Global investment firms Yoo Capital and Deutsche Finance International (DFI), the driving force behind Olympia’s £1.3bn transformation, have entered into an agreement with Transport for London (TfL) to fund additional London Overground services to Kensington (Olympia). The five-year deal, worth up to £1.1m a year, will cover TfL’s net costs of operating the additional services on the Clapham Junction branch of the Mildmay line, including driver recruitment and training.

The investment will add 16 extra peak-time services per day, running between Clapham Junction and Shepherd’s Bush, boosting passenger capacity by almost 20% in the morning peak period and 33% in the afternoon peak period, making journeys easier and more comfortable during the busiest times of day. The enhanced timetable will come into effect from 18 May 2026, supporting the newly transformed Olympia.

Celebrating its 140^th anniversary this year, Olympia is one of London’s most iconic entertainment and events destination. Following its six-year transformation, Olympia will become home to a new music venue, British Airways ARC, due to open on 16^th June, as well as to the new British Airways Theatre (opening 2027). It will also welcome a host of new places to eat and drink, two new hotels – citizenM London Olympia and Hyatt Regency London Olympia, new state-of-the-art offices, enhanced event venues, as well as public spaces for all to enjoy.

These additional trains will complement the destination’s existing strong transport links, with its own dedicated station, Kensington (Olympia), plus access to five Tube lines – Central, Circle, District, Piccadilly and Hammersmith & City – within a 15-minute walk. Ideally located between Heathrow (33 mins), the West End (20mins) and the City of London (25 mins), the destination sits at the heart of the capital’s transport network.

Expected to welcome an annual footfall of around 10 million people, Olympia is forecasted to directly attract 3.5 million annual visitors to its new hotels, and events and performance venues. Once fully operational, Olympia will host around 800 events annually across the estate, building on its 140-year heritage to showcase leading and emerging talent in entertainment, culture, leisure and business, alongside its long-standing exhibitions.

Michael Volkert, CEO of Olympia Estates, which operates the transformed destination, said: "With Olympia soon to be welcoming Londoners and visitors from all over the world, our priority is to make sure that our fantastic new bars, restaurants, hotels and cultural venues, as well as our iconic halls, are easily accessible for as many people as possible. This agreement with TfL is a major step in ensuring our guests are only ever moments away from our corner of the capital, and we are delighted to have been able to play our part in making this happen.”

Andy O’Sullivan, CEO of Olympia Events, said: “Located in the heart of central London, Olympia’s iconic event venues, including the Grand Hall, as well as its new facilities such as the International Convention Centre, are some of the best connected in London, with access to several Tube lines, the Overground and a direct route to Heathrow Airport. The investment being made by Yoo Capital and DFI will provide our event organisers, exhibitors and visitors with improved connectivity to our venues, enhancing event experiences as we continue to launch new event spaces across the year and strengthen our exhibitions offering.”

Rory O’Neill, TfL’s General Manager of the London Overground, said: “We are delighted to have this agreement with Olympia that enables us to start these services from 18 May. It will allow us to introduce more peak services on the Clapham Junction branch of the Mildmay line, increasing capacity and making it easier for customers to attend events at the newly transformed venue. This five-year deal is a significant investment that will help TfL deliver the best possible service to our customers and Londoners using public transport.”

Olympia is being co-designed by globally renowned architects Heatherwick Studio and SPPARC for Yoo Capital and Deutsche Finance International.

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