Underground Tubes

Underground Tubes

By Cardinal Fang

in Living Travel
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Whether you're an overseas visitor in London on vacation, or a UK citizen visiting the capital for the first time, the London Underground is an efficient and economical way of getting around. However it can be confusing if you've never used it before.
This is intended to be a brief introduction to the tube, rather than an in-depth look.
This is totally unofficial, and unconnected to Transport for London. The skeleton of this instructable was written for the parents of a flatmate who were visiting London from the US, and were a bit nervous about using the tube . The London tube map and related images are property of TfL. Excerpts are being used for educational purposes, subject to fair use.
London is divided up into nine travel Zones. Central London is covered by Zone 1. As you move outwards, you pass through Zones 2-9.
The London Underground is divided into 11 different lines which are colour coded. Signs to each line will give both the line name, and it's colour, so they are easy to follow. If travelling with children, it's often easier to call a line by colour (e.g. “the yellow line” rather than using it's name i.e. the Circle Line).
When you look at a tube map (you can pick them up free at any station, or print one off the TfL website), you will see that stations are represented by one of two signs.
Regular underground stations are represented by a line. You can't change between different lines at these stations.
Interchange stations are represented by a white circle with a wide black outline. You can change between lines at these stations. The routes between lines will be signposted.
Stations that interchange with National Rail stations have a red symbol next to them.
There are multiple options when it comes to buying tickets for the Underground.
Tickets can either be bought from the machines available at each Underground station, from ticket offices on the station (be aware, not all stations have ticket offices, and they're not open all the time), or in advance from the Visitor Shop ( https://visitorshop.tfl.gov.uk/ )
If you are making a journey to a specific station, and not stopping off anywhere else, you can get single or return fares to that destination.
If you are travelling to multiple locations (for example sightseeing or shopping), you can buy paper travelcards that allow unlimited travel on the Tube, trams, Docklands Light Railway (DLR), and London Overground services, as well as some National Rail services within the London travel zone. You can get them for 1 day or 7 days, from ticket offices on the stations, or online in advance via the Visitor Shop. To get through the barriers, feed your ticket into the slot at the front, and collect it from the slot at the top.
You cannot use paper tickets on London buses.
Oyster Cards are plastic smartcards that you can use instead of paper tickets. They come preloaded with some credit, plus you can add extra pay-as-you go credit at machines at every station.
Oyster Cards are by far the the cheapest way of travelling, as it automatically works out the cheapest rate for every journey you make. And there is a daily price cap – once you've spent up to that limit, you won't get charged any more.
What is more, the credit doesn't expire, so it'll still be available the next time you visit London (although you can apply for a refund of unused credit by writing to Transport for London's Customer Service Dept.).
You can use Oyster Cards on all buses, underground, overground and tram services. They will also give you discounts on some of the riverboat services, and on the Emirates cable car service to Greenwich.
You use your Oyster Card by swiping it (“touching in”) on the yellow reader at your start station (this will let you through the barriers), then again on the yellow reader at your destination station (“touching out”). As long as you remember to touch in and touch out, you'll only ever pay the cheapest rate for that journey. On buses and trams, you only need to touch in at the start of your journey.
If you transfer between types of travel (e.g. Underground to DLR for example), you might have to touch an interim yellow reader, but there will be signs that will tell you if you need to.
You can get Oyster Cards at every tube station, or via the online Visitor Shop. If you buy online in advance you can get a brightly coloured visitors one as opposed to the plain blue ones on the station (they make a nice souvenir) . If visiting London from overseas, I'd suggest buying one online in advance – but make sure you buy it a couple of weeks ahead of time.
You can top-up with extra credit at any tube station at top-up machines. Simply touch the card to the yellow reader, pay in the money you want, then touch the reader again to finish.
If your credit or debit card has contactless facilities, you can use it the same way as an Oyster cars, touching in and touching out the same way on the yellow readers.
If you use Apple Pay, Android Pay, Samsung Pay, or Barclaycard and Barclays Contact Mobile and Pay, you can use these on the Tube, DLR, London Overground, TfL Rail, Emirates Air Line, and River Bus services, as well as London buses and trams. On trains you need to touch in and touch out, as you would with an Oyster Card. With buses and trams, you just need to touch in at the start of your journey.
Be Aware! If you keep a contactless payment or Oyster card in your phone case, you should remove it before using your mobile to touch in and out. If you don't, both of them might get scanned, and you'll end up paying twice.
And this might seem like common sense, but make sure you have enough battery power on your phone. If your phone runs out of juice before the end of your journey, you won't be able to touch out, and you might fall foul of a ticket inspector as you won't be able to prove you've payed.
You will need 1 Oyster Card or ticket per adult. Up to 4 children under the age of 11 can travel for free with an adult who has an Oyster card or ticket for the tube. You simply need to ask a staff member at the station to let your children through the barrier when you go through.
11 – 15 year olds will need to get either an 11-15 year old's Travelcard, ticket or Oyster Card. This allows free travel on buses and trams, and child rate travel on Tube, DLR, London Overground and most National Rail services in London.
Children 16 and over are counted as adults and have to pay adult fares.
If the train is busy, it's better to have your child on your lap, so that it's more difficult for you to get separated.
HINT: If travelling with youngsters, tell them which station you will be getting off at. That way, if you get separated, they know what their stop is. Tell them to wait on the platform for you. Why not get your child to plan your journey – you might end up going a long way round, but they do seem to enjoy it!
Most Tube trains have multipurpose areas suitable for buggies, except the Central, Waterloo & City and Bakerloo lines. Many also have wheelchair spaces. You may use them if they're available but if they are needed by a wheelchair user, you will need to give it up.
Many of the platforms, especially in central London are NOT step free. You may be able to ask station staff to assist you (although at busy times they might not be able to). You will probably be asked to carry your child and fold your buggy. You will often find though that other travellers will offer assistance.
So, you've made it though the barriers – now what?
Take a look at your map. There will be a big one on the wall in the entrance of every station, and on the platforms as well. Alternatively carry a pocket one.
Take a bit of time to work out your route, including any changes you might need. To get to a specific location, you might need to get off a train earlier than your destination, and change to a different line at an interchange station.
Some stations only serve one line, so you can just follow the signs to that line. For interchange stations that serve multiple lines, follow the signs for the particular line you want. Don't forget that all of the signs will show the colour of the line as well as the name, so you can always just follow the colours!
If you are unsure, you can always ask a member of staff (or a local) to point you in the right direction
At most stations you will need to use the escalators to reach the platforms. When riding the escalators, you should stand on the right, so that people in a hurry can get past on the left. Some deeper stations will have lifts (elevators) instead.
Bear in mind that some of the oldest stations in central London were built in Victorian times (over 100 years ago), and aren't always easy to use if you have lots of luggage, children's buggies, or are reliant on a wheelchair. Stations with a wheelchair icon have step-free access to the platforms. There have been large scale projects in recent years to make more stations wheelchair friendly, but it is still worth planning ahead if you can. You can also ask for assistance from a member of London Underground staff. And don't forget that most Londoners are friendly people, who will often help out if asked.
When you reach the platforms, you'll normally have to decide which direction platform you need (e.g. northbound or southbound, eastbound or westbound). Again, don't worry. There are maps on the wall that will tell you where you are right now, and which stations that line will stop at. The stop you're at is the one that's highlighted.
At most stations, only one line will go through each platform. At some, multiple lines will go through the same platform, so you need to be careful to get on the right train (for example many Circle line and District line trains share a platform). All platforms have digital signs that display what the next train is, where it is going, and how long it will be until it arrives. It will also say on the front of the the train what line the train is running on. Increasingly they have announcements as well, but not always.
Some lines (such as the Northern (black) line) can also go to two or three destinations, so again, take time to check you've got the right one.
(If you do end up on the wrong train, don't panic! Get off at the next station, walk round to the opposite platform and retrace your steps).
When you're on the platform, stand behind the yellow line. There's obvious reasons of this - you don't want to fall on to the lines! Some newer stations have barriers between the platform and the trains. The doors will open when a train is in the station.
If the platform is busy, move down the platform away from the entrance. People often bunch up there when there is really no need.
You'll often hear the announcement "Mind the Gap". Contrary to some urban legends, it's not a warning about Gappe bats (I didn't know this was a thing, but flatmate's mother was worried!). It's just a warning for London Underground passengers to be aware of the gap between the train door and the platform.
When getting on the train, stand to one side to let other passengers off first, rather than trying to battle your way through. Don't worry about missing the train, or not getting on – everyone else will be doing the same.
If the train doors are closing, please DO NOT try and stick your arm (or anything else) in the way to prevent it. This is really dangerous. Just wait for the next one - it'll only be a few minutes!
Once on the train, you'll find that sometimes it will be completely packed (for example, if you if you are travelling during the “rush hours” of 8-9:30am and 5-6:30pm), partially full so there is a good chance you will have a seat, or it will be completely empty (rare, but you sometimes get lucky). I'll be honest – if you can avoid travelling in rush hour, do so.
If you do find yourself having to stand, make sure you grab one of the poles or rails above you. You don't want to fall over if the train judders. If there are lots of people, don't lean on a pole (so that there's more spaces for hands!). And I would suggest not leaning on doors. I've seen people fall out of the train because they've opened at a platform and the person wasn't paying attention!
If it's busy, move right down inside the train, so that the area by the doors don't get too full (it also means that you have a better chance of grabbing a seat when other people get off!)
As the train moves off, an announcement will tell you the next station. If there are any places of interest at the next stop, it will tell you that as well (e.g. the museums, Buckingham Palace etc.).
The British as a nation tend to be a little reserved, and sometimes find it awkward to start conversations. This means that sometimes tube trains can resemble Cistercian monasteries – they're not being rude, just shy! But don't be afraid to aks someone if you have a question. Londoners are a friendly bunch and will be happy to help.
The easiest way to tell if you've reached your station is simply to look out the window! There are lots of signs along the platform. If you are continuing your journey, and are swapping beween lines, look for the signs directing you to your next Undergroound line. These may be in different locations from the exits. If you're leaving the station, follow the "Way Out" signs. In the station concourse you will need to pass through the barriers, by either inserting your paper ticket into the slot or by touching out with your Oyster Card, contactless card etc.
If you are continuing your journey by National Rail, look for the red National Rail symbols to direct you to the station.
Some large stations e.g. Piccadilly Circus, have multiple exits from the station. If you are going to a specific destination, such as a tourist attraction, the correct exit is normally signposted. There will also be maps on the wall showing the local area, so you can get an idea of your bearings. And don't forget, you can ask an Underground staff member who will be happy to point you in the right direction.
Hopefully you won't ever have problems on the tube, but just in case...
If you can, wait until the next station, and contact London Underground staff there. Platforms all have Help Points where you can get in touch with the control room (please – use for emergencies only, not because you want to know a train time!).
If you start feeling unwell on a train (and in the summer, the Underground can get very warm), if you can, wait and get off at the next station. During the summer, it's always worth having a bottle of water with you.
If all else fails, all carriages have emergency stop cords. Pull one to raise the alarm. If any part of the train is still in a station, it will stop straight away (hold on – it will be a sudden stop!), otherwise it will continue to the next station. Only pull the emergency cord as a last resort – you can be fined if it isn't an emergency.
In this day and age, obviously the threat of terrorism is in people's minds. But just remember this - millions of people make journeys on the underground every year in perfect safety. The odds of anything happening are very remote. So, to quote the British adage: Keep Calm and Carry On.
Buses can be a cheap and easy way to get around. They run from 5 in the morning until not long after midnight. Major routes may also have night bus services that run from midnight until 5.
Some bus routes are excellent for sightseeing (I suggest routes 9, 14, 15 or 22). There are also special open-top tour buses that go round the major sights (and often have a guide on board). You'll have to pay extra for the open-top buses.
You can get bus route maps online from the Transport for London website.
You cannot pay with cash on London buses – you will need to have an Oyster card, or pay with contactless or mobile methods
This goes to certain destinations in East London, and can be used to visit Maritime Greenwich (for the Cutty Sark, and the National Maritime Museum), Canary Wharf, or Woolwich Arsenal, amongst other locations. It operates in a similar way to the Underground. If you swap between the Underground and the DLR, and you're using an Oyster Card, you will need to touch a reader in between.
These are services that run out to the outer zones. They are more like regular trains. But paper tickets, Oyster cards etc still work on them. With Oyster cards, contactless, and mobile payments, you will need to touch a reader when you transfer between Underground and Overground services.
As the River Thames runs through the heart of London, it has used for transport for centuries. There are 2 types of river boat service – the River Buses which operate as an alternative to the Tube and buses, or the River Tours which are more leisurely but are an excellent way of seeing London
You can use your Oyster card on the River Buses, but not to pay for boat tours.
(Of course if you're feeling really adventurous, there are companies that run speedboat trips along the Thames...)
Shank's Pony (British slang for walking)
A lot of destinations are closer together than you might think. There are maps, and black and yellow street signs dotted all over the capital, giving directions around the local area. It's also a good way to discover bits of London you might not otherwise see.
If you've got a bit more time, there are some lovely routes that take in many of the major sites, including Parliament, Westminster Abbey, the Southbank, St Paul's Cathedral, and the London Eye. Transport for London have a number of suggested routes: https://tfl.gov.uk/campaign/see-the-sights
Incidentally, if you are up for walking around London, there are a host of walks led by a guide – they range from ghost walks (London's really old – it has a lot of spooky secrets), or tours around the haunts of the infamous Jack The Ripper, to history, The Beatles, Harry Potter, the Great British Pub, or Gourmet walks for foodies! You can find further details online or from London tourist information.
This runs between the ExCeL Centre, London (nearest interchange is Royal Victoria on the DLR) and the Greenwich Peninsula (within walking distance of the O2 Arena).
It was originally built for the London 2012 Olympics. Single fares are more expensive than fares paid with an Oyster Card. There are also "frequent flyer" tickets that allow 10 journeys within 12 months, where the fares are even cheaper, but unless you know you're going to be using the Air Line a lot, this might not be the option for you.
It is a stunning way to see panoramic views of London. Okay it's a bit more expensive, but if, for example, you're going to a special once-in-a-lifetime concert at the O2 Arena, it's a memorable way of travelling there.
A tram system runs between Wimbledon, Croydon, and Beckenham/ Elmers End/ New Addington. As a rule the stations are unstaffed, but you can buy tickets from the automatic ticket machines. As will many other forms of transport in London, you can also use Oyster Cards, as well as contactl
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