The London Underground has never been celebrated for its pleasant aromas, but a new scientific study has finally ranked every line by how badly it smells.
Natural deodorant brand Fussy, known from its appearance on Dragon’s Den, conducted the research using a specialised device called an olfactometer, which measures precise concentrations of odours.
The results are definitive: the Hammersmith and City Line holds the unwanted title of the smelliest line on the entire network.
According to Fussy’s findings, the Hammersmith and City Line’s smell can be officially described as “sour, rancid, fatty, stale,” which is unlikely to feature in any tourism brochure.
At the other end of the spectrum, the Metropolitan Line came out smelling considerably better, with researchers describing its odour as “fresh and fruity.”
The findings raise some puzzling additional questions, not least the fact that both the best and worst smelling lines happen to have air conditioning installed.
Perhaps more baffling still is that the Northern Line, the Piccadilly Line, and the Waterloo and City Line all officially smell of cabbage, with no clear explanation provided.
The Piccadilly Line was previously identified in a 2024 report as the least hygienic line on the network, yet it ranks only eighth in this latest smelliness table.
This is not the first time London Underground has wrestled with its reputation for unpleasant odours, with a notable attempt to fix the problem dating back to April 2001.
That year, platforms at Euston, St James’s Park, and Piccadilly Circus were sprayed with a signature fragrance called Madeleine, a scent originally developed for the Paris Metro in 1998.
Madeleine was described as having “a fresh, watery floral bouquet of rose and jasmine, combined with citrus top notes, tiny touches of fruit and herbs, giving way to woody accents and a hint of sweetness in the base.”
The experiment was abandoned quickly after passengers complained the new smell made them feel ill, with some calling the fragrance “medicinal” and “slightly naff suburban.”
London brand Floris produces a fragrance called No.89, which was famously the aftershave of choice for Ian Fleming, the creator of James Bond, blending orange, bergamot, lavender, and neroli.
Whether any fragrance could truly mask the subterranean reality of millions of commuters packed into confined spaces during a heatwave remains a deeply open question.
For now, Londoners travelling the Hammersmith and City Line are advised to breathe through their mouths and, if possible, stand near the doors.