Local Transport — The Tube
Underground (The Tube)
The London Underground (1863, oldest subway in the world!) is the backbone of London transport: 11 lines, 272 stations, 402 km network. The Tube is fast, reliable (mostly), and the easiest way to get around London.
- Oyster Card / Contactless: ALWAYS use an Oyster Card (deposit: £7, rechargeable) or a contactless credit card (Apple Pay, Google Pay) — never buy single tickets at the machine! Single ride with Oyster: £2.80 (Zone 1), without Oyster: £6.70 (!) — the difference is huge.
- Daily Cap: No matter how often you travel — with Oyster/Contactless you never pay more than £8.10 per day (Zone 1–2). The system calculates automatically.
- Zones: London is divided into 9 zones. The center is Zone 1, most tourist destinations are in Zone 1–2. Heathrow is Zone 6.
- Operating Hours: Mon–Sat approx. 5 am–12 am, Sun 7 am–11:30 pm. On weekends: Night Tube (Fri/Sat night) on some lines — Victoria, Central, Jubilee, Northern, Piccadilly run continuously.
Buses
The red double-decker buses are iconic — and surprisingly useful. Single ride: £1.75 (only with Oyster/Contactless, no cash!). The Bus No. 11 takes a spectacular route from Liverpool Street via Bank, St Paul's, Fleet Street, Strand, Trafalgar Square, Westminster, and Chelsea — a sightseeing tour for £1.75.
On Foot
London is more pedestrian-friendly than you think. Many stations that appear far apart on the Tube map are only 10–15 minutes apart on foot (e.g. Covent Garden → Leicester Square: 3 minutes on foot, but one Tube station). The Tube map distorts distances!
Achtung
Mind the Gap! The famous phrase is no joke — the gap between the train and the platform edge can be surprisingly large at some stations (especially on the Bakerloo and Northern Line). Also: Stand RIGHT on escalators, walk LEFT. Those who stand on the left are punished with looks from hurried Londoners that could kill.
