London Underground -Travel Information on getting around London

Times Information Centres Zones Tickets Planning Your Journey Using the Underground

The London Underground Map, designed by Harry Beck in 1933, is one of the most recognised designs in the world.  Now called the 'Journey Planner', it shows London's 12 colour-coded Underground lines and is displayed at all Tube stations. Trips involving changes of train can be easily worked out using this simple to follow map.       

When they run: Underground trains run every day, except Christmas Day, from around 5.30 am until just after midnight.  Avoid the 'Rush Hour' between about 8.00 am - 9.30 am and 4.30 pm - 6.30 pm when the trains and stations are crowded.  Check the time of the last train if you are leaving after 11.30 pm as the only all-night public transport service are Night Buses.  On Sundays, trains start two hours later and there is a more limited service. 

The Underground system is showing its age and delays occur frequently.  Escalators are sometimes out of action and engineering works mean some stations, or even whole lines, being closed, especially at weekends.  Crime is not a serious problem on the Tube but travellers are advised to beware of pickpockets and to avoid travelling in an empty carriage.  It can sometimes be unpleasant travelling on the Tube late at night.  Smoking is illegal anywhere on the Underground system.

The Docklands Light Railway (DLR) is administered as part of the Underground system.  These driver-less trains, running on a raised track, are a good way to see London are very popular with tourists.  The DLR operates from 5.30 am to around 12.30 am Monday to Friday, 6.00 am - 12.30 am on Saturdays and 7.30 am - 11.30 pm on Sundays.         

Travel Information Centres:
Maps and information about the Underground system, Buses and the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) can be obtained from the Travel Information Centres run by Transport for London, formerly London Transport, at Euston Station, Heathrow Aiport (Terminals 1, 2 and 3 Underground station and Terminal 4 Arrivals Hall), King's Cross Underground Station, Liverpool Street Station, Victoria Station and Waterloo Eurostar Arrivals Hall.  Information can also be obtained by telephoning (020) 7222 1234 or online at www.londontransport.co.uk and www.thetube.com

Zones

Underground fares are based on a zone system.  The Journey Planner clearly marks out London's 6 zones.  The city centre is Zone I and from here the zones radiate out to Zone 6, which lies 12 miles from the centre.  Use the Journey Planner to decide which route you wish to take and work out the zones you will travel through on your journey.  Make sure your ticket covers all these zones.   If you exit at a station beyond the zone to which you have paid to travel you are liable to a £10 penalty fare.   

Tickets
Make sure you have paid for the journey before you travel.  On-the-spot £10 penalty fares are payable if you are caught travelling without a valid ticket or Travelcard.

Single and Return Tickets

These can be purchased at Underground stations from self-service machines or from the ticket office.   Self-service machines usually accept coins and notes, and give change, and most stations now have self-service machines that take credit/debit cards.  Using a ticket machine is much faster than queuing for the ticket office, but staff at ticket offices can provide information and assistance but rarely speak foreign languages.

Children under 5 years old travel free and under 16s pay a child's fare. All 14 - 15 year olds must carry a Child-Rate Photocard to get tickets at child rate.        

Buying individual tickets is the most expensive way of getting around on the Tube and if are going to make several Tube journeys in one day buy a Travelcard. 

Travelcards

Travelcards are valid on the Underground system, buses, National Rail services, Docklands Light Railway and some Green Line buses.  Travelcards can be purchased at all Tube and Rail stations as well as appointed newsagents displaying the red "pass agent" sign. 

Short-term visitors to London will find the Day or One-Week Travelcards best but monthly and yearly Travelcards are available. 

Day Travelcards can be used after 9.30 am on weekdays and all day at the weekends and public holidays.  You can but these for Zones 1 - 2, Zones 1 - 3, Zones 1 - 4, Zones 1 - 5,  Zones 1 - 6 and Zones 2 - 6.  An unlimited number of journeys can be made within the Zones chosen.  The Day Travelcard is now valid until 04:.30 the next day and can be used on night buses, prefixed with an N.

Family Travelcards are available to families or groups of one or two adults travelling with one to four children.  These have the same conditions as regular Day Travelcards, see above..

Weekend Travelcards are worth buying if you intend to travel on consecutive weekend days or public holidays.  These can be used all day and have the same conditions as regular Day Travelcards but do not cover the N-prefixed night buses. 

One-Week Travelcards provide unlimited journeys throughout the selected zones for seven days.  They are valid around the clock (including peak times) and include use of the N-prefixed night buses.   One-Week Travelcards can be purchased for Zone 1 only, Zones 1 - 2, Zones 1 - 3, Zones 1 - 4, Zones 1 - 5 and for all Zones.

One day LT Cards

One-Day LT Cards are if you want to travel at peak time, before 09:30, and make several journeys in one day.  These can be purchased, without a Photocard, from the self-service machines and ticket offices at underground stations and from appointed newsagents.   One-Day LT Cards are valid on underground services (except for trains running to and from Bakerloo stations north of Queen's Park - this stretch of the line is not run by Transport for London), buses (including night buses) and Docklands Light Railway (DLR) but not on National Rail services or airbuses.      

Carnet

Carnet tickets are useful for if you are intending to make a lot of short-hop Underground journeys in Zone 1 over a period of several days.   These are books of 10 tickets which work out cheaper than buying ordinary single tickets in Zone 1.  Carnet tickets are available from self-service machines and ticket offices at Tube stations, as well as appointed newsagents.   Travellers using a carnet tickets should be aware that a £10 penalty fare is liable if they exit from a station outside Zone 1.      

Photocards

A Photocard is needed for the purchase of any Travelcard except the Day and Weekend versions.  To get a Photocard take a passport-size photograph to any post office or Underground station Ticket Office.  A Child-Rate Photocard is required for children between 5 - 15 to use Child-Rate Travelcards.  To prove their age children must take either their birth certificate or passport.    

Planning your journey

The 'Journey Planner' shows the 12 colour-coded Underground lines, plus Docklands Light Railway (DLR) and Silverlink (National Rail).  A Journey Planner is displayed near the ticket office at every station and on all platforms.  Maps of the central section are displayed in train carriages.  Some lines, such as the Victoria and Jubilee Lines, are simple single-branch routes; others such as the Northern Line have more than one branch.  The Circle Line forms one continuous loop around Central London.   The map shows the intersection between the Underground lines and connections with National Rail (overground) lines.              

Using the Underground

1  Once you have purchased your ticket or Travelcard you can use it to open a ticket   barrier to gain access to the platforms. 

Insert your ticket or Travelcard, with the black magnetic strip facing downwards, into the slot at the front of the ticket barrier.  As soon as your ticket emerges at the top pull it out and the barrier will open.  Keep your ticket safe as you must always have a valid ticket with you.  You may also need your ticket to open barriers if you change lines and you will need it to open the ticket barrier at your destination.         

2  Once through the barrier, follow the colour-coded directions to the Underground line  you wish to travel use.  When you reach the correct Underground line check the list of stations to ensure you chose the right platform for the direction in which you wish to travel. 

3  Most platforms have electronic indicator boards that display the destination of the next trains and the length of time you will have to wait before they arrive.  Several different lines may use the same platform so be careful to check the line and the destination before boarding, the trains often have their destination on the front.  On some trains all the doors automatically open but others have illuminated 'Open' buttons which must be pressed to open the doors.

4  Once you have boarded the train check the progress of your journey using the line charts displayed in every carriage.  Maps of the central section of the Tube are also shown.  Each station is clearly marked with its name along the length of its walls.

5  When the train reaches the station where you wish to alight the doors may automatically open or you may have open them yourself by pressing the 'open' button that is beside the doors once it is lit up.

6  Once on the platform check the overhead signs giving directions to the exits or to the platforms of connecting lines.  

7  When you reach your final destination your ticket will be retained by the barrier as you pass through, unless you have a Travelcard

Lost Property

If you loose something on London Underground allow three full working days from the time of loss before going to the Transport for London 'Lost Property Office', which is at 200 Baker Street, Marylebone, London NW1 5RZ.  This is open:  Mon-Frii 09:30- 14:00 pm , telephone 020 7486 5496 for recorded information.