London Underground
The London Underground is the primary mode of transportation in Central London. Known by most people simply as ‘The Tube’ the service uses 270 stations across Greater London, with over 400 kilometres of track. The service is one of the busiest metro systems in the world, carrying over a billion passengers each year.
Construction on the railway started in the 19th Century, and by 1863 four main stations had been built: London Paddington, Kings Cross, Euston and London Bridge. The complex web of interconnecting trains has become an iconic symbol of London, with the Tube map becoming one of the most recognised maps in the world.
The service interlinks 11 main lines, which are subdivided into two classes: those which run on the subsurface routes such as the Circle, District, Metropolitan and Hammersmith and City lines, and the deeper tube routes including the Bakerloo, Central, Jubilee, Northern, Piccadilly, Victoria and Waterloo & City.
The tube is maintained by the TFL (Transport for London) service, which is primarily funded by passengers. Regular users use the Oyster Card system, allowing pre-paid journeys and rail cards to travel. Fare increases have risen over the past five years and are set to rise again along with regular tube service and upgrades.
Exploit London Underground zones to save money
The London Underground network is divided into 6 main zones, with the most central zone being Zone 1. Prices on the underground differ depending on the zone in which you are travelling. For example – travelling within the same zone will always be cheaper than travelling from zone 1 to zone 4, for obvious reasons. It is worth therefore looking at a map of where you are going, alongside the Tube Map Zones. Money can be saved by getting off a stop or even two before the one you want, if it is in a lower zone. In many cases, there is not too...
read moreCheap Off-Peak Tube Travel
It is always surprising that even though thousands of people use the London Underground each day, many do not understand the fare system. By just knowing and understanding the terms ‘peak’ and ‘off-peak’ you can save yourself lots of money per week. Peak services are those at the busiest times of the day, mainly during the commuting hours. These journeys are the most expensive, as TFL want to optimise their earnings. Off-Peak services are cheaper ways to travel, as they tend to be at the least popular times of day. Peak...
read moreHow to save money on London Underground
Are you a young person aged 25 or below? If so then you may be entitled to one of the London Underground’s best kept money saving secrets. Many people who have graduated from University, or those who are no longer in full time education want to find out how to save money on their daily tube fare. With rising costs and inflation, travelling in London is now a costly business. Many people under 25 don’t know that with a Young Person’s Railcard you can not only save 1/3 off ticket prices on trains around the country but you can...
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