Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
or a One-Day Travelcard, feed it into the turnstile, reclaim it, and hang on to it—you'll need
it later.
Find your train by following signs to your line and the (general) direction it's headed
(such as Central Line: east). Since some tracks are shared by several lines, double-check be-
fore boarding a train: First, make sure your destination is one of the stops listed on the sign
at the platform. Also, check the electronic signboards that announce which train is next, and
make sure the destination (the end-of-the-line stop) is the direction you want. Some trains,
particularly on the Circle and District lines, split off for other directions, but each train has
its final destination marked above its windshield.
Trains run roughly every 3-10 minutes. If one train is absolutely packed and you notice
another to the same destination is coming in three minutes, wait to avoid the sardine routine.
Rush hours (8:00-10:00 and 16:00-19:00) can be packed and sweaty. Bring something to do
to make your waiting time productive. If you get confused, ask for advice from a local, a
blue-vested staff person, or at the information window located before the turnstile entry.
At most stations, you can't leave the system without touching your Oyster card to an
electronic reader, or feeding your ticket or One-Day Travelcard into the turnstile. (If you
have a single-trip paper ticket, the turnstile will eat your now-expired ticket; if it's a One-
DayTravelcard, itwillspitoutyourstill-valid card.)Somestations,suchasHamptonCourt,
do not have a turnstile, so you'll have to locate a reader to “touch out” your Oyster card. If
you skip this step and leave the station, the system assumes you've ridden to the most re-
mote station, and the highest fare will be deducted from your card. When leaving a station,
save walking time by choosing the best street exit—check the maps on the walls or ask any
station personnel.
The system can be fraught with construction delays and breakdowns (the Circle Line is
notorious for problems). Most construction is scheduled for weekends. Closures are known
and publicized in advance (online at
www.tfl.gov.uk
and with posters in the Tube; Google
Maps also has real-time service alerts for the Tube). Pay attention to signs and announce-
ments explaining necessary detours. Closed Tube lines are often replaced by temporary bus
service, but it can be faster to figure out alternate routes on the Tube; since the lines cross
each other constantly, there are several ways to make any journey. For help, check out the
“Journey Planner” at
www.tfl.gov.uk
.
By Bus
If you figure out the bus system, you'll easily conquer sprawling London. Pick up a free
bus map; the most user-friendly is in the
Welcome to London
brochure (mentioned earlier).
You can also find thicker, more in-depth maps of various sectors of the city (most useful is
the Central London Bus Guide). Bus maps are available at Transport for London offices, the
City of London TI, and other tourist spots around town. With a mobile phone, you can find
