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The underground is one of London's most famous forms of public transportation. It is usually referred to as "The Tube". London has 273 stations and each one is clearly marked with The Underground logo. The tubes run every day except Christmas day, beginning at 5:30 am and ending just around midnight. It is usually a good idea to check for service before you begin your journey as some weekends tend to have irregular service due to track repairs.
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Reading the Underground Map
The Underground lines are color-coded by line and each station displays a map called Journey Planners. Maps of the central section are displayed in the actual trains. The map will show you how to change lines in order to travel from where you are to any station located on the Underground system. Some lines, such as the Victoria and Jubilee, are simple single-branch routes; others, such as the Northern line, have more than one branch. The Circle line is a continuous loop around central London. Distances shown on the map are not actually to scale and the routes that lines are seen to take should not be relied upon for directions. You can pick up a map of the central area in any Underground station.
London Underground (The Tube)
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Buying a Ticket
If you are going to be making more than two journeys within the day you might want to purchase an all day travel card. You should consider what zones you will be traveling in as it is more expensive to travel outside of zones 1 and 2. You can also buy single tickets or return tickets either from the ticket office in each station or from one of the two types of automatic machines that are found in most stations. The large machines take coins and 5 and 10 pound notes and usually give change. You select the ticket type you need, then the station you are traveling to, and the cost of the fare is automatically displayed. The smaller machines only show a choice of fare prices from which you select the correct one for your journey. They do not take notes, seldom give change, and are geared toward regular Underground travelers, who know the cost of their journey in advance.
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Oyster Travelcard
Oyster is London's travel smartcard. It can store your season ticket or Pre Pay (pay-as-you-go travel), or a combination of both. You simply touch it on the card readers at Tube and DLR stations, on buses and at tram stops and go.
Oyster cards are reusable. When your ticket expires, simply buy another one on the same Oyster card. When your Pre Pay runs out, just top it up. The cost of each journey you make is automatically deducted from your pre-pay balance when you exit the Tube system. If you have made several journeys on the same day, the amount you pay is capped at the cost of a one-day travelcard.
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Purchasing the Oyster Card
- Underground station ticket offices
- Oyster ticket stops
- London travel information centers
- National rail stations
- Online
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