London Underground
The world's first underground railway — 11 lines, 272 stations and 160+ years of history beneath one of the most visited cities on Earth
The world's first underground railway — 11 lines, 272 stations and 160+ years of history beneath one of the most visited cities on Earth
The London Underground is the oldest metro on the planet, carrying its first passengers between Paddington and Farringdon on 10 January 1863. Today 11 colour-coded lines link 272 stations across 400 kilometres of track, moving five million people a day.
The Tube is more than transport — from the iconic roundel and Harry Beck's map to Victorian tilework and the Jubilee line's sweeping curves, it is a designed experience. Riding it is a London experience in itself, and knowing its history transforms every journey.
The Metropolitan Railway opened on 10 January 1863 between Paddington and Farringdon, carrying 38,000 passengers on its first day in steam-hauled carriages lit by gas lamps. Deeper tube lines followed from the 1890s, bored through London clay using tunnelling shields; the City & South London Railway of 1890 was the world's first deep-level electric underground.
By the early 1900s the separate companies were merging under common branding — the iconic roundel appeared around 1908. The system survived the Blitz, when stations served as air-raid shelters, and most recently gained the Elizabeth line in 2022. It now carries nearly 1.5 billion journeys a year.
The Tube is an accidental museum of British architecture spanning 160 years. At Baker Street you can still see arched brick bays and tilework from 1863. Leslie Green's early-1900s stations — identifiable by ox-blood glazed terracotta facades — survive at Covent Garden, Russell Square and over a dozen other locations. Charles Holden's 1930s Piccadilly line stations at Southgate, Arnos Grove and Cockfosters feature Portland stone facades, cylindrical ticket halls and pioneering natural light, earning Grade II listings.
The Jubilee line extension brought dramatic late-1990s engineering at Canary Wharf (Norman Foster), Westminster (Michael Hopkins) and North Greenwich (Alsop Architects). The Art on the Underground programme continues to commission contemporary works across the network.
Tap your Oyster or contactless card on the yellow reader to enter and tap out at your destination. The daily cap means you never pay more than a set amount — once you reach it, additional journeys are covered at no extra cost, making Oyster or contactless dramatically cheaper than paper tickets.
Peak fares apply weekdays between 6:30am and 9:30am; avoid those hours if you can, as the Central, Northern and Jubilee lines are crushingly busy. The Night Tube runs Friday and Saturday on the Central, Jubilee, Northern, Piccadilly and Victoria lines for late evenings out. Stand on the right on escalators and let passengers off before boarding — these are deeply felt London norms.
Always use Oyster or contactless — a paper single ticket costs £7.00 for the same Zone 1 journey that is £2.80 with Oyster. Daily capping means you never pay more than a set amount.
A Zone 1 paper single costs £7.00. The same journey on Oyster or contactless is £2.80. Daily capping means you never overpay. There is no reason to buy a paper ticket.
This is the single most important rule of Tube etiquette. Stand on the right side of the escalator and leave the left side clear for people who want to walk. Londoners feel very strongly about this.
Between 8am and 9:30am the busiest lines are packed to capacity. If you are sightseeing, start your day after 9:30am or use buses and walking for the first leg of your morning.
Baker Street is one of the original 1863 stations and still has Victorian brickwork and tilework visible on the Metropolitan line platforms. It is a free living museum of railway history.
The Central, Jubilee, Northern, Piccadilly and Victoria lines run all night on Friday and Saturday. It is the safest and cheapest way to get home after a late night out — far better than surge-priced taxis.
London Travel Writer · 12+ years covering UK attractions and tourism
Last reviewed: March 5, 2026
