When looking at London’s Underground, it is easy to feel completely overwhelmed. With lines going in all directions, new stations having names you’ve never heard of and what appears to be an incredibly complicated map at first glance. However, with a little practice and understanding of some simple principles, the London Underground will become one of the easiest ways to get around town.
Understandably, most people don’t consider how the London Underground was created. It all started with a tiny bit of track. The first underground train to operate anywhere in the world opened on 10 January 1863 and only ran 3.5 miles from Paddington Station. This very short train ride was the first step in creating one of the most effective subway systems in the world! Today, the Tube is one of the main arteries of London and offers a clean, reliable and mostly punctual travel option.
Regarding the map of London, it may appear difficult to use. However, you do not need to memorize it because today we have phones (i.e. Google Maps or Citymapper) that will tell you where to go, which train to take, and how many stops you have to count. The map serves purely as a back-up to help you find your way, and an image you do not need to learn.
What you do need to know is how the train lines are identified. All of the lines have names and colors, but most people in London do not use the colours when describing them, they use the names. Saying “Northern Line” will give you a better idea of where you need to go than saying the “black one” because the colours of some of the lines are very similar. By familiarising yourself with the different names of the lines, it will be a lot easier for you to get about.
On top of this, London is broken down into zones. Each zone is a circular area, and your fare is determined by how many zones you have travelled through. Thankfully, you do not need to work out how much you will be charged; your Oyster card and/or contactless payment will automatically do it for you. Just tap in, tap out and the system will automatically calculate the cost.
Lines aren’t too difficult to navigate until they branch off or divide further. This is when ‘via’ becomes crucial in making sure you are taking the correct route. For example, if you were to travel on two trains north but one was labelled ‘via Bank’ and the other was ‘via Charing Cross’, these two journeys are not the same. Most train apps will provide the correct route for you and will help you to decide which train you should be getting on.
The design of the stations is actually set up to help you at every turn. There are signs located at virtually every place in the station telling you which exit, line, and/or platform you need to be going to. In the event that you find yourself lost, stop looking around blindly and look up—most of the time your answer will be directly above your head. If that doesn’t work, find a Londoner and ask them for help; most Londoners are helpful when it comes to directions even if they look like they’re too busy to help you.
Let’s say you’re actively travelling from one part of town to another. You must stop and check your phone because it tells you the best way to get where you need to go. After tapping your card and going through the gate to find the appropriate train line, going to the right train at the right time, and getting off at the right place are usually fairly clearly marked.
As you continue to ride, your confidence grows. The more you ride and follow the same procedures, the more you become comfortable with the system and develop a sense of instinct about how to navigate it. You stop analyzing the map and rely on your app, which in turn helps you to just ride along with the transit system.
A further bonus that very few people know about is how easy it is to get around on public transport to London. Your Tube card can also be used for your bus rides and other forms of public transport; THERE IS NO NEED TO PURCHASE TICKETS EVERY TIME!!!! So it is very easy to navigate around London without worrying about learning it before you arrive!
The London Underground itself is not something that you need to know inside out before you arrive; just jump right in! After travelling on the Underground for just one or two times, you will already start to feel more confident about this travel system; by the time you finish exploring a few different areas of London, you will likely question why you thought it was hard to use.
