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
- London Overground – 2 parallel orange lines, but by the end of 2024, it will be split into 6 routes:
- 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.
Travelcard
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!
Oyster
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 in 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:
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