Handy guide to the London Underground

Travelling on the London Underground can seem a bit complicated at first with so many lines and stops, but as soon as you get familiar with it and get the hang of it you will see that using it is quite intuitive.

To make it easier for you to get around the London Underground, in this guide I tell you everything you need to know about how it works, its timetables, the tickets that exist, how to buy them and more. You will see how you will end up moving around the British capital like a Londoner!

Being one of the most extensive in the world, the London Underground connects very well the different points of the British capital and connects with most of the tourist attractions in London so it is certain that at some point during your stay you will use it to move around.

I recommend you to download a London Underground map in PDF on your cell phone, so you can always carry it in your pocket and take a look at it whenever you need it. Even in those moments when you do not have Internet access.

Another option I suggest is to download the official Transport for London app (available on iOS and Android), where in addition to the subway map you can also search for routes and directions in the city to plan your trips, see the quietest times to travel, check live bus and train schedules and see the latest updates on the transport network.

The London Underground is divided into 9 radial areas starting in the historic center and covering almost the entire city. Most of the main tourist attractions of the British capital are located in zones 1 and 2, where you are likely to move all the time unless you are staying far from the center.

London Underground fares vary depending on the area of origin and destination of the trip. That is, the price if you make a trip that has its origin and end point in zone 1 will be different from one that starts in zone 1 and ends in zone 3. The price of a single metro ticket is quite high. For example:

• The cost of a ticket from zone 1 to zone 3 is about £5.50 (approximately €4.60).
• The cost of a ticket from zone 1 to 4 is about £ 6.00 (about 7 €).

To find out the exact cost of the journey before you go, I recommend you to visit the Transport for London website where you will find all the updated fares. From an economic point of view it is not very advisable to buy this type of ticket if you are going to spend several days in the city and plan to use the subway frequently. It is also not recommended in terms of time because you will have to stop at the vending machines to buy it every time you want to use it.

Are there season tickets to use the London Underground?

Fortunately there are other alternatives to the single ticket to use on the London Underground that will help you save money on your travels around the city: the Oyster Card, the Travelcard or the Visitor Oyster Card.

The Oyster Card is a rechargeable card with a balance that makes transport fares cheaper than buying a single ticket. As you use the card to travel on the London Underground, the balance is deducted from the card.

During peak hours the 'peak fare' applies Monday to Friday between 6.30am and 9.30am and 4pm and 7pm while the 'off peak' fare applies at all other times, weekends and public holidays.

How to buy an Oyster Card?

You can buy your Oyster Card in the vending machines of any subway station in the city. The good thing about this system is that if you are not too fluent in English you can change the language of the machine to Spanish and follow the steps that it indicates. This way there will be no confusion. You just choose the amount to put on the card, then the method of payment and that's it!

And to recharge it, it is very simple. It is done in the same machines where you buy the Oyster Card and can be recharged with a bank card or cash. No more complications.

How do I use it?

To access the London Underground with an Oyster Card you have to pass it through the yellow sensor on the turnstile both at the entrance and exit. This last step is essential, even if you find the turnstile doors open because the Oyster Card calculates the fare when you swipe the card to exit.

If you forget to do this, the card will detect the trip as incomplete and will not be able to calculate your journey, so you will be penalized in your balance.

How is it refunded?

Until February 2020, to get an Oyster Card you had to deposit £5 (almost £6) as a deposit, which on the last day of your journey was refunded along with the remaining balance (provided you had £10 (about £12) or less) in one of the vending machines where you bought it when you were no longer going to use the card.

Thereafter, the £5 (almost £6) deposit will be automatically refunded as a balance after one year when you take a trip with the card. After that time you can claim a refund within six months or you will be ineligible.

The refund process involves deactivating the card at the vending machine, which you can then keep as a souvenir of the trip as it will only be a piece of plastic. However, if you plan to return to London in the near future, you will not need to surrender the card as it does not expire and you can always reuse it at a later date by reloading it.

The Travelcard is another alternative to the single ticket and the Oyster Card to travel on the London Underground. It consists of a card with which you can travel unlimited travel on the public transport network in London for a certain period of time.

Although there are monthly and annual Travelcards, these are intended for residents of the British capital while for tourists are sold Travelcard 1 day and 7 days.

How to buy a Travelcard?

To buy a Travelcard there are many facilities as they can be obtained at different points of sale. Depending on the place this card will be given to you in one format or another.

• Train stations: It is issued at the National Rail counters as a printed cardboard ticket. To purchase a 7-day Travelcard here you will have to provide a passport photo. It is an interesting option because with it you can get 2 for 1 discounts on several attractions such as tickets to St. Paul's Cathedral or the Madame Tussauds Museum.
• Subway stations: Here you can purchase the 1-day Travelcard. If you wish to purchase the 7-day Travelcard, you will receive it loaded on an Oyster Card. Unlike the National Rail Travelcard, it is issued by the London Underground company and with it you can not get the 2 for 1 discounts at tourist attractions.

How is the Travelcard used?

While the Oyster Card is plastic and must be slid through the yellow reader on the turnstile to gain access, the Travelcard is cardboard and must be swiped through the slots on the turnstile both at the entrance and exit.

The million dollar question! Choosing between an Oyster Card or Travelcard will depend on the length of your stay in London and how often you will be using the Underground. For example, if you plan to ride the tube two to four times a day for short periods of time such as four days in London or five days in London, or you want to travel to the outskirts of London, it is best to opt for an Oyster Card with balance ("Pay as you go"), as you can benefit from the "daily cap".

This is a system that works for a period of 24 hours and there is a maximum spending limit per day depending on the zones. Every time you make a trip on the tube you will be deducted credit until you reach that limit and from that moment the trips will be free because no more credit will be deducted from the Oyster Card.

However, if you plan to spend a week or more in London and you are going to take the tube to move around the downtown area continuously, then the most profitable option is to choose a 7-day Travelcard.

Can I share an Oyster Card or Travelcard with another person on the same trip?

No, it is not possible. If you travel to London together with another person each of you must have your own Oyster Card or Travelcard but if in the future you travel separately you can lend or share them because in case of acquiring them in the subway stations none of these cards is associated with an identity document or a name.

One thing to bear in mind if you are going to use the London Underground frequently to get around the city during your vacation is that if you purchase The London Pass + Travel package, the electronic Visitor Oyster Card will be charged with the balance corresponding to the duration of your London Pass (from 1 to 10 days), the London tourist card so you can visit the most important tourist attractions in the city.

The Visitor Oyster Card is a card similar to the traditional Oyster Card but, unlike this one, it has been designed specifically for tourists. This package is a very interesting option to get around the city using public transport while allowing you access to more than 80 tourist attractions. You will get a lot out of it! You can get it from £ 84 (around 71.5 €).

Taking into account the prices of London public transport. The London Pass + Travel package is the cheapest way to get around the British capital as no matter which zone you travel through, no balance will be deducted from the card when you reach the daily limit.

The Underground is open from 5am to midnight, when the first and last train of each line departs. This means, for example, that if a train leaves at 24 hours it will be running until it reaches the last stop on the line. On weekends (Fridays and Saturdays) the London Underground schedule is extended on some lines (Piccadilly, Central, Jubilee or Northern) and are open 24 hours.

As a curiosity, London public transport closes on December 25. On the evening of Christmas Eve, the service starts to be reduced and there are no night buses. This recovers its operation on December 26 ("Boxing Day") but in a reduced way. Keep this in mind if you plan to spend Christmas in London.

The frequency of trains is very high, 2 or 3 minutes and, in general, there are usually no delays in the service, so the London Underground is one of the best ways to move around the city.

• Children under the age of 11 can travel for free on London Transport as long as they are accompanied by an adult, who can enter with a maximum of 4 children.
• Children aged 11-15 can ride free on streetcars and buses and get discounts on all other transport such as the Underground, London Overground, TfL Rail and DLR if they have a Zip Oyster 11-15 photocard.
• Teenagers aged 16 and 17 can purchase a Zip Oyster +16 card with which they can travel for free or benefit from discounts on London transport. For example, 50% off adult 'pay as you go' fares on the Underground, bus, TfL Rail, London Overground, DLR and most National Rail services in London.

The London Underground consists of 11 lines and 274 stations covering more than 1,500 square meters, almost the entire city. In addition to the "official" lines there are two others: the DLR (driverless light rail trains that run in the east and southeast of the British capital) and the London Overground (a line that runs on the surface in the north and northwest of the city).

The London Underground lines are:

• Bakerloo, brown line.
• Central, red line.
• Circle, yellow line.
• District, green line.
• Hammersmith & City, pink line.
• Jubilee, grey line.
• Metropolitan, purple line.
• Northern, black line.
• Piccadilly, dark blue line.
• Victoria, light blue line.
• Waterloo & City, blue-green line.

• Haveyour ticket handy to get through the turnstiles quickly especially if you are taking the tube at rush hour (before 9:30 am or around 6 pm) to facilitate the flow of passengers at the entrances and exits of the station.
• If you can, plan your off-peak transfers on the London Underground. It is usually crowded with commuters coming and going from all corners of the capital. This is especially true between 6:30 am and 9:30 am as well as between 5 and 7 pm. This way you will move through the subway with more tranquility.
• Check the London Underground app or website before you travel to see if there are any incidents on the lines you want to take or some stations are closed for maintenance work. It will provide you with updated service information and even provide you with alternative routes.
• Move around the platform to find more space. When you get to the platform, don't crowd at the entrance. If you see that there are a lot of people on a section of the platform, keep walking to where there are fewer people. This way you may even find a free seat if you want to sit down.
• Let yourself out of the car before entering. You will be able to enter more easily and without being pushed by other passengers.
• "Mind the gap! For safety, always stand behind the yellow strip on the floor when waiting on the platform and pay attention to the gap between the carriage and the platform when entering or leaving.
• Keep aneye on your belongings in the subway. Beware of pickpockets as in any other city and be sure to keep your valuables safe during the ride.
• If you miss a station or get on the wrong line, don't worry, trains run frequently, so just get off at the next station and check the map carefully to find the right way.
• London Underground trains run every 2-7 minutes, depending on the line, so just get off at the next stop and look for a tube map on the platform to guide you.
• Stand on the right side of the escalators and leave the left side free for those who want to walk up the escalators more quickly.
• If you are traveling with children or luggage you must use the appropriate access on the London Underground. In all stations there are turnstiles with a wider passage and whose doors take longer to close to facilitate access.
• If you have any doubts, do not hesitate to ask for help to the London Underground staff or any other user, they will surely give you a hand if you need it!