London Underground
Opened in 1863, the Tube is the world's oldest metro - and 160 years on, it still moves a city.
The London Underground - better known as the Tube - is the world's oldest metro system, opened in 1863, and still one of the busiest. It runs 11 lines across 272 stations, covering 402 km of track through nine fare zones. Around 1.35 billion journeys are made on it every year, making it the backbone of travel across Greater London.
History of the London Underground
On 10 January 1863 the Metropolitan Railway ran its first steam-hauled trains between Paddington and Farringdon Street, carrying 38,000 passengers on opening day and launching what would become the world's first urban underground railway. Within a generation the network spread across the city, and in 1890 the City and South London Railway became the world's first deep-level electric tube line. By 1933 all the competing private operators were merged under the London Passenger Transport Board, and two years later Harry Beck's famous diagram map - which prioritised clarity over geography - was issued to passengers. It changed how transit maps were drawn everywhere. The 11 lines of the Underground today span 402 km of track and serve 272 stations across nine fare zones, from Chesham in the Chilterns to Heathrow Airport. The newest major addition is the Elizabeth line (Crossrail), which began through-running services in 2022 and now carries over 600,000 passengers daily, though it operates under its own branding. Night Tube services on five lines run through the night on Fridays and Saturdays.
Metro Lines
How to Use the London Metro
- 1
Pay with an Oyster card or tap a contactless bank card or phone directly on the yellow reader at the gate. Both give you the same capped fares - the cheapest way to travel.
- 2
Touch in when you enter a station and touch out when you leave. Forgetting to touch out triggers a maximum fare charge that can be corrected but is a hassle to fix.
- 3
The network runs across nine fare zones. Zone 1 is central London - most tourist landmarks are in Zones 1 and 2. Your fare depends on how many zones you cross.
- 4
A daily price cap kicks in automatically. Once you hit the cap (for Zones 1-2 it is £8.50), every journey for the rest of that day is free. You never need to buy a day travel card.
- 5
Most lines run from around 05:30 to between midnight and 00:30. On Friday and Saturday nights the Central, Jubilee, Northern, Piccadilly and Victoria lines run all night as part of the Night Tube.
- 6
Download the free TfL Go app or Citymapper before you travel. Both show live departure times, service alerts and step-free routing.
Fare Guide
Travel Tips for London
- Stand on the right on escalators. The left side is kept free for people walking up or down - this is an unwritten rule Londoners take seriously.
- Move down inside the carriage, away from the doors. Packed trains become much more bearable when passengers spread out rather than clustering near the doorways.
- The Central, Northern and Jubilee lines get brutally crowded during rush hour (roughly 08:00-09:30 and 17:00-19:30 on weekdays). If you can shift your journey by 30 minutes either side, do it.
- Walking between very close stations is often faster than taking the Tube. Leicester Square to Covent Garden, for example, is a 5-minute walk but the lift queue at Covent Garden alone can take longer.
- The Elizabeth line is not part of the Underground map but uses the same Oyster and contactless payment. It is faster, quieter and more comfortable than most Tube lines for east-west journeys across London.
- Heathrow Airport is served by the Piccadilly line (around 50 minutes to central London, roughly £5.50 with Oyster) and the faster Elizabeth line (around 40 minutes to Paddington, same fare).
Accessibility
107/ 272 stations
Step-free access (39% coverage)
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does the Tube cost?
With Oyster or a contactless card, a single journey in Zone 1 costs £2.80 at peak times and £2.70 off-peak. The daily cap for Zones 1-2 is £8.50, so however many trips you make, that is the most you will pay in a day. A 7-day Travelcard for Zones 1-2 costs £41.80.
How many lines does the London Underground have?
The London Underground has 11 lines: Bakerloo, Central, Circle, District, Hammersmith and City, Jubilee, Metropolitan, Northern, Piccadilly, Victoria, and Waterloo and City. The Elizabeth line (Crossrail) shares stations with the Underground but is operated separately by TfL under its own name.
Does the London Underground run 24 hours?
Not on all lines. Most services run from around 05:30 until just after midnight. On Friday and Saturday nights, Night Tube services run all night on the Central, Jubilee, Northern, Piccadilly and Victoria lines. Sunday services generally start later, around 07:00.
Which line goes to Heathrow Airport?
The Piccadilly line runs directly to all Heathrow terminals (T2, T3, T4 and T5) from central London. The journey from King's Cross takes around 50-55 minutes. The Elizabeth line also serves Heathrow and is faster to Paddington (around 40 minutes), though both cost the same fare with Oyster.
How accessible is the London Underground for wheelchair users?
Step-free access is available at 107 of 272 stations. Many central Zone 1 stations - including Covent Garden, Leicester Square, Charing Cross and Green Park - still have stairs only. The TfL Journey Planner has a step-free option, and the Elizabeth line was built to be fully accessible throughout.
What is the difference between Oyster and contactless?
Both give you the same fares and the same daily cap protection. Contactless (bank card, phone or smartwatch) is the more convenient option - no top-up needed and your journey history is saved to your account. An Oyster card is useful if you want to load a period Travelcard, apply a railcard discount, or use the 18+ Student Oyster photocard.
Operating Hours
- monday05:30 - 00:30
- tuesday05:30 - 00:30
- wednesday05:30 - 00:30
- thursday05:30 - 00:30
- friday05:30 - 00:30 (Night Tube: Central, Jubilee, Northern, Piccadilly, Victoria run 24h)
- saturday05:30 - 00:30 (Night Tube: Central, Jubilee, Northern, Piccadilly, Victoria run 24h)
- sunday07:00 - 23:30
Quick Facts
- TimezoneEurope/London
- CurrencyGBP
- LanguageEnglish
- Population9,002,488
- Annual Riders1.35 billion
King's Cross St Pancras
King's Cross St Pancras is one of London's largest and busiest interchange stations, serving six Underground lines plus National Rail and Eurostar services at the adjacent St Pancras International.
Paddington
Paddington is a major terminus station serving five Underground lines and National Rail services to Wales and the west of England via the Great Western Main Line.
Oxford Circus
Oxford Circus sits at the junction of Oxford Street and Regent Street, making it the busiest station on the London Underground with over 100 million passengers annually.
Baker Street
Baker Street is one of the original Metropolitan Railway stations opened in 1863, making it one of the world's first underground stations.
Liverpool Street
Liverpool Street is one of London's principal transport hubs, combining Underground services on five lines with one of the busiest National Rail termini in the UK serving East Anglia, Stansted Airport and Cambridge.
Waterloo
Waterloo is the busiest station in the UK, with the Underground station handling around 95 million passengers per year across four lines.
Victoria
Victoria is a major interchange station in the heart of Westminster, connecting three Underground lines with the Victoria National Rail terminus - the gateway to Gatwick Airport and the south-east.
Westminster
Westminster station sits directly beneath the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben, making it the single most architecturally significant Tube stop in London.
London Bridge
London Bridge station is the third-busiest station in the UK, combining Jubilee and Northern line platforms with one of London's major National Rail termini.
Bank / Monument
Bank and Monument form a combined station complex in the heart of the City of London financial district, connected by a 200-metre underground tunnel.
Canary Wharf
Canary Wharf Jubilee line station is a spectacular underground cathedral designed by Norman Foster - one of the most admired pieces of modern architecture in the world.
Green Park
Green Park is a key interchange serving three major lines in the heart of Mayfair and St James's, providing the closest Underground access to Buckingham Palace and The Ritz hotel.
Leicester Square
Leicester Square station sits at the very centre of London's West End entertainment district, surrounded by cinemas, theatres and restaurants.
Piccadilly Circus
Piccadilly Circus station is one of the most recognisable names on the Underground network, sitting directly beneath the famous LED advertising screens and the Shaftesbury Memorial Fountain (nicknamed Eros).
Covent Garden
Covent Garden is one of the most famous stations on the network, its name synonymous with the historic market, street performers and world-class cultural institutions immediately above and around it.
Tottenham Court Road
Tottenham Court Road serves three major lines including the Elizabeth Line in a dramatically enlarged station complex completed in 2017.
Bond Street
Bond Street is London's luxury shopping destination, with the station providing direct access to New Bond Street - home to Tiffany, Cartier, Chanel, Sotheby's and Bonhams auction houses.
South Kensington
South Kensington is known as the 'museum quarter' station, providing direct tunnel access to the Natural History Museum, Science Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum - three of the world's greatest free museums within a 5-minute walk of each other.
Tower Hill
Tower Hill station stands in the shadow of the medieval Tower of London and provides the closest Underground access to both the Tower and Tower Bridge.
Stratford
Stratford is one of London's fastest-growing transport hubs, serving four Underground and rail lines plus National Rail and the Overground.