by Lydia Black

Created on: May 08, 2008   Last Updated: August 04, 2008

There are two main things you need to know when using the underground (or tube) trains in London. Firstly, you need to know how to navigate the network, and secondly you need to know which ticket to buy. Luckily neither of these things is particularly tricky and as London is one of the busiest cities in the world, there are always plenty of people around to ask for help if you get stuck.

Navigation

London's underground or tube network is one of the easiest in the world to navigate. All you need to know is the color or name of the line you want to travel on and whether you want to travel north, south, east or west.

For example, if you're at Westminster and you want to go to Earl's Court, you consult a tube map and see that you need to take the green District Line and head west. So you follow the signs to the west-bound District Line platform and wait for the next District Line train. Simple.

Connecting to another line at a tube station is also straightforward. Again, you just need to know which line you want to take and in which direction (north, south, east or west). Then just follow the signs to the appropriate platform.

At some stations, two or more lines may serve the same platform (e.g. the District and Circle lines have several stations and platforms in common). So, if you can only take one of these lines, then make sure that you check the indicator board on the platform or the sign on the front of the train, which tells you where the train is heading.

If you're only traveling in Zone 1 (the innermost zone of the six tube zones) then that's about all you need to know about navigation. For the vast majority of tourists, this will cover the whole area in which they will travel.

However, if you're traveling further out, then you should also be aware that some lines split (for example, a west-bound District Line train can take you to Wimbledon, Richmond or Ealing Broadway) and some trains might not travel right to the end of the line. If this is the case, then you need to check the map and see which branch (i.e. what is the end station) of the line you need to be traveling on and whether your train is going all the way to your station or if it will terminate before you get there. If a train will terminate being you reach your destination, then you can still take that train, you will just have to get off and wait for the next train to come along when your train terminates.

In general, the tube is designed to be as easy to navigate as possible and it is hard to go too

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