘I am delighted to be moving forward with my bold vision to transform Oxford Street into a world-leading urban space for shopping, leisure and outdoor events.’ When will Oxford Street go car-free? Works will begin in the coming months and continue until late 2027. The BBC reports that vehicles could be banned from the street by September 2026.  What are Londoners reactions ? Around 2,700 people responded to TfL’s traffic diversion consultation, with City Hall saying that a majority agreed to the plans. An initial consultation last summer showed that 63 percent of Londoners supported Oxford Street’s...