Stuff

This is information on how to use the tube system.

Most (>55%) of the Underground is not under ground. The parts in central London are, but beyond that, where there is space to build tracks, it is above ground, mostly (well, on the ground). Places like Heathrow are under ground, for obvious reasons.

The furthest station from Charing Cross is Chesham, 40km away.

Types of tube train

There are two types of tube train: those that travel through the smaller, deep tunnels:

This includes the Northern, Victoria, Bakerloo and Jubilee lines.

Other trains use tunnels based on the cut-and-cover system and are taller and more train-like:

This includes District, Metropolitan and Circle lines.

Opening times

It varies by line, but the first trains in the morning are usually around 5am.

Last trains in the evening are 11.30pm or so.

Some lines operate a limited all night service on Fridays and Saturdays: these are the Central, Jubilee, Northern, Piccadilly and Victoria lines.

Some lines or stations may be closed at times for engineering works or because they are unused at certain times (eg Waterloo and City is closed at weekends).

There is a rush hour in the morning and late afternoon. Some stations can be very busy around 10pm when theatres and concerts finish.

The London Underground map is a twentieth century design classic. Here is an old one:

Don’t even think about visiting London without having one, either a free card version or as some kind of download. If you are in London, you will see them, or parts at least, inside tube trains, at stations and information places.

There is just one thing about this map. It isn’t a map, it’s a diagram. Let us explain.

The original idea behind Harry Beck’s design, we reckon, was that people sitting on train care nothing about whether their train goes up or down, left or right or even how far apart the stations are, they just want to know where to get on, change and get off. On central London tubes, all you can see out of the windows are walls anyway. The earliest tube trains had no windows, so you could not even see the stations.

So, the plan was simple, but inspired. Straight lines and curves, horizontal, vertical or 45^o and equal distances between stations.

Because it’s a diagram, you cannot use it to navigate your way around on the streets, unlike in some cities, but it is supremely easy to understand.

Now, even though it’s not a map, it is not totally inaccurate. High Barnet really is a long way north, Heathrow is south west, Marble Arch is west of Bond Street and so on, and the blue thing passing through the middle is the Thames, so we can see what is north or south of the river.

A station is indicated as a mark with a name:

Interchanges have circles, or connected circles:

Accessible stations are also marked: