The tube is the fastest way of transport in Central London

Many hotels, museums and attractions provide information about which tube station is closest

The Tube is the most famous underground railway network in the world. Founded in 1863, it is the earliest underground railway in the world. Every day, more than 3 million passengers travel the London Underground.

If you are about to visit London for the first time, plan your journey in advance. This will make your trip a lot easier. You’ll know exactly where to go.

Since the London Underground is a very busy place, beware of pickpockets! Always keep your bags where you can see them. Don’t leave your luggage unattended. With the current threat of terrorism this may result in severe tube delays and closure or evacuation of several tube stations.

Below you will find several resources that may help you when travelling the London Underground.

Pricing

There are basically two ways of paying for your Underground trips. You can pay cash for every trip you take. This will generally cost you £ 3,00.

If you are planning to do use the Tube a lot, maybe a one or 3 day ticket is more suitable for you. You may also buy these travelcards at your local travelagency. This way, you can directly use your travelcard when you arrive in London. Prices for travelcards vary.

In the overview below only travelcards for zones 1-2 are discussed. You can reach any popular (and not so popular) attraction in London with these cards.

All travelcards are valid for Tube, bus and railway services in zones 1 and 2.

One day travelcard

There are two flavours of One day cards available.

• Peak – Can be used on Mondays to Fridays on day of validity for a journey that starts before 0430 the following day. During weekends an Off Peak card is cheaper. A Peak Day travelcard costs £ 6.20.
• Off Peak – These travelcards are the same as the Peak cards, but they allow you to journey on Mondays to Fridays from 0930 only. You may also use your Off Peak card to travel on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays. An Off Peak Day travelcard costs £ 4.90.

3 day travelcard

Only Peak travelcards are available for zones 1-2. You can use this card on any day of its validity. Your 3 day travelcard expires three days after its first use. A 3 Day Peak travelcard costs £ 15.40.

More information

• Transport for London: Tube – General information about the London Underground
• Tube Guru – Find everything you need around tube stations
• Journey planner – Plan your journey
• Planned Tube Works – Some tube stations may be closed due to planned works
• Tube Maps – Get one of these; you can also pick up a Tube Map at most Underground stations

Last update: January 9th, 2006