plan journey london underground

Tube Map London Underground

Hardy commuters at waterloo..

Available free on iOS and Android

Official TfL Tube Map.

Including Night and Rail maps.

early-risers on the District line.

Live line status..

The latest info from TfL, including live departure boards.

families at Charing Cross.

Offline route planner..

The easiest way to navigate the Tube.

London’s favourite app for using the Underground.

Tube Map prepares you for the journey ahead with line status updates, real-time routing to anywhere in London and of course the latest official Tube Map from Transport for London. The award winning transport app features the iconic Harry Beck Tube Map which is easily recognisable to both local commuters and tourists. With a range of great features and the latest maps available every time there is an update, the Tube Map app is the simplest way to navigate the Underground when on the go.

Official Tube Map

Tube Map includes the latest official Transport for London map, based on the iconic Harry Beck design. The Tube network is constantly changing, from closed stations to the addition of entire lines (hello TfL Rail!) Download once and know that you’ll always have the latest Tube Map ready to go.

Line status and departure boards

Tube Map’s live status about every line on the TfL network. Whether it’s a closure on the Bakerloo line or delays on TfL Rail, you’ll always be in the know. Tap on a line for further information about any delays and what stations are causing the problem. Head to the Status & Departure Boards tab on a selected station to see departure times.

– Travel Guide –

Need help planning something to do in London or have questions about using the London Underground? Read the Mapway Travel Guide to London .

Journey Planner

Planning a journey to anywhere in London? Tube Map makes it easy! Plan journeys to and from postcodes, points of interest/tourist attractions and Tube stations. Realtime routes will avoid known delays so you can travel in confidence knowing that you’re going the quickest way. Tube Map’s route planner also works without an internet connection so you don’t have to worry about using up data!

Available free iOS and Android

Accessibility information.

View how accessible each platform is with ratings for those travelling with heavy luggage, a pushchair or using a wheelchair.

 – Travel Tip –

Don’t forget to tap out with the same card you used to tap in, or you might be charged more for your Tube journey.

Tube Map London Underground review on iTunes

Robroy060 | 6th december 2021, amir haqani | 17th october 2019, rydley | 2nd september 2019, – did you know –.

You should stand on the right when using an escalator on the London Underground or risk being frowned at by the locals!

– Travel Tip –

For more travel tips tap any station in Tube Map and click Information & Facilities. You’ll find some fun facts, travel tips and things to look out for!*

*Available on Android. Feature in development for iOS.

Additional features, first & last trains.

This handy Premium feature gives you the first and last train times for each service. For more information visit “Unlocked Features Explained” .

Want to know the quickest way off the Tube and out of the exit? This helpful Premium feature tells you which carriage to use to get out first. For more information visit “Unlocked Features Explained” .

Walking Routes

The walking routes shortcut is a map overlay that shows which stations are quicker to walk to and how long it will take.

Tube Map supports widgets, making it even easier to view the latest real-time information without needing to open the app.

Our Premium users can also access platform specific enhanced widgets.

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How to use the London Underground

Despite Londoners’ moans, it’s a good service considering it’s the world’s oldest underground system.

There are 12 separate colour-coded lines (including the Docklands Light Railway) that run in northbound, southbound, eastbound or westbound directions.

You’re never far from an underground station in central London – they’re pretty easy to spot.

The new Elizabeth line is actually a train running east to west through central London.

Tube maps and journey planners

View a Tube map or download a PDF version .

Free pocket-sized tube maps are available from underground stations.

The TFL Go app has a ‘live’ tube map, which makes it easy to locate your closest tube station (if location services is turned on), and find the next departure times.

The CityMapper app has a tube map which shows the zones.

Journey planners

If you can’t work out which route to take by looking at the tube map, or if you want door-to-door instruction, see our guide to planning journeys in London .

How to find the right platform

The direction will normally be obvious by looking at the tube map, but if it’s not — here’s what to do:

• Before going through the ticket barriers, or just after the barriers at some stations, look at the destinations list signs to find the tube station you’re travelling to.
• Your destination will be listed on a sign that gives you the direction (eastbound, westbound etc.) at the top.
• Follow the signs and check you’re on the right platform by looking at the destination list on the platform wall.

If you do travel the wrong way, don’t worry, just get off the train and change platform. You won’t pay anything unless you go through the ticket barriers and leave the station.

Some lines have different branches. For example, the westbound Piccadilly line goes to Heathrow, Rayner’s Lane or Uxbridge. Check the display on the platform to make sure you take the right train. You don’t want to end up in Rayner’s Lane if you’re catching a flight from Heathrow.

Tube timetables

The tube does not run to a strict timetable during the day, but you won’t wait long. Most tube trains within central London run every few minutes or so.

If you need more precise information on departure or arrival times, the TfL Journey Planner has a ‘leaving’ or ‘arriving’ option.

Tube first and last times

The first tube trains start running from around 5.00–5.30am. The last tube trains leave central London around 12.30am (see the Night Tube below). Most trains start at least an hour later on Sundays.

The exact start and finish times vary according to each individual underground line. Posters at tube stations give the first and last train times from that station. Alternatively, check the tube timetables on the TfL website for the exact times.

If you need to travel after the tubes have finished, take a bus . Some routes run for 24 hours. If they don’t, there are special night buses.

The Night Tube

There is currently a 24-hour service on Fridays and Saturdays on the following lines:

Some stations on these lines are not served, so check the TfL website before travelling.

The rush hour

There is a morning and evening peak on the underground when the tube trains, tube stations and platforms are extremely busy. The peak times for travel are roughly 7.45am–8.30am and 5.00pm–7.00pm Monday–Friday.

During these busy times you won’t have much room to stand and you definitely won’t find a seat, especially in central London. If you can, wait until after 9.30am before starting your journey.

The TfL Go app tells you if a station is busy or quiet.

Check for delays

You can check if the underground is working normally or if there are any delays on certain lines on the status updates section of the TfL website.

Check for planned engineering work at the weekend

The underground network is being modernised. Engineering work is carried out at weekends and Bank Holidays and sometimes whole sections of the tube are out of action.

When this happens, a replacement bus service run and underground tickets/passes/oyster cards are accepted on the bus. The replacement buses follow the route of the underground line, stopping outside each station, but it might be quicker to travel to your destination by another bus route.

Check TfL’s service update  if you travel by tube or the ELizabeth line at the weekend, especially if you plan to travel to or from Heathrow airport.

Related pages

• Guide to London transport tickets and passes
• Underground tickets and Travelcards
• Oyster cards
• Contactles cards

Last updated: 14 February 2023

Getting around London

• How to use the London underground
• How to use London buses
• London cycle hire scheme
• Walking in London
• London trains
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Tube Map - London Underground 4+

Tfl map and journey planner‪.‬, mapway limited.

• #92 in Navigation
• 4.7 • 17.1K Ratings
• Offers In-App Purchases

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Description.

Tube Map is the award-winning navigation app that includes the official TfL (Transport for London) Tube Map. Tube Map - London Underground works both on and offline and is the #1 Tube Map with over 22 million downloads! Key features: Uses the official TfL iconic Harry Beck London Underground map design. Includes additional map views for the TfL Night Tube and Rail Network. Plus a bonus map that we have created that is more geographical.  An easy to use journey planner that works with and without an internet connection. Check line status for delays, closures and service changes. See what time the next Tube is due with live departures from TfL. National Rail arrivals and departures. Journey planning made easy with real-time routing around closures and delays. Use step-by-step directions in the journey planner to find your way around London. Save your favourite routes for quick selection when on the go. Save your Home and Work stations for up to date station, line and route information. Find your closest Tube station wherever you are in London. Tube Map – London Underground Apple Watch app available. Line status widget Travel Guide Exclusive features also available; First & Last Tube Times, Tube Exits, Premium Line status widget and Priority Support. NEW - Remove advertising subscription With over 60 million downloads worldwide, there's a Mapway app for many of the busiest transport systems in the world including New York Subway, Paris Metro, Bus Times London and Berlin Subway. Plan. Route. Relax. Please note: whilst we endeavour to ensure that Line Status notifications are delivered in a timely manner we can’t guarantee this 100% of the time. There may be occasions when the functionality isn’t available due to technical reasons outside of our control. Continued use of GPS running in the background can dramatically decrease battery life. Tube Map Premium available as an in-app subscription: 99p weekly, £3.99 monthly or £9.99 annually, or as a one-off purchase of £24.99. Prices may vary by location. Cancel at any time, for any reason. Payment will be charged to your iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase. Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period. Your account will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period, at the cost of your chosen price tier. Subscriptions can be managed and auto-renewal may be turned off by going to Account Settings in your iTunes Account. Any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when a subscription to that publication is purchased, where applicable. Read our terms in full at https://www.mapway.com/terms-conditions/

Version 7.3.11

Thank you for downloading the app. We regularly update the app to make it better for you. This release includes an updated map and some bug fixes and improvements for you. To make sure you don’t miss a thing, just keep your updates turned on. Got a question? Tap Support in the About section in the app.

Ratings and Reviews

17.1K Ratings

Great app for London Tube travel

Just got back from our first trip to London and using this app made getting around London to see the sights via the tube so much easier. It can show you the nearest tube station to your location and all you do it put in the location of the station you will be starting from and where you want to go and it does the rest. Gives you what t train to take and tells you what stop to get off. If you have to switch trains, it tells you the stop you get off ti switch the train and the next train to take and what stop for your final destination. This was great and the tube is so nice to use to travel around London. Highly recommended to anyone going there and planning ti use the tube. Much, much less expensive than a taxi.

Developer Response ,

Hi. Many thanks for the five stars and comprehensive review. Best regards, Team Mapway

Huge Timesaver

I used this app extensively on our recent trip to London. The route feature tells you exactly which lines to take and where to change lines. For a small fee it even can tell you which exit to take and whether to try to sit near the front or middle of the train (the fee was well worth it in my opinion). I did not find the adverts overly distracting. A cool feature is that once you've plugged in your route, you can switch over to a familiar Underground map and it will highlight your stations so you know where you are in the city/system. 5 stars from me. I downloaded another paid London map app that was worthless but this app is fantastic. Thank you for making my trip much, much easier!

We have loved reading your comments thanks so much for the review!

Forget the map - get this app!

Simply stated, unless you are very familiar with the London "tube", this app is a must have! No need to puzzle over maps, or ask guidance from an English-challenged employee. Just open the app, go to route planner, and enter your beginning & ending stations. It'll show you the lines and changes to get there! You can even put a location like "Hard Rock Cafe" in for your destination, and it will route you to the nearest station! The only catch is you must have cell service and be willing to use it. Just make sure you get a good plan on your phone!

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London · 28 July 2024

How to Use the London Underground : The Ultimate Guide From a Londoner

As a born and raised Londoner, I’m pretty well versed in how to use the London Underground. But, I understand that it can be very overwhelming to navigate it all at first if you’re a non-Londoner. There are lots of different Tube lines, everyone walks at a fast pace and you have to remember what direction you need to go to survive (I’m only joking…kind of). So, I’ve created the ultimate guide on how to use the London Underground, sharing my best tips and advice to help you navigate it easily in no time!

What’s the London Underground?

The London Underground is a rapid transit (metro) that connects tons of areas in almost every London borough. It serves 272 stations and operates at high capacity. It’s one of the world’s busiest metro systems with around 5 million people using it every single day!

Safe to say that you might feel a little intimidated when navigating the Tube if you’re new to London. There’s never a quiet day and everyone is always on the go. But I promise, it’s not difficult to grasp when you know the fundamentals! The busyness of the Tube just makes it seem difficult to grasp.

How to Use the London Underground: Know the Tube Lines

Knowing the Tube lines is a key aspect of knowing how to use the London Underground. You don’t have to memorise every single Tube line, but it makes it much easier for getting to your destination. Every Tube line is represented by a different colour, which also helps you with navigating which platform to get on. The London Underground Tube lines and colours are as follows:

• Bakerloo – Brown
• Central – Red
• Circle – Yellow
• District – Green
• Hammersmith and City – Pink
• Jubilee – Grey
• Metropolitan – Magenta
• Northern – Black
• Piccadilly – Dark Blue
• Victoria – Light Blue
• Waterloo and City – Teal

There are other lines that you may see on the Tube map that aren’t the ones mentioned above. They technically aren’t considered London Underground lines, but they still operate in London:

• Dockland Light Rail (DLR) – Turquoise (2 Parallel lines)
• Elizabeth Line – Purple
• Lioness – Yellow (2 parallel lines)
• Mildmay – Blue (2 parallel lines)
• Windrush – Red (2 parallel lines)
• Weaver – Maroon (2 parallel lines)
• Suffragette – Green (2 parallel lines)
• Liberty – Grey (2 parallel lines)

How to Use the London Underground: Understand the Zones

When travelling on the Tube, you may realise that it covers 9 zones , with most stations sitting on zones 1-6. The higher the zone, the farthest it is from central London. So zone 1 covers central London, zone 2 is the ring around zone 1, zone 3 is the ring around zone 2 and so on. Zones 7, 8 and 9 cover areas on the outskirts of London such as Watford (Hertfordshire), Chalfont and Latimer (Buckinghamshire) and Brentwood (Essex).

Knowing these zones is important for knowing how to use the London Underground because your travel card needs to be valid for travelling and crossing these zones. If you’re visiting London for sightseeing, the West End, art, or shopping, then it’s very likely you’ll only be in Zones 1 and 2 (maybe 3 at most).

Paying Your London Underground Fares

So we’ve covered Tube lines and zones and this all links to knowing what fare you will pay when travelling on the Tube. The general gist of it is that the more zones you cross, the higher your fare will be. For example, if you are travelling from Zone 4 to Zone 1, your fare will cost more than if you were travelling from Zone 2 to Zone 1.

The closer you are to central London, the higher your fare will be too. So if you’re travelling from Zone 4 to Zone 1, your fare will cost more than if you were travelling from Zone 4 to Zone 7.

Your fares will also be affected by peak and off-peak times, with higher fares being charged at rush hour (the busiest times of the day). You’ll be charged peak fares on Monday to Friday between 06:30-09:30 and between 16:00-19:00. You’ll be charged off-peak fares any time outside the peak hours and if you’re crossing to zone 1 from another zone between 16:00-19:00, Monday to Friday.

When it comes to actually paying these fares, there are 3 ways to do so: Travelcard, Oyster Card and contactless.

A Travelcard gives you unlimited travel on London’s public transport for 1, 2 or 3 days. So not only does this include Tube travel, but also the London Overground, DLR, Elizabeth Line, bus, tram (in South London) and National Rail services within zones 1-6.

You can buy your Travelcard directly from Travel For London (TFL) and they will send it to you in the post. As soon as you arrive in London, the Travelcard will be ready to use!

If you’re staying in London for a week or more, it’s worth getting a Visitor Oyster Card (or a regular Oyster card) instead of a travel card. Both kinds of Oyster Cards are plastic smartcards that you can top up for your journeys. This also includes bus, London Overground, DLR Elizabeth line, bus, tram (in South London) and National Rail as well as the Tube.

Visitor Oyster Card

The benefits of a Visitor Oyster Card are that you can top up as much money as you need for travel and if you visit London again, you can reuse it! You can use them at Heathrow Airport, Gatwick Airport or London City Airport to get to London too!

You can buy the Visitor Oyster card directly from TFL and they will send it to you in the post. Before buying, they also provide a rough guide for how much credit you will need to top up depending on where you’re travelling to and from and how long your stay is.

Regular Oyster Card

With a regular Oyster card, you can pay your London Underground fares as you go. If you need a weekly or monthly Travelcard, this can also be loaded onto your Oyster card too.

You can buy your Oyster card online with a contactless and Oyster account , at every tube and London Overground station, at Visitor Centres or at any Oyster Ticket Shops dotted around London. The price of an Oyster Card is £7. You can also top up your Oyster card at any of these places and by using the free TFL Oyster and contactless app !

TFL has a full list of pay-as-you-go and travelcard fare caps that can give you an idea of what you could be paying when using the London Underground in London.

Contactless

Contactless is another pay-as-you-go method for travelling in London. Simply tap your debit or credit card on the barrier pads and TFL will automatically charge your fare. The price caps for pay-as-you-go using an Oyster Card also apply to contactless travel.

How to Use the London Underground: A 5 Step Guide

So you know what the Tube is, how it works and how to pay your fares. Now it’s time to know exactly how to use the London Underground. All you need to remember are these 5 steps:

• Enter the London Underground Station Entrance and Tap in
• Follow the signs leading to the Tube line you are taking
• Ensure you’re on the right platform
• Take the ride
• Exit the London Underground Station by tapping out

Below is a further breakdown of all the steps!

1. Enter the London Underground Station Entrance and Tap In

The first step in knowing how to use the London Underground is to dive straight in! Head to a London Underground Station entrance to start your journey. Make sure you have your Travelcard, Oyster Card or contactless payment on hand.

When you enter, you’ll see ticket barriers with a yellow pad. This is where you tap in your Oyster Card or contactless card. If you have a paper Travelcard, there’s a ticket scanner right under the pad where you will have to insert it. Next to the Oyster card, your paper Travelcard will appear and you can retrieve it.

After tapping in your Oyster, contactless or Travelcard, the barriers will open and you can walk right through!

2. Follow the Signs Leading to the Tube Line You Are Taking

The next step in how to use the London Underground is to follow the correct signs. Many stations (like King’s Cross St Pancras) have more than one Tube line operating at a time so knowing exactly what line you are taking, will make following signs much easier. These signs will be on the walls, above escalators and on the platforms. I promise you won’t miss them!

3. Ensure You’re on the Right Platform

Once you’re at the correct Tube line there will be two platforms heading in opposite directions.

Signs on the walls will say which side of the Tube line is headed eastbound and westbound or northbound and southbound before you turn onto the platform. The signs might say that the Tube splits into different destinations too so make sure you hop on the correct train that arrives. For example, if you’re taking the Northern Line from Camden Town, it goes Northbound to Edgware or High Barnet and Southbound to Morden or Battersea. You might also see that the Tube line splits and/or rejoins while still going to the same destination. For example, the Northern Line goes Northbound to High Barnet via Bank or via Charing Cross.

4. Take the Ride

When you hop on the Tube you can finally breathe! Taking the ride is the easiest step in how to use the London Underground because, at that point, you’re actually using it! On your journey, the announcement speaker will inform you about the final destination of the Tube line, and it will also name each stop as you approach it.

You may have to change Tube lines to get to your destination. In that case, get off at the appropriate stop, and follow steps 2 and 3 again.

Remember that the Tube doors open and shut automatically.

5. Exit the London Underground Station By Tapping Out

Once you get off your stop, simply follow the signs saying “Way Out” to reach the exit. By the exit, you’ll need to use your Travelcard, Oyster Card or contactless at ticket barriers again to leave the station.

And there you have it! There’s the 5 step guide on how to use the London Underground!

How to Use the London Underground: Operating Times

Contrary to what people might think, London isn’t a 24-hour city, so the London Underground doesn’t operate 24/7 either. Generally, the Tube starts running at 5:30 am (except Sundays, which start running an hour later) and stops running between 12-12:30 pm.

The Night Tube was introduced in 2016, where some Tube lines operate for 24 hours on Fridays and Saturdays. These are the Victoria, Central, Jubilee, Northern and Picadilly lines. Additionally, the London Overground operates 24 hours on Fridays and Saturdays between New Cross Gate station and Highbury & Islington station.

Tips on How to Use the London Underground

Now that you know how to use the London Underground, there are a few tips and rules (both written and unwritten) to know when you’re taking any journey on the Tube.

Plan Your Journey Ahead of Time

The easiest way to know how to use the London Underground is to plan your journey ahead of time. Every station has a free Tube map leaflet that you can take and really have a look at to know which line(s) you need to go on.

Of course, give yourself a bit of time when going on your journey too, especially during peak times. Trains can get very packed (I’m talking packed like sardines in a tin) so you may have to wait longer.

Download Apps to Make Your London Underground Journey Easier

Planning your journey ahead of time can also be done by downloading relevant apps like Citymapper , TFL Go and Oyster as I mentioned previously. Put in your location and destination and it will show you exactly how to use the London underground to get there. Some of these apps have other helpful features for navigating the tube such as displaying how long your journey will take, stations with step-free access and an updated tube timetable.

You may like: 18 Best London Apps for Travel, Food and Entertainment

Understand Tube Etiquette

This may sound like an over exaggeration but tube etiquette is very important i n knowing how to use the London Underground. As I mentioned before, everyone is always on the go so you’ll have to be very considerate and keep Tube etiquette in mind when navigating the Tube.

You may like: The Ultimate Guide to London Tube Etiquette (From a Londoner)

Mind the gap

“Mind the gap between the train and the platform” is inevitably something you will hear when you get on the London Underground. But they say this for a reason. Every station has a yellow line going across the edge of the platform, make sure to not cross the line so you don’t risk falling on the tracks!

Wear a mask

I know that the COVID pandemic is officially over, but I still think wearing a mask on the London Underground is good Tube etiquette. Not only does this protect other people around you but you’re also protecting yourself from the high levels of toxic dust pollution . Granted, the majority of people who use the Tube don’t wear masks anymore but the few people who do understand the reasons why.

Stand on the right side of the escalators

Being aware of your surroundings is an important aspect of knowing how to use the London Underground. Part of that is being considerate of other Tube goers, especially on the escalators. When you get on the escalator, stand on the right side. This ensures that you’re not blocking or bumping into anyone else. If you want to get to the end of the escalator quicker, that’s exactly what the left side of the escalator is for! Use the left side to walk.

Wait for passengers to get off the train before you enter it

Another way to be considerate of other Tube goers is to wait for them to get off the train before you enter it. This is a pretty big deal! If you try to get on before other Tube goers get off, you’ll be met with shouting, moaning and maybe people waving you to stay back and wait. I tried getting on the Tube before others got off once as a young, oblivious teen. Safe to say I learned my lesson that day.

Don’t eat food on the tube

It’s not the best idea to eat food on the Tube. I’d actually completely advise against it. It’s considered rude and the sound of someone chewing smelly food is enough to put a Londoner in a coma (get the Tiktok reference)?

It’s not illegal to eat on the Tube. But if you need to eat for whatever reason, you’ll be met with screwed faces at the very least and a telling off by a passenger at the very most. So it’s best to play it safe and not eat on the Tube at all.

If you need a second to stop and look where to go, find a place on the side to stop away from the walking traffic

My biggest pet peeve as a native Londoner is when people randomly stop when there’s ongoing traffic of people walking. It’s inconvenient, it messes up the flow and to be honest, it’s very annoying for Londoners.

Of course, if you’re lost, you don’t need to keep walking for the sake of keeping up. But you’ll be preventing a lot of annoyed Londoners on the Tube if you step to the side away from where people are walking to deal with whatever the situation was that required you to stop.

I always say that if you want to survive in London, it’s very important to walk with purpose.

Have your Travelcard/Oyster Card/contactless ready before approaching the ticket hall barriers

You’ll also be preventing a lot of annoyed Londoners on the Tube if you have your Travelcard, Oyster or contactless in your hands and ready to use before reaching the ticket hall barriers. I guarantee you, that if you wait until you’re at the ticket hall barriers to search for your Travelcard, Oyster or contactless, you’ll be met with a lot of huffing, puffing and people trying to push in front of you. So to avoid the trouble, have your Travelcard, Oyster or contactless in your hand when you get off the Tube at the earliest or by the time you’re 20 feet from the barriers at the very latest.

How to Use The London Underground: Summary

I hope this post helped you with understanding how to use the London Underground! I promise it won’t take long to get used to navigating it. Just remember to find the right fare payment method for you and plan ahead so you know which Tube line(s) to get on. Once you follow the steps and tips I’ve mentioned, you’ll be navigating the Tube like a regular Londoner!

Check out some more London travel guides to help you plan your trip to London: The Ultimate First-Timer’s Guide to London (start here) The Ultimate Guide to the Most Famous Places in London 60 Fun Facts About London (From a Londoner) The Ultimate Guide to the Most Famous Places in London

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London Underground: How to pay fares & use tube trains

How much is a London train fare?

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You can buy tickets using cash, your contactless card , or by getting hold of an Oyster card , Visitor Oyster card or travelcard .

Tube journey planner

Get information about a station:

Plan a route between two stations (remember to check for tube strikes and delays ):

Where can you get a tube map?

Free maps can be picked up inside tube stations in the most central, touristy parts of London. The best online map is at the TFL website: tfl.gov.uk/standard-tube-map.pdf .

Where can you get London underground timetables?

Paper timetables – You can get paper timetables from one of the Visitor Centres at Heathrow airport, Euston station , King’s Cross , Liverpool Street , Paddington , Piccadilly Circus and Victoria .

Online timetables – You can also look them up on the TFL website at tfl.gov.uk/travel-information/ – or this very website, by selecting a station from the dropdown menu above.

Download the TFL app – The official TFL app is worth downloading onto your phone because it comes with a tube map and route planner. Check out their website for details: tfl.gov.uk/maps_/ .

When is rush hour on the London underground?

Rush hour on the London Underground is slightly different to peak time , and runs roughly from 7.30 AM to 9.30 AM, and 5 PM to 7 PM – don’t expect to get a seat during rush hour!

Peak time is used to work out the fare, and applies from 6.30 AM to 9.30 AM, and 4.30 PM to 7 PM (Mon-Fri). Weekends and public holidays are always classed as off-peak . Note: Between the 8th March and 31st May 2024 TFL are running a trial called ‘Off-Peak Friday Fares’, where Fridays will be classed as off-peak all day.

How often do London underground trains run?

How often London underground trains run will depend on which line you’re using and the time of day you’re travelling, but a good rule-of-thumb is every 5-10 minutes in zone 1, going up to every 2-5 minutes during rush hour. Trains outside zone 1 can be anything from 10-30 minutes.

Services typically operate between 5 AM and 00.30 AM (Mon-Sat) and 7 AM to 11.30 PM (Sun), but some of the busier lines operate 24 hours a day on the night tube.

You can view of a map of the night tube routes on the TFL website .

When does the night tube operate?

Central line – Trains run roughly every 10 mins between White City and Leytonstone, every 20 mins between Ealing Broadway and White City, and every 20 mins between Leytonstone and Loughton/Hainault. There’s no night service between North Acton and West Ruislip, Loughton and Epping, or Woodford and Hainault

Jubilee line – Trains run roughly every 10 mins

Northern line – Trains run roughly every 8 mins between Morden and Camden Town, and every 15 mins between Camden Town and High Barnet/Edgware. There’s no night service on the Mill Hill East branch or Bank branch

Piccadilly line – Trains run roughly every 10 mins between Cockfosters and Heathrow T5. There’s no night service on the T4 loop, or between Acton Town and Uxbridge

Victoria line – Trains run roughly every 10 mins

How can you avoid lifts and escalators on the tube?

Avoiding tube stations with lifts and escalators is harder than you’d think because a lot of them are very old and don’t have lifts, or even escalators, so the odds are pretty high that you’ll find yourself facing a long flight of stairs at some point.

If you look on a tube map then the stations showing a blue wheelchair symbol have step-free access between the train and the street, so these ones should be accessible for practically everybody, but the ones with a white wheelchair symbol only have step-free access between the platform and the street, so you might need some help getting on and off the actual train.

The journey planner on the TFL website will let you search for a route with extra options like ‘Use escalators but not stairs’ – tfl.gov.uk/plan-a-journey/ .

How can you avoid tunnels on the London underground?

If you’d rather avoid tube tunnels on the underground then you’re out of luck in central London because the journeys in zones 1 and 2 are practically all underground.

Once you get out to zone 3 and beyond then it’s the total opposite, because most of them are above ground.

Check out this handy map on the TFL website which shows you which parts are above ground: tfl.gov.uk/tube-map-with-tunnels .

Can you take a bike on the London underground?

Non-folding bikes are banned on large parts of the London underground because the tube trains are so busy. Check out this handy map on the TFL website showing you which stations allow them: tfl.gov.uk/cycles-on-public-transport-map .

How do you get through the ticket barriers?

The first thing that you need to know is that you can’t get through every single barrier at the station. You can only use the ones that are showing a green arrow or yellow arrow next to the gate. If it has a red cross or yellow cross then it won’t accept your ticket.

The yellow circles in front of the gates are called Oyster readers. If you have an Oyster card or contactless card then all you have to do is wave it near the reader and the gate will open automatically. If you have a paper ticket, or a paper travelcard , then you have to insert it face-up into the slot beneath the Oyster reader. The same ticket will then pop out of the slot on the top. The gate will open automatically when you remove your ticket from this slot.

Note: If you’re carrying some bulky bags or you’ve got a pushchair with you, then you might struggle to fit through the barrier. So just look for the extra-wide barrier which is usually positioned at the far end for wheelchair users. This one is also useful if your child is travelling for free because they won’t have their own ticket.

How can you find the right platform?

To find the right tube platform you need to know your direction of travel. If you want to travel from Piccadilly Circus to Oxford Circus on the Bakerloo line, for example, then you need to look for signs saying Bakerloo Northbound , because that’s the direction you travel on the ground. If you’re returning in the opposite direction then you’d need Bakerloo Southbound . Other journeys might say Eastbound or Westbound .

If an underground line branches in two different directions then you also need to look for the last stop on the line. So if you want to travel from Westminster to Kew Gardens on the District line, for example, then you need the District Westbound to Richmond – because Richmond is the last stop on the branch which goes to Kew Gardens. If you boarded the District Westbound to Wimbledon then that would be the wrong one, because that branch doesn’t go to Kew Gardens.

The Northern line is a bit more confusing because not only does it split in two, but each branch also has the same final stop. So what you have to do then is look for the words Bank loop and Charing Cross loop . If you look on a tube map then you’ll see that one branch goes past Bank station , whilst the other goes past Charing Cross .

And bear in mind that the Circle line doesn’t actually go around in a circle, like its name implies (welcome to London!). If you ride it round as far as Edgware Road then you’d actually have to get off and board another train to Baker Street .

What is a National Rail train?

A National Rail train is an overground train that goes outside London to other parts of the country.

There are lots of different companies that operate National Rail trains: Chiltern Railways, East Midlands, First Great Western, Great Northern, Merseyrail, South West Trains and Thameslink , to name just a few, but they all come under the umbrella of ‘National Rail’.

Each company will have their own individual website, but we recommend using the official National Rail website at nationalrail.co.uk , because it allows you to search all of the different companies together.

Where can you catch a National Rail train?

Here’s a list of the main National Rail stations in central London, with some of their most popular destinations.

Trains heading north – City Thameslink for Luton Airport, St. Albans – Euston for Birmingham, Glasgow, Liverpool, Manchester, Watford – King’s Cross for Cambridge, Edinburgh, Newcastle, Nottingham, York – Marylebone for Birmingham – Moorgate for Hertford – St. Pancras for Luton Airport, Nottingham

Trains heading south – Blackfriars for Ashford International, Brighton – Cannon Street for Ashford International, Margate – Charing Cross for Canterbury, Dover, Hastings – Farringdon for Brighton – London Bridge for Brighton, Canterbury, Hastings – St. Pancras for Brighton, Eastbourne, Eurostar to Paris – Victoria for Brighton, Dover, Eastbourne, Gatwick Airport, Margate – Waterloo for Bournemouth, Canterbury, Dover, Hastings, Portsmouth, Southampton

Trains heading west – Paddington for Bath, Cornwall, Heathrow Airport, Oxford, Plymouth, Wales – Waterloo for Cornwall, Salisbury

Trains heading east – Fenchurch Street for Southend – Liverpool Street for Stansted Airport

Good manners and bad etiquette on the train

If you’re new to the London Underground then here’s a quick little guide to tube etiquette:

Getting through the barrier – Tube stations are very busy places and you should always try and have your ticket ready before you reach the barrier. If you stand there for a few minutes rifling through your pockets and bag then expect to get some withered looks.

Standing on the escalator – The biggest sin that a tourist can commit on the tube is blocking up the escalator by standing on the left. If you want to stand still then use the righthand side. The lefthand side is for people who want to save some time by hurrying up it.

Not quite as annoying (but pretty close!) is when people get to the end of the escalator and then just stand there, totally oblivious that a whole bunch of people are about to crash into the back of them.

Standing on the platform – Underground platforms are usually quite long but lots of people just stand by the entrance corridor, not bothering to move down. If the station is busy then you should always try and move along to make more space.

Getting on the train – It’s good manners (and good sense) to let passengers off the train before you try and board it. You should also try and move down inside the carriage once you’re onboard.

Your comments and questions

Jean I'm traveling with my 15 month old daughter how easy is it to access the underground as I have a buggy

Staff Hi. They always have extra wide gates for wheelchairs and buggies at the entrance, so you can get through there okay, but a lot of underground stations still have stairs. If you enter your route into the journey planner dropdowns above it will tell you about the lifts, escalators and stairs at each station

John Hardman Transport for London is so good, people in London don't realise how lucky they are to have such a great transport system and with reasonable fares. True I am talking about being retired and travelling off peak. Recently stayed 5 days in Crystal Palace. Travelled into London each day by train and fully utilised the tube system. I almost enjoyed that as much as looking around London

Margaret49 Good morning, We are using the tube for the first time for an overnight stay, as we are not local we will need to use the self service ticket machine for Zone 1-4, do the machines take cash or credit cards? So we know what is appropriate for our journey which will involve a peak time inward and off peak return

Staff Some machines accept cash and cards but other ones will be labelled 'cards only', so you have to look at the top to see what it accepts. All the peak and off-peak prices for zones 1-4 are listed on our train fares page - londondrum.com/​transport/​adult-train-fares.php

Sammy Hi, what are peak times as underground cheaper tickets are off peak, but what times are peak so we know when you avoid them?

Staff Hi Sammy. For Oyster and contactless peak time is 6.30 AM to 9.30 AM and 4 PM to 7 PM (Monday to Friday). For travelcards peak time is before 9.30 AM (Monday to Friday). Weekends are always off-peak.

Tom What are 'off-peak' times on the London Underground on a weekday please?

Staff Hi Tom. For Oyster and contactless cards off-peak is outside the hours of 6.30 AM to 9.30 AM and 4 PM to 7 PM (Mon-Fri). For travelcards off-peak is any time after 9.30 AM (Mon-Fri). Fares are based on what time your journey starts. So if your journey starts during off-peak hours, it will be charged as off-peak. It doesn’t matter what time your journey ends.

David MB Two retired people from US in London (no senior discounts for non-Londoners, boo!), travelling on probable multiple trips between Zones 1 and 2 back and forth from Aldgate East. We understand fares are one way and with the limit on Oyster Cards being less than double the one way fare, what is the cheapest way for us to use the underground? We will buy tickets to and from airports separately

Staff Hi David MB. Oyster will likely be the cheapest (a weekly travelcard can also work out cheaper depending on how many days you're staying and how many journeys you're making). The maximum you will pay each day is the daily cap for the zones you travel through, Any money left on your card which you don't spend you can get refunded at the end. If you're flying into Heathrow then you can even use it for that as well (but only for travelling on the tube, not the Heathrow Express)

Jagroy Is there any charge for a pushchair on the tube

Staff Hi Jagroy. There's no charge for pushchairs or luggage, but bear in mind that a lot of underground stations are quite old and you might have to descend a flight of stairs

Gary Tamplin Generally speaking, what is the cheapest way of getting around London for a day on the tube, if you are travelling between most of the zones, a day Oyster card or contactless?

Staff Hi Gary. Oyster and contactless are the cheapest (they're both the same price), but you have to pay an extra £5 deposit the first time you buy an Oyster card, so maybe contactless will be cheaper for you if you haven't already got one

Adriana How do I get from ealing broadway to hammersmith by train

Staff Hi Adriana. You can just get the district line - londondrum.com/​transport/​train-journey.php?from=ealing-broadway&to=hammersmith

Anthony Pike What platform do I use for the jubilee line from waterloo to baker street

Staff Hi Anthony. The jubilee westbound at Waterloo is platform 5 - londondrum.com/​transport/​trains.php?station=waterloo

John Barmby I am travelling from Tower Hill to Stratford on the District line and Central As these trains use the same platform at Mile End , do I need to tap out at Mile End before boarding the Central line to Stratford

Staff Hi John. No, you don't have to tap out when changing trains. You don't have to pass through any barriers when changing trains/platforms. If you did go through the barriers at Mile End then that would be the end of your journey

John miller I’m travelling from kings cross train station to white hart lane, what tube station do I get off at?

Staff Hi John. Get the Victoria line to seven sisters, then the London Overground to White Hart Lane. It’s about a five minute walk from there

Liz Is Euston station tube to Clapham Common direct

Staff Hi Liz. It is direct, yes - londondrum.com/​transport/​train-journey.php?from=euston&to=clapham-common

David Hi - How do get the easiest way with large suitcases from Liverpool Street station to Southwark tube station. Thanks in advance!

Staff Hi David. I would forget the tube and just get the 344 bus which goes between the two. Because you'd have to change trains twice if you want to go by tube. The bus only takes 16 mins

David Thanks - is it ok to take large suitcases on the bus number 344? - Can we pay with Oyster-cards? Thanks! ?

Staff It's fine to take big suitcases. You can just stand with them in the wheelchair space if it's not being used. Its okay to use Oyster cards as well

David Thanks very much for your help! This was important to know! ?

David Hi - One more question. We arrive by National Express coach to Liverpool Street station bus stop. - Where abouts in the area is the nearest bus stop for number 344 going to Southwark. Thanks once again! ?

Staff It goes from Stop B down the side of the station. I think the National Express drops you off at either Stop E or G on the other side.

David Thanks again for great service! ?

Bruce Hello - is there easy access when changing from Central line to Jubilee line at Bond Street. How far must one walk? Is a lift available? All relevant info is welcome. Thanks.

Staff Hi Bruce. It's step-free but you have to take two different lifts down to the jubilee platforms and walk about 110 metres

Bruce Thanks - that helps to know.

Mark Rookie question (I’ve never used Contactless on the Tube before, I’ve always used paper Travelcards as I’m from outside London). Anyway, in terms of using Contactless, if I want to go from Paddington to Mile End am I correct in thinking I tap in at Paddington Elizabeth Line, tap out at Whitechapel Elizabeth Line, tap in again at Whitechapel District Line, tap out Mile End District Line, and the system will calculate this as an Adult Single between Paddington and Mile End?

Staff Hi Mark. You only tap down at the beginning and end of your journey. You shouldn't have to go through any barriers when changing trains in the middle. If you do that then you'll end up paying for two separate journeys, because the computer will think that you have exited the station at Whitechapel

Sonia Hi, If I travel with 2 suitcases (a 20 inch and a 28 inch), from Victoria to Gatwick airport, which one will be cheaper - the National Express coach or the Gatwick express (as I read from the website that they will charge 8 GBP for 1 extra suitcase)?

Staff Hi Sonia. It looks like it's the Gatwick Express by about 6 quid, but that's without knowing when you're going, or how far in advance you're buying your ticket.

Anton John Hi, What would be the most cost effective way to get from Bromley by Bow station to Gatwick Airport ? Thanks

Staff Hi Anton. I would get the underground to Victoria and pay by contactless (or buy a single ticket from the machine if you haven't got a UK bank card), and then buy a Gatwick Express ticket online in advance

Faye McPherson I want to travel to London Heathrow Terminal 3 from Russell Street Station on 22nd February as I will be coming from Edinburgh on the sleeper to Euston where do I buy a ticket to get to Heathrow

Staff Hi Faye. The easiest thing would be to just use your contactless bank card, and tap it down on the gate - londondrum.com/​transport/​contactless-cards.php (assuming you've got a UK bank card) - but if it's just a one-off journey then you can also buy a ticket from the self-service ticket machine in the station. You just tap the screen and choose your destination

Faye McPherson Thank you and I take it the tube takes me to terminal 3 at Heathrow

Staff It does yes, there are three stations at Heathrow and one of them is for Terminals 2&3 - londondrum.com/​transport/​train-journey.php?from=russell-square&to=heathrow-terminals-1-2-3

Chris For our upcoming visit to London, we are staying in a flat near Shepherd's Bush. It looks like the easiest (fewest changes) route from Heathrow would be the Elizabeth Line to Ealing Broadway and then the central line to Shepherd's Bush. Would this be feasible with 4 people and their luggage?

Staff Hi Chris. You'll have a flight of 20 stairs and an escalator at Shepherd's Bush, but that's about it. If you don't mind the extra money then you could get the Heathrow Express to Paddington and a £25-£30 taxi to Shepherd's Bush (you can fit five in a taxi, so four plus luggage will probably be okay, but it depends how much luggage you've got)

Cp On the underground should my 15 year old just use a contacless card to pay or is there a better method?

Staff Hi CP. he can do, if he’s got his own card. You can’t share one card between two people

shirley How oftern to the trains go from Heron quays to waterloo

Staff Hi Shirley. They go every 2-5 minutes

Evelyn Barry Hi I have my Irish staff privilege card and 4 box coupon tickets . Can I use either of these on Heathrow express and London tubes. Thanks

Staff Hi Evelyn. We’d like to help but we’ve never heard of either of those things. If it’s a TFL staff card then I would try contacting them

Mike Copp As an electric wheelchair user (wheelchair not scooter) I will arrive at Waterloo Train station and have booked assistance off the train, will someone be available to assist me on to the underground to Euston station? where I have booked assistance onto a train to Birmingham? I am used to how assistance works with overground trains but not the underground. I believe my ticket is valid not only for overground but also between mainline stations using the underground.?? Any information, tel no appreciated

Staff Hi Mike. You can only prebook assistance on the London Overground and Elizabeth line. On all other tube lines they do something called ‘turn up and go’, which basically means you have to go up to a member of TFL staff at the station and they will arrange for someone to come and help you to the platform and help you board the train. There is a help desk at waterloo. after you come off the national rail train look for the big central clock hanging off the ceiling and its next to that. More information about ‘turn up and go’ here - tfl.gov.uk/​transport-accessibility/​help-from-staff . We cant tell if your ticket includes the underground as well without seeing what you've bought, but assuming it does then you’ll probably receive a separate ticket for it.

Jane What's the best line to use to travel from Paddington station to Greenwich?

Staff Hi Jane. Assuming you just want to go to Greenwich, the place, rather than the actual station, I would get the Elizabeth line to Canary Wharf and then the DLR to Cutty Sark

Vijay kumar I am travelling first time to London.Which u/g line i should follow from T4 to Queensway u/g stn.I do not have travel cards.

Staff Hi Vijay. i would probably get the Elizabeth line to Paddington and then walk 15 mins to Queensway. Otherwise you”ll have to get off at Bond Street instead and change onto the Central line for Queensway

Jane Hi my grandson and I are going to Wimbeldon tennis this year and haven’t a clue on the underground tubes.we are travelling from Northampton train station to Euston station.can you please let me know what tubes we use ,if we change tubes and what stops to get off and platforms .

Staff Hi Jane. It's quicker to go to Southfields station (15 min walk to the tennis) rather than Wimbledon itself (20 min walk). So from Euston you can get the Victoria line to Victoria (southbound platform), then change to the District line to Southfields. But make sure you get a District line train that says it's heading towards Wimbledon. If it says it's heading towards Richmond or Ealing Broadway then it will be the wrong one. It will say where it's heading on the LCD board on the platform

Elizabeth wills Which platform at farringdon station do I need to get to kings cross please?

Staff Hi Elizabeth. It's westbound, platform 2 - londondrum.com/​transport/​trains.php?station=farringdon

Paul G Going underground from Clapham Common to Westminster abbey and Buckingham palace using contactless card. Do we get off at st James park or is there a closer station and do we need to pay twice for changing from northern line to district line. Thank you

Staff Hi Paul. St James's is the closest to Buckingham Palace. Westminster is the closest to Westminster Abbey. Personally, if it was me, I would just stay on the Northern line and walk it from Charing Cross because it's not very far. You can walk past Trafalgar Square down Whitehall, have a look at Horse Guards and Downing Street, then do Westminster Abbey, and walk through St. James's Park alongside the lake to Buckingham Palace. You don't have to pay twice for changing trains. You'd only pay twice if you actually exited through a ticket barrier and left the station.

Joe Hi. Visiting London next week for first time and need to get from King’s Cross to Covent Garden Seven Dials. What tube line and can it by accessed directly from Kings Cross? Thanks

Staff Hi Joe. You can get the Piccadilly line straight to Covent Garden - londondrum.com/​transport/​train-journey.php?from=kings-cross-st-pancras&to=covent-garden

Mary I’m travelling from London City Airport to Westminster early December and as I’m a novice it feels a bit stressful. Can you please advise me of the best way to travel and is it straightforward? Thank you.

Staff Hi Mary. I would get the DLR to Canning Town (DLR = Docklands Light Railway, which is really no different to using the London Underground, it’s just above ground), and then change trains onto the Jubilee line for Westminster. You can use a lift plus escalator to change trains at Canning Town - londondrum.com/​transport/​train-journey.php?from=london-city-airport&to=westminster —- westminster is a fun stop to arrive into London at, because when you come out you will have Big Ben literally right in front of you

Mandy How to get from st pancas to king henrys rd

Staff Hi Mandy. Assuming you mean the one by Primrose Hill, you could get the northern line to Chalk Farm and then walk it from there. It's about a 10-15 min walk

Greeshma We are a group of 5 adults visiting London for 6 days. We are staying at a place in Wembley. Which card do you suggest as we will have to travel daily to and fro from Wembley to the main tourist spots in London which if I am right are mostly in Zone 1.

Staff Hi Greeshma. It depends how many journeys you make each day, and which zones those journeys are in. It’s possible that a zone 1-4 weekly travelcard might work out cheaper, but if you’re making 3 or more journeys on five of the days then you might be better off with an oyster card instead, because then you’ll be paying the ‘daily cap’ each day. There’s not a lot in it though, because you also have to add a deposit on top when you buy a new oyster card, so if it was me i would probably just go for the easy option and get a weekly travelcard. (Where are you staying? I’ve stayed in the Ibis near Wembley Stadium)

Maria Hi, what London airport has a direct train or tube to Southwark? First time visiting London!!

Staff Hi Maria. None of them go direct. But you can catch a train from Gatwick to London Bridge, which is very close

Mark Need to get the underground from Kings Cross to London liverpool street.....where do I go once I get off the train.....thanks.

Staff The entrance to the underground is just outside the station. If you come out the main exit at the front then it's towards your right - londondrum.com/​transport/​train-journey.php?from=kings-cross-st-pancras&to=liverpool-street

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Public Transportation and Metro Rail Information

London Underground

The London Underground, colloquially known as the Tube, is an excellent way to get around and explore the city. Although cheaper than taxis, it may not be the most economical mode of transport. Here are some tips on how to save money if you plan to use it frequently.

The London Metro, also known as the Underground, is operated by Transporte para Londres. The Underground serves approximately 2,990,000 passengers per day. It operates from 5am to 1.30am and the Thameslink service is available every night, providing a 24-hour service.

The London Underground includes the Docklands Light Rail (DLR), which has operated driverless trains since 1987. The DLR also allows passengers to walk between platforms. The Jubilee Line extension also has screen doors.

Unfortunately, the trains do not have air conditioning. The fare for the London Metro starts at 4.90 British Pounds (£). For more detailed information, you can visit the London Metro Official Website .

Map of London Underground

Map of London Metro showing different lines. Click on the map to enlarge it.

The London Underground, The Tube

London Underground’s extensive network covers almost the entire city, ensuring that a station is usually close to where you are or where you want to go. According to Wikipedia, it is the largest underground system in Europe and the fourth largest in the world, surpassed only by the colossal Asian metro systems in Seoul, Shanghai and Beijing. The Tube is also the oldest underground system in the world, having opened on 18 January 1863.

As well as Greater London, the London Underground also covers parts of Essex, Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire. The Underground’s fare zone is made up of nine concentric zones starting from the historic city centre. Zones 1 and 2 cover the city centre and major tourist attractions, while Zone 6 covers the outskirts of the city, including Heathrow Airport. The 9-zone system includes the Underground, Overground and National Rail, while other public transport services only operate within Zones 1-6.

The London Underground consists of 13 lines (including the Docklands Light Railway, DLR) and 275 stations. Some lines, such as the Metropolitan, District, Circle and Hammersmith & City, run on the surface, while others, such as the Bakerloo, Central, Jubilee, Northern Piccadilly, Victoria, Waterloo and City lines, run entirely underground. Zones are further classified as eastbound, westbound, northbound or southbound for ease of navigation.

To help you plan your journey, we provide a free copy of the London Underground map and bus network on our website, so you can familiarise yourself with the routes before your trip to London.

Navigating the London Underground Video

Introduction.

Detailed Information

London Underground Lines

Bakerloo line.

Shown as a brown line, the Bakerloo Line runs both above and below ground. It crosses London from north to south, serving 25 stations over 23.2 kilometres. Opened in 1906, the line carries over 100 million passengers a year.

Stations: Harrow & Wealdstone, Kenton, South Kenton, North Wembley, Wembley Central, Stonebridge Park, Harlesden, Willesden Junction, Kensal Green, Queen’s Park, Kilburn Park, Maida Vale, Warwick Avenue, Paddington, Edgware Road, Marylebone, Baker Street, Regent’s Park, Oxford Circus, Piccadilly Circus, Charing Cross, Embankment, Waterloo, Lambeth North, Elephant & Castle.

Central Line

The Central Line, inaugurated in 1900, spans forty-six miles, earning it the title of the longest line in the system, stretching from West Ruislip to Epping. It is one of only two lines that extend beyond the Greater London boundaries. This line includes forty-nine stations, with twenty located deep underground. On underground maps, the Central Line is marked with the color red. Starting from August 2016, the Central Line has offered a 24-hour service on Fridays and Saturdays.

Stations: West Ruislip, Ruislip Gardens, South Ruislip, Northolt, Greenford, Perivale, Hanger Lane, Ealing Broadway, West Acton, North Acton, East Acton, White City, Shepherd’s Bush, Holland Park, Notting Hill Gate, Queensway, Lancaster Gate, Marble Arch, Bond Street, Oxford Circus, Tottenham Court Road, Holborn, Chancery Lane, St Paul’s, Bank, Liverpool Street, Bethnal Green, Mile End, Stratford, Leyton, Leytonstone, Snaresbrook, South Woodford, Woodford, Wanstead, Redbridge, Gant’s Hill, Newbury Park, Barkingside, Fairlop, Hainault, Grange Hill, Chigwell, Roding Valley, Buckhurst Hill, Loughton, Debden, Theydon Bois, Epping.

Circle Line

The Circle Line, shown in yellow, provides a circular route from Hammersmith to Edgware Road, with 36 stations over a distance of 27 kilometres.

Stations: Hammersmith, Goldhawk Road, Shepherd’s Bush Market, Wood Lane, Latimer Road, Ladbroke Grove, Westbourne Park, Royal Oak, Paddington, Bishop’s Road, Edgeware Road, Baker Street, Great Portland Street, Euston Square, King’s Cross / St Pancras, Farringdon- Barbican, Moorgate, Liverpool Street, Aldgate, Tower Hill, Monument, Cannon Street, Mansion House, Blackfriars, Temple, Embankment, Westminster, St James Park, Victoria, Sloan Square, South Kensington, Gloucester Road, High Street Kensington, Bayswater, Paddington, Praed Street.

District Line

The District Line, shown in green, stretches across Greater London from west to east, covering 64 kilometres and 60 stations. It carries more than 200 million passengers a year.

Stations: Richmond, Kew Gardens, Gunnersbury, Ealing Broadway, Ealing Common, Acton Town, Chiswick, Turnham Green, Stamford Brook, Ravenscourt Park, Hammersmith, Baron’s Gate, West Kensington, Wimbledon, Wimbledon Park, Southfields, East Putney, Putney Bridge, Parson’s Green, Fulham Broadway, West Brompton, Kensington, Olympia, Earl’s Court, High Street Kensington, Nottinghill Gate, Bayswater, Paddington, Praed Street, Edgware Road, Gloucester Road, South Kensington, Sloane Square, Victoria, St James Park, Westminster, Embankment, Temple, Blackfriars, Mansion House, Cannon Street, Monument, Tower Hill, Aldgate East, Whitechapel, Stepney Green, Mile End, Bow Road, Bromley By Bow, West Ham, Plaistow, Upton Park, East Ham, Barking, Upney, Beacontree, Degenham Heathway, Dagenham East, Elm Park, Hornchurch, Upminster Bridge, Upminster.

Hammersmith and city line

The Hammersmith and City Line was opened in 1864 and is sixteen and a half miles long.The line incorporates the first ever underground

Stations: Hammersmith, Goldhawk Road, Shepherd’s Bush Market, Wood Lane, Latimer Road, Ladbroke Grove, Westbourne Park, Royal Oak, Paddington, Bishop’s Road, Edgeware Road, Baker Street, Great Portland Street, Euston Square, King’s Cross / St Pancras, Farringdon, Barbican, Moorgate, Liverpool Street, Aldgate East, Whitechapel, Stepney Green, Mile End, Bow Road, Bromley By Bow, West Ham, Plaistow, Upton Park, East Ham, Barking.

Jubille line

The Jubilee Line was opened in 1979 making it the system’s newest line.It is twenty two and a half miles long and is served by twenty seven stations between Stanmore and Stratford, thirteen of which are situated underground at deep level.The line is signified by the colour silver on an underground map.

Stations: Stanmore, Canon’s Park, Queensbury, Kingsbury, Wembley Park, Neasden, Dollis Hill, Willesden Green, Kilburn, West Hampstead, Finchley Road, Swiss Cottage, St John’s Wood, Baker Street, Bond Street, Green Park, Westminster, Waterloo, Southwark, London Bridge, Bermondsey, Canada Water, Canary Wharf, North Greenwich, Canning Town, West Ham, Stratford.

Docklands Light Railway (DLR)

The Docklands Light Railway (DLR) is an operational light rail system that has been in service since 1987. It primarily covers the eastern part of London, serving key areas such as Docklands, Stratford, Lewisham, Tower Gateway, Beckton, the business district, London City Airport and Woolwich Arsenal. The DLR has 7 lines and 45 stations.

Stations include: Bank, Tower Gateway, Shadwell, Limehouse, Westferry, Poplar, West India Quay, Canary Wharf, Heron Quays, South Quay, Crossharbour, Mudchute, Island Gardens, Cutty Sark for Maritime Greenwich, Greenwich, Deptford Bridge, Elverson Road, Lewisham, All Saints, Langdon Park, Devons Road, Bow Church, Pudding Mill Lane, Stratford, Blackwall, East India, Canning Town, Royal Victoria, Custom House for ExCeL Prince Regent, Royal Albert, Beckton Park, Cyprus, Gallions Reach, Beckton, West Silvertown, Pontoon Dock, London City Airport, King George V and Woolwich Arsenal.

London Underground: Operation Hours, Schedule, and Frequency

The London Underground typically operates from 5:30 a.m. to 12:00 a.m. from Monday to Saturday. The service is reduced on Sundays, with operations starting from 7:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. The frequency varies depending on the line, ranging from 2-5 minutes to 5-10 minutes. There is a different schedule during rush hours and normal hours. Rush hours are considered from 6:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. from Monday to Friday, excluding holidays. During the Underground’s non-operational hours, night buses provide transportation services.

Click here to view the Tube schedule

Click here for Tube fares

Click here to plan your journey on the Tube

Fares and Tickets

Single tickets on the London Underground are expensive. If you intend to use the service frequently, it is recommended that you buy a Travelcard or Oyster card. For example, in central London (zones 1 and 2), a single journey using a single ticket costs significantly more than using an Oyster card. It appears that London Underground encourages the use of these cards, as information on single ticket prices is difficult to find on their official website.

The term “child” refers to persons between the ages of 5 and 15. Children under 11 also travel free on all buses.

The pricing strategy appears to discourage the use of single tickets to encourage the use of Oyster and contactless cards and Travelcards. These cards not only offer a discounted fare, but also eliminate the need to queue to buy tickets. In addition to these benefits, Oyster and Travelcards can be used on a range of transport modes including buses, Underground, trains and DLR.

Discounts and free travel are available for children, students, the elderly and the disabled.

Using cards on the London Underground is a great way to save money compared to buying individual tickets. In addition to contactless cards, there are two types of card:

• Travelcard (paper tickets)
• Oyster card (smart card)
• Contactless payment cards

Oyster Card

Oyster Cards are electronic cards that can be used on a wide range of transport services in London, including the Underground, DLR, trams, buses, Thames Clippers (river boat), Emirates Airline cable car and almost all National Rail services. The Oyster card offers significant discounts on every journey, making it a financially sound choice given the high cost of transport in London.

Using the card is as simple as swiping it through the yellow reader at any entrance or exit barrier.

It’s important to validate the card again at the exit so that the system can calculate the fare for your journey. If you fail to do this, you will be charged the maximum fare. A journey on the Underground may involve several changes of train, but it counts as a single journey from the time you first validate your ticket/card at the entrance to the time you validate it again at the exit.

Oyster cards are prepaid cards that never expire. They are designed for unlimited use. The London Underground system calculates the number of journeys you have made within a 24 hour period from 4.30am and applies the cheapest fare, ensuring you never pay more than if you were using a 1-day travelcard. This is known as ‘daily capping’. You can even load Travelcards onto your Oyster card.

Oyster cards can be purchased and topped up at any tube station. They require a £5 deposit, which is refunded when you return the card.

Travelcards are paper cards or passes that are sold at a fixed price and allow unlimited travel during their period of validity. There are daily, monthly, weekly and annual cards. The price varies according to the number of zones covered. In addition to the Tube, these cards can be used on buses, DLR, trams and selected Overground trains. They can be loaded onto standard Oyster cards but not onto Visitor Oyster cards.

In addition to adult and child travelcards, you can choose between:

• Anytime Day Travelcard: Valid at any time of the day until 4.30am the following day.
• Off Peak Day Travelcard: Valid from 9.30am Monday to Friday and all day on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays. They are valid until 4.30am the following day.
• 7-day travel pass: These are weekly tickets that can be used at any time during the week.

Contactless Cards

Contactless cards are not exclusive to the London Underground. They are ordinary credit or debit cards that support contactless payment technology. The total cost of all your journeys in a day is calculated at the end of the day and a single charge is made to your card account. This card is used in the same way as the Oyster card, by swiping it over the yellow readers on the Tube gates. Paying with a contactless card on the London Underground has the same ‘daily capping’ benefit as Oyster cards. There is also a ‘weekly capping’ benefit, but it works differently to Oyster cards. To use the weekly spending limit with Oyster cards, the 7-day period can start on any day of the week. For contactless cards, the first day is always Monday.

Visitor Oyster Card

The Visitor Oyster Card is a special type of Oyster Card designed for tourists. It is promoted as the cheapest way for visitors to get around London. It is valid on buses, underground, trams, DLR, Overground and rail services within London. It also offers discounts on river and cable car services. These cards can be topped up at any Underground station, Oyster Ticket Stop or Travel Information Centre and their credit never expires. Visitor Oyster Cards can only be purchased by adults.

The advantage of the Visitor Oyster is that you can buy it online and have it delivered to your home. The disadvantage is that they cannot be loaded with Travelcards valid for more than one day. In reality, it is usually cheaper to buy a regular Oyster card, especially for stays longer than 3-4 days.

Up to 4 children under 11 can travel free on the Tube, DLR and Overground when accompanied by an adult holding a Visitor Oyster Card. If you are travelling in a group, you must inform staff.

Travelling with Children

5-10 and 11-15 zip oyster photocards.

Children under 11 can travel for free on the Tube, DLR, Overground, Rail Tfl and some National Rail services with a 5-10 Zip Oyster Photocard when accompanied by an adult with a valid ticket. Free travel on buses and trams does not require a ticket. For those aged 10-16, an Oyster Photocard is required for free travel on buses and trams and concessionary travel on the Underground, DLR, Overground, Rail and most National Rail services in London. These fares are £0.8 during rush hour and £0.75 during normal hours when travelling between zones 1 and 6.

16+ Zip Oyster Photocard

There is also an Oyster Photocard for 16-18 year olds, which allows them to buy weekly, monthly or annual travelcards with concessionary fares, as well as bus and tram passes. They can also use Oyster in pay-as-you-go mode with a 50% discount on adult fares on buses, Tube, trams, Overground, DLR, Rail Tfl and almost all national rail services in London.

There is a special rate for students aged 16 to 18 living in London’s outer boroughs, which allows them to travel for free on buses and trams.

You can apply online for Oyster Photocards. All you need is a postal address, a credit or debit card with a minimum balance of £10 and a recent photograph. You can pick this up later at Travel Information Centres with proof of identity (passport, ID card, birth certificate, etc. original documents).

If you are visiting London with children aged 11-15 and do not have time to apply for Oyster Photocards, you can still apply for the Young Visitor Discount in Pay-as-you-Go mode. This gives you a 50% discount on adult fares on a normal Oyster or Visitor Oyster for a maximum of 14 days. It is valid for 1 day on buses, tube, trams, DLR, Overground, TfL rail and most national rail services. After 14 days the discount expires and normal fares apply. This concession can be claimed at Zone 1 stations, Heathrow, Visitor and Travel Information Centres and Victoria Station.

Seniors and Retirees

There are no special rates for pensioners visiting London. However, if you live in London and are over 60, you can apply for a Freedom Pass or Oyster ID Card 60+, which gives you free travel on the Underground and buses. You can apply online or pick up a form at any post office.

Group Tickets

1-Day Travelcards are available for groups of 10 or more travellers. They provide unlimited travel during normal working hours for zones 1-6 and 1-9 after 9.30am Monday to Friday and all day on weekends and public holidays.

Where to Buy an Oyster Card

You can buy Travelcards, Oyster cards and group tickets at any London Underground station. Credit and debit cards as well as cash are accepted. There are also ticket vending machines (ATMs) where you can purchase them. Day travelcards and group tickets can be purchased 7 days in advance. Weekly, monthly or yearly Travelcards can be purchased up to 30 days in advance. However, 1-Day Travelcards and Group Tickets must be purchased on the day of use at automated ticket machines. Travelcards for over a week can be purchased 4 days in advance.

The Visitor Oyster is available online and from ticket offices at Gatwick Express at Gatwick Airport and Victoria Station.

London Underground Tips

The London Underground is well signposted and easy to use. However, before you board, check the destination on the front of the train to make sure it’s correct.

Always buy and validate your ticket or card. The fine for not doing so is £80.

The London Underground is not the most accessible in the world. Many stations have no escalators or lifts, and there are often crowds, especially at peak times. Therefore, if you are visiting for sightseeing, try to avoid using the Tube between 7:30 and 10:00 and 16:30 and 19:00. As a general rule, when on escalators, keep to the right. Although efforts are being made to make the network accessible to disabled people, there is often a gap when boarding trains. All trains have priority seating for disabled passengers. Many trains have designated wheelchair spaces. Tube staff are also available to assist people in need.

On the DLR (Docklands Light Railway), all stations have lifts or ramps to the platforms. Platforms are level with trains wherever possible to make access easier.

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NEWS... BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT

Severe delays disrupt major London Underground line

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Passengers in central London are faced with major delays after disruption on the Piccadilly line on the Underground .

Piccadilly line has severe delays between Acton Town and Uxbridge, and minor delays between Acton Town and Heathrow Terminals, the latest TfL status update shows.

This is due to an earlier faulty train at Russel Square.

Elsewhere, the District line remains suspended between High Street Kensington and Edgware Road since yesterday, while Jubilee, Metropolitan and Victoria lines and the Overground had minor delays.

London transport networks will be busy over the coming days as Taylor Swift fans head to the megastar’s Eras tour concerts at Wembley Stadium.

• 12h ago London Underground update
• 15h ago Update after King’s Cross evacuation
• 16h ago Fire engine seen outside of St Pancras station
• 16h ago Disruption on the London Overground
• 17h ago Thousands of fare dodging fines to be cancelled

Live travel coverage wraps up

Today’s rolling travel coverage has been dominated by the Tube.

The District line continues to be suspended between High Street Kensington and Edgware Road for the second day.

Thank you for following today, tune back in tomorrow for Friday travel updates.

Re-imagined Tube map goes viral

One map enthusiast is on a mission to change the iconic Tube map.

It is unlikely it will ever be adopted as the official version, but university lecturer Dr Max Roberts has spend hours creating an alternative, circular Tube map.

The reason?

Max said he current official TfL map is ‘really horrible.’

Man who created new viral Tube map says original version is ‘horrible’

London Underground update

The Piccadilly line was hit by severe delays this evening after a broken down train in central London.

This has now been downgraded to minor delays between Acton Town and Uxbridge due to the earlier faulty train at Russel Square.

Trains between Acton Town and Heathrow Terminals were affected, but this has been cleared.

Here is what travel looks like on the rest of the TfL network.

• Central line – Minor delays between Leytonstone and Hainault due to train cancellations
• District – No service between High Street Kensington and Edgware Road due to a points failure at High Street Kensington since yesterday
• Jubilee line – Minor delays due to train cancellations
• London Overground – Minor delays between Stratford and Richmond / Clapham Junction due to an earlier overhead wire problems at Camden Road
• Victoria line – Minor delays due to an earlier customer incident

More disruption on the District line

The Underground District line has been hit by further disruption today.

There is no service between Upminster and Upminster Bridge westbound only due to a fire alert at Upminster.

Elsewhere on the District line, a points failure in Kensington means there has been no service between High Street Kensington and Edgware Road since yesterday.

Update after King’s Cross evacuation

The fire service has confirmed that the station did not have a fire incident.

A London Fire Brigade spokesperson told Metro.co.uk: ‘We were called at 1542 today (15 August) to a report that the fire alarm had been activated at Kings Cross Underground Station.

‘Firefighters attended and following investigation, established there was no fire. Three fire engines attended the scene.’

Fire engine seen outside of St Pancras station

Witnesses at the scene have published footage from the scene of St Pancras station where a fire engine is seen waiting outside of the station.

Other commuters have posted pictures of people rushing out of the station.

The station evacuation comes as Taylor Swift fans descend on the capital ahead of her three shows in London this weekend.

Fans have been posting messages on X warning each other of the incident.

London’s King’s Cross Station evacuated due to fire alert

King’s Cross St Pancras station in London has been evacuated due to a a fire alert.

Limited details have been given so far but London’s transport network Transport for London has posted on X that people are being urged to leave the station immediately due to the alert.

In a post on X, TfL Access said: ‘King’s Cross St. Pancras station – This is Closed due to a fire alert.’

⛔ King’s Cross St. Pancras station – This is Closed due to a fire alert ➡ To re-plan journey: https://t.co/UoeJflrJdy — TfL Access (@TfLAccess) August 15, 2024

Disruption on the London Overground

Passengers have been warned of delays and cancellations on the London Overground after a problem with the overhead wires.

There is no service between South Acton and Richmond, and the rest of the line has severe delays, the latest TfL status update shows.

Trains could be cancelled or delayed by up to 30 minutes, and disruption is expected until 4.30pm, National Rail says.

Thousands of fare dodging fines to be cancelled

More than 74,000 passengers who were fined and prosecuted for fare dodging are set to get a refund.

It comes after four train companies used a controversial single justice procedure (SJP) to privately prosecute fare dodgers – despite not being allowed to use it.

Now the operators – including Northern Rail and Greater Anglia – could face paying out millions of pounds to those who received a notice in the mail saying they have been fined and prosecuted and were given the option to plead guilty or not guilty.

But Judge Paul Goldspring, the Chief Magistrate at Westminster Magistrates Court, said in June the convictions were ‘probably unlawful.’

Even the lawyers for rail companies told a hearing last month they were ‘in agreement’ that the prosecutions should be thrown out.

Judge Goldspring said today today that six test cases should be declared ‘void,’ adding that thousands of other cases would be dealt with in the same way over the coming monts.

While the two other train companies have not yet been publicly named, the judge said the courts service, the Department for Transport and the train operators would start work to identify the affected passengers.

He also said that ‘a team will be put in place to begin the work of recovering the money paid and refund the money to individuals’ by November.

‘There are discussions ongoing with all the parties about how that may be paid,’ he added.

Neither the amount of money to be refunded nor the number of people affected has been confirmed, but Judge Goldspring said ‘over 74,000’ people is a ‘best guess at the moment.’

‘It was terrifying’

Sarah Cook, a pet shop owner from Barnsley, South Yorkshire, was fined £475 under the SJP system after she failed to pay a £20 fine for travelling without a ticket between Wombwell and Barnsley in November 2022.

The 42-yar-old said she had been waiting to hear back for a year on an appeal against the original fine.

But instead, she was told she had been prosecuted.

Her case was one of the six test cases.

For her, the train companies admitting that her prosecution was wrong after fining her was ‘a kick in the teeth,’ she said, adding that it puts ‘a massive no-go’ on travelling on trains.

Sarah said: ‘It’s a kick in the teeth. I know some people would say take the win, sit back, appreciate that. For me, although money at the time was an issue, for me more than the money was the stress.

‘I have not got a criminal record, I’m not somebody out there committing crimes, and for somebody to say you could have a criminal record, you could potentially face jail time if you have been a repeat offender, to me that was terrifying.’

She said that a ‘we’re sorry’ wasn’t enough for putting ‘75,000 people under the pressure of going to court, having to fill out multiple documents, potentially being threatened with larger fines and criminal records.’

Have you been affected? Please email [email protected].

One lane closes on A-road near Dartford after crash

One has has been closed on the A2 eastbound between junction with the M25 and the A2260 near Dartford after a crash.

Three lanes remain open and traffic appears to be coping.

The incident is expected to clear by 4.15pm, National Highways alert says.

Tortoise spotted on tracks in Southend

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Is anyone missing a tortoise?

This little guy was found crawling on the train tracks, but is now waiting with ticket office staff until his owner claims him.

But he doesn’t seem stressed – in fact, he seems to be enjoying his stay in the station, where he was filmed munching on cucumbers.

Stansted Airport passengers with type 1 diabetes treated ‘as criminals’

Children and adults with type 1 diabetes have revealed they felt ‘bullied’ at Stansted Airport after being searched and ‘treated like criminals’.

One woman said when she travelled with her autistic son, 15, they were ‘bullied’ into walking him through the x-ray machine, despite her son wearing an insulin pump at the time.

April told the BBC her son was searched in a separate room and has told his mum he ‘doesn’t want to fly again’.

The airport said in a statement: ‘Passengers always have a right to opt out of a body scanner for medical or non-medical reasons, and have a hand search in private instead.

‘If there was any miscommunication at the time, we are very sorry for that and any distress or confusion this may have caused, and wholeheartedly apologise.’

Firefighters urge people to avoid Bromley town centre as fire blazes

The London Fire Brigade has warned locals from heading to Bromley town centre as they attempt to bring a fire under control.

There are currently no road closures but there is ‘heavy congestion’ on Westmoreland Road as fire fighters attempt to fight the blaze in a block of flats.

Hundreds of flights cancelled amid cabin crew strikes – the latest

In case you missed it, yesterday EasyJet announced a wave of holiday flight cancellations to and from  Portugal  ahead of a cabin crew  strike  over work conditions.

The budget airline which operates  flights  to some of the most popular holiday hotspots across Europe has axed 232 flights over the next three days.

It comes after  EasyJet  cabin crew announced a three-day strike action in Portugal from Thursday.

EasyJet operates flights to and from  Lisbon , Porto, Porto Santo, Faro and Madeira Funchal airports in the country.

A spokesperson for EasyJet said: ‘We are extremely disappointed with this needless strike action, especially at this important time of the year for our customers. 

‘Customers whose flight has been affected have already been contacted a number of days ago with their options to rebook or receive a refund.

‘We also advise customers travelling to and from Portugal on 15, 16 and 17 August to check the status of their flights on the easyJet Flight Tracker.’

Traffic moving slowly on the M25 near Dartford Crossing after crash

Traffic clockwise on the M25 is moving slowly after a crash earlier today involving a lorry and a car on the A282.

One lane was closed earlier but it’s now reopened, with traffic slowly getting back to normal.

Now the Central Line is having issues

The Central line is experiencing minor delays between Woodford and Epping due to a points fault at Epping.

Luckily, the rest of the line is still running smoothly.

A34 southbound near Oxford seeing heavy congestion

Delays are expected until around 10.15 this morning on the A34 heading south from Oxford, with delays of up to 15 minutes expected. Traffic is stagnant in some areas.

Platform equipment affecting railway at Hersham

For commuters using South Western Railway, they may see train revisions due to an issue with platform equipment in Hersham. Disruption will last until around noon, they say.

Lines are now reopened after signalling fault at Earlsfield

🚦Lines have now reopened following an earlier fault with the signalling system at #Earlsfield . ℹ️ As service recovers, trains running between Wimbledon and London Waterloo may still be revised or delayed by up to 10 minutes. — National Rail (@nationalrailenq) August 15, 2024

Services between Manchester Piccadilly and Sheffield to see disruption until end of the month

Due to ongoing repairs to the track between New Mills Central and Chinley, the route between Manchester and Sheffield will be affected until the end of the month.

National Rail said: ‘Trains may be cancelled, diverted or replaced by buses for part of the journey.’

MORE : Man who created new viral Tube map says original version is ‘horrible’

MORE : Taylor Swift ‘privately reached out to Southport victims’ families’ before Wembley return

MORE : Girl, 9, killed when she was knocked down by a bus named and pictured

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• DESTINATION GUIDE

The essential guide to visiting London

Here’s what you need to know about England's capital city—when to go, where to stay, what to do, and how to get around.

Why you should visit London

Architectural landmarks such as the   Tower of London ,   Westminster Cathedral , and   Kensington Palace , as well as revived modern buildings like   Tate Modern   and the   Battersea Power Station . Some of the finest theaters in the world, from the   Old Vic   to the rebuilt   Globe . Brown ale, fish’n’chips and weekend markets from Greenwich to Camden.  

Best time to visit London

Spring : The Gulf Stream warms up the city early. Flowers start blooming in February and trees follow with their blossoms in March. The   Chelsea Flower Show   is a major draw in May.  

Summer : The tourist season peaks between mid-July and late August. Music festivals play out in   Somerset House ,   Hyde Park , and   Victoria Park .  

Autumn : Fall kicks off with the   London Design Festival , and the weather stays temperate into late October. Halloween is gaining importance throughout the city, though Guy Fawkes Night—a festival of fireworks and bonfires on November 5 – is more widely celebrated.   Battersea Park , by the Thames, has a great display.  

Winter :   Shopping streets   switch on their festive lights in early December. While some cultural life slows down during the dark, wet winter months,   Kew Gardens   launches its winter fair and skating rink. And Hyde Park hosts a   Winter Wonderland .    

Lay of the land

The Thames River, lined with grand public architecture like   St Paul’s Cathedral , the   London Eye ,   and Westminster (the seat of government), divides the city into north and south. The oldest enclaves lie to the east, around the   City of London , the old financial center also known as the “square mile.” Cultural energy revolves around   Soho ,   Covent Garden ,   Mayfair , Bloomsbury, and the   South Bank , a riverfront strip of modernist theaters and galleries.    

Historically, wealthy residents settled in West London communities like   Belgravia , Kensington, and Chelsea, gravitating to Holland Park and Notting Hill. The picturesque Georgian streets around   Hampstead Heath   have always been popular among literary types, with nature-lovers hiking up   Parliament Hill   for the city view. The neighborhood becomes more fashionable as you descend toward   Primrose Hill , with its pastel-colored townhouses and ivy-clad pub gardens.  

Younger Londoners congregate in East London, in gentrifying working-class neighborhoods like Dalston and Clapton. Postindustrial Hackney Wick has reinvented itself as a hub for live music, clubs, and inventive restaurants. Just over the River Lea is the former Olympic Park, a sports mecca that’s been rewilded and developed with museums and restaurants.  

( 11 must-do experiences in London. )

Getting around London

By public transport:   The   London Underground , or Tube, is an extensive subway network that reaches from Heathrow Airport in the west, to Greenwich, the Olympic Park, and northern suburbs. The system incorporates an above-ground network called the Overground, and the new inter-city Elizabeth Line. Fares start at £2.70 ($3.50) and rise according to distance.   London buses   follow more winding routes between neighborhoods and start at £1.75 ($2.25) with a daily cap at £5.25 ($6.75). Seniors and students 11 and over are eligible for discounts. Children 10 and under travel free. Riders can pay with any contactless card or device, but cash is no longer accepted.

By train:   Trains beyond London are found at larger stations like Paddington, Euston, Liverpool Street, London Bridge, Victoria, and Charing Cross. Riders must purchase tickets ahead of travel at the station or with an app like   Trainline .  

By taxi:   London’s famous   black cabs   can be hailed on the street or booked in advance. Typical fares start at about £7.60 ($9.75) for a mile-long journey. Minicabs, or privately run taxi services, can be booked in advance or hired from a licensed purveyor, found on most main streets. Uber operates throughout the city.    

By boat:   The   Thames Clipper   boat service, now operated by Uber, runs along the Thames between Putney, in southwest London, and Barking, in the east, stopping at Battersea, Westminster, Tate Modern, Tower Bridge, Greenwich, and other piers. Prices start at £5.60 ($7.20) one way, with discounts for children and families. Riders can pay with a contactless card or with the Uber app.

( Going underground: a subterranean tour of London's abandoned tube stations. )

By bike:   Transport for London operates the   Santander bikeshare program , with bike docks in place across the city. A day-pass costs £3 ($3.85) for unlimited 30-minute rides; payment can be made through the   app   or at a docking terminal.   Lime operates an e-bike- and scooter-share program. Vehicles are GPS-equipped and located via the   app ; prices vary.    

By car:   Only confident drivers familiar with England’s road laws should operate a private car in London. There is a daily £15 ($19.25)   Congestion Charge   in effect for most areas of central London, which must be paid on the day of travel. New   emissions rules   impose additional fees on non-compliant motor vehicles, and “ultra-low-emission zones”   (ULEZ)   make it tricky to enter some neighborhoods during the day.  

By foot:   London neighborhoods are highly walkable, but the distance between them can be vast. Most roads have sidewalks that are well populated into the night. Always look both ways before crossing, even at a green light. Traffic normally comes from the right.  

Know before you go

Diversity:   London is one of the world’s most ethnically diverse cities, with 37 percent of residents born outside London—many from South Asia, West and East Africa, Europe, and the Caribbean. Hundreds of languages are spoken here, and most neighborhoods have a mix of residents.    

LGBTQ+:   The most recent   Open For Business index   gave London a top AAA rating as a “stalwart supporter” of LGBTQ+ inclusion and equality, and its universities rank highly among gay students. Soho is, historically, the LGBTQ+ hub of the city, though gay bars pop up in several neighborhoods, notably in East London and Lambeth.  

( Best hotels for every type of travele r. )

What to read and watch

The most fascinating London-based books and films transport the reader to a specific neighborhood and historical period and focus on its rich diversity.    

Oliver Twist , by Charles Dickens. Tragic, romantic, and surprisingly funny, this classic exposed the underbelly of Victorian London and prevails on high school reading lists everywhere.  

Bridget Jones’s Diary , by Helen Fielding. The titular Jones is a sad, sardonic, desperately funny 20-something single woman working for a London publisher. The book centers on West London while the film adaptation transports most scenes to the southeast. Both will get you in the mood to explore.  

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes , by Arthur Conan Doyle. The book series and the companion TV show Sherlock take place around Baker Street in central London but investigate further afield into Piccadilly, New Scotland Yard, and the Tower of London  

London: The Biography , by Peter Ackroyd. Possibly the greatest contemporary history of the city, the weighty tome reaches back with wisdom and wit through Victorian London to the Plague and the Great Fire.  

Brick Lane , by Monica Ali. This instant classic, published just after the millennium, is an evocative peek into the lives of Bangladeshi immigrants in East London, based firmly in reality.  

Notting Hill , written by Richard Curtis of Four Weddings and a Funeral (and others), this 1990s hit comedy capitalized on the vulnerable charm of Hugh Grant—and the undeniable charm of bohemian London—and inspired generations of tourists to seek out that blue door.  

Rye Lane . Set around the eponymous market in Peckham, South London, this post-Covid romance begins with a meet-cute in   an   gender-neutral   bathroom.  

My Beautiful Launderette . An enduring favorite that introduced a young Daniel Day-Lewis to the world, this romance by Hanif Kureishi was set in South London during the Thatcher years and emerged as one of the first “queer fairytales” to reach a wide audience.

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