The London Underground is legendary, both for its extensive and efficient network and for beingthe oldest underground railway in the world.

The first steam trains set off along the Metropolitan Line through the London Underground as early as 1863.

Book a hotel near an Underground station

The London Underground is so popular that the vast majority of souvenirs and tourist items feature elements of the London Underground. Among the most famous souvenirs are the Tube’s distinctive logo (a red circle with a blue horizontal line and the station name) and the iconic announcement ‘ "Please Mind the Gap Between the Train and the Platform" ’, which alerts passengers at every station to the gap between the train and the platform.

In English, the term The Tube, less frequently and more formally,‘London Underground’.

The network of 11 Tube lines is complemented by several routes of the automated DLR, the London Overground and regular trains, which can also be used for travelling around the city.

Underground (Tube) lines and connections

The London Underground (and, on the outskirts of the city, surface railways) is criss-crossed by 11 Tube lines, which will take you to all the sights and attractions.

If you’re looking to get around the wider city centre quickly, the Underground alone will easily suffice without the need for buses. Within the city centre, you’ll find a station on literally every corner.

In London, you’ll find two types of line: underground lines with shorter, more cramped trains, and deep-level lines with significantly more spacious trains.

The Underground lines in London are distinguished by colour and historical name:

• Bakerloo Line (brown) – runs through London from south-east to north-west, is 23 km long and opened in 1906; this is an underground line. Places of interest along the route: the London Eye, Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly Circus, Oxford Street, Regent’s Park
• Central Line (red) – runs east to west; it is the second busiest line in London, measuring 74 km and branching off at both ends. It is an underground line and has been in operation since 1900. Places of interest along the route:Oxford Street, Hyde Park, the British Museum, Kensington Palace, St Paul’s Cathedral
• Circle Line (yellow) – a semi-circular line around the city centre, passing through major stations; it is 27 km long, runs underground and has been in operation since 1884. Places of interest along the route:Westminster Palace, Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, Downing Street, Buckingham Palace,Kensington Palace,St Paul’s Cathedral, the Tower of London, Tower Bridge, the London Eye, the Sky Garden, the Barbican
• District Line (green) – runs through central London near the River Thames; in the west it splits into several branches; it is 64 km long and has been in operation since 1868. It is an underground line with more spacious trains. Sights along the route: Westminster Palace, Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, Downing Street, Buckingham Palace,Kensington Palace,St Paul’s Cathedral,the Tower of London, Tower Bridge, the London Eye, the Sky Garden, Wimbledon
• Elizabeth Line (purple) – the latest ‘Crossrail’ project effectively introduces a new underground line comprising the existing train service from Heathrow Airport, a completely new underground section through central London, and another existing train line eastwards to Shenfield and the Canary Wharf area. Sights along the way:British Museum
• Hammersmith & City Line (pink) – the second-least-used line crosses the northern city centre from west to east, is 25 km long and has been in operation since 1863. It is an underground route. Sights along the way:Barbican
• Jubilee Line (grey) – the newest underground line, opened in 1979; it is an underground route, measuring 36 km. Places of interest along the route: Greenwich, Tate Modern, The Shard, the Globe Theatre,Westminster Palace, Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, Downing Street,the London Eye
• Metropolitan Line (purple) – the oldest line running from the city centre far beyond London; a shallow-level route opened in 1863, measuring 63 km, which branches off at its northern end. Sights along the route: Barbican
• Northern Line (black) – the north-south line with the most complex branching system is the busiest of all. It is an underground route 58 km long, opened in 1890. Places of interest along the route:Westminster Palace, Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, Downing Street,the London Eye,the British Museum, Camden Market,the Sky Garden,The Shard,Oxford Street
• Piccadilly Line (dark blue) – the third busiest line and the deepest underground route in the city centre, measuring 71 km and branching off to the west. It runs to Heathrow Airport, amongst other destinations, and was opened in 1906. Sights along the route:Piccadilly Circus,Hyde Park,Buckingham Palace
• Victoria Line (light blue) – the second-newest and second-shortest line, opened in 1968, is 21 km long and runs entirely underground. Sights along the route:Oxford Street,Buckingham Palace
• Waterloo & City Line (turquoise) – the shortest line measures just 2 km; it is an underground route and, apart from the terminus stations at Waterloo and Bank, has no other stations. It has been in operation since 1898

At first glance,changing linesmay seem chaotic, particularly due to the often cramped spaces of historic Underground stations and the long, winding corridors with numerous staircases and escalators.

However, if you follow the signs carefully, you won’t get lost.

The signage is really clear and will guide you exactly where you’re heading. It’s importantto always know the name of the terminus station in the direction you’re travelling. Then you’ll never get lost.

• Searching for connections
• Metro timetables

Ticket prices and how to buy?

London and the surrounding area are divided into 6 fare zones, and ticket prices are based on this. 

The easiest and cheapest way to pay for your journey is with your own contactless card.

You enter each underground station through turnstiles, where you tap your card on the yellow reader and walk through. When leaving the station, you pass through the turnstile again, where you must tap your card on the reader once more so that your fare is calculated correctly.

The system also works when paying by mobile phone, smartwatch or any other device onto which you can load your own card.

The all-day ticket system has been replaced by the so-called Daily Caps, a maximum amount that is deducted from your card per calendar day. Once you reach this limit, you must continue to tap your card on the turnstile, but nothing further will be deducted from your card. Given the high cost of single-journey fares, you’ll always reach the daily cap whilst staying in London.

Paper tickets can also be used, but they are more expensive than paying by card. Conversely, the fares are the same when paying with an Oyster Card; however, this is not worthwhile for tourists, as it costs 5 gbp to purchase and offers no advantage over using your own card.

• Zone 1 or 1+2: contactless 8,90 gbp / 16,60 gbp with a paper ticket, weekly maximum fare for 44,70 gbp
• Zones 1 to 3: contactless 10,50 gbp / 16,60 gbp with a paper ticket, weekly maximum fare for 52,50 gbp
• Zones 1 to 4: contactless 12,80 gbp / 16,60 gbp with a paper ticket, weekly maximum fare for 64,20 gbp
• Zones 1 to 5: contactless 15,30 gbp / 23,60 gbp with a paper ticket, weekly maximum fare for 76,40 gbp
• Zones 1 to 6: contactless 16,30 gbp / 23,60 gbp with a paper ticket, weekly maximum fare for 81,60 gbp
• Full price list:tfl.gov.uk/fares

The weekly maximum fare is always calculated per calendar week from Monday to Sunday. So, for example, if you are in London from Wednesday to Wednesday, the weekly limit will be calculated twice – from Wednesday to Sunday and from Monday to Wednesday.

A single journey within central London costs between 2,50 gbp and 6 gbp.

Map of London Underground lines

We have compiled an interactive map of the Underground, the Elizabeth Line, the DLR and the London Overground here:

Official maps of the London Underground and trains are available to download from the transport operator’s website:tfl.gov.uk/maps/track/national-rail

Closures and service disruptions on the Underground

Partly due to the age and complexity of the London Underground system, you should expect very frequent closures, which usually take place at weekends. However, occasional disruptions do occur, and sometimes certain stations may even be closed due to staff shortages.

It’s always a good idea to check the transport authority’s website under the ‘Disruptions’ section to see if your Tube line is running along its entire route.

It’s also a good idea to have an offline tube map downloaded onto your mobile, as there’s no signal in the underground sections of the Tube.

DLR: Docklands Light Railway

The eastern part of London, in the modern Canary Wharf district, is served by several driverless DLR lines.

Direct DLR services run on the following routes:

• Bank – Limehouse – Canary Wharf – Cutty Sark – Greenwich – Lewisham
• Bank – Limehouse – Poplar – Canning Town – London City Airport – Woolwich Arsenal
• Tower Gateway – Limehouse – Poplar – Canning Town – Royal Victoria – Beckton
• Stratford International – Stratford – West Ham –Canning Town – London City Airport – Woolwich Arsenal
• Stratford – West Ham – Poplar – Canary Wharf – Cutty Sark – Greenwich – Lewisham

The fare payment system is the same as on the Underground. You pass through ticket barriers with card readers when entering and exiting stations.

• DLR timetables
• Map of DLR lines

Overground and National Rail trains

The Underground and DLR networks are complemented by traditional overground trains, some of which are operated by Transport for London (the London Overground and the Elizabeth Line) and others by various rail companies running from London to other destinations in England under the National Rail brand.

You can travel on all local train services within London zones 1–9 for the fares listed above. The same applies when paying for tickets using your own payment card at the ticket barriers found at every station.