Tips for the tube

Victoria for starters. Just got off Southern and didn't know what to get, bus or Tube. Seeing that the bus stop for the route I wanted is quite a walk from the terminus 'cos of road works or whatever, I decided on the District line. No problem with that as it actually ran today, but getting onto the platforms is a nightmare. So many bottlenecks, so many people............Avoid..........

How many days will you be traveling? If its just one day and you don't already have an oyster card don't bother getting one as they are cheaper but rubbish and the support is frustrating. If you can afford it get a travelcard.

Green Park takes ages to change from one line to another, as does Bank/Monument.

Depends on why you're visiting London - I assume it's not specially to see the Tube (although some people on this site no doubt can't imagine a better reason to visit London!).

If you want to sample all eleven lines, it's possible to do so in less than an hour: but it's a bit hectic to try.

Last time I was there (October 09) I got a child Z1-9 paper ticket for £1. Has the fare increased?


EDIT: ah, it was the off-peak only valid after 9.30 AM

I don't know about costing, but you should be able to buy an oyster for a one-day travel card from eg a newsagent. There is a deposit on the card, but the cards don't evaporate, so you can keep that. Touching in/out is a bit of a knack - the card needs to be flat on the reader and stationary for a few seconds - slamming the card down harder won't make it read.

Do you have an A to Z of London? Depending on your budget, this is worth getting, you can walk a lot of central London, as long as you know where you are going.

Avoid it 8-9am (rush hour) until you are familiar with where you are etc.

What to see on the underground? Matter of taste, but it's worth keeping your eyes open on the tube - there is a lot to see.

Stand on the right on escalators - biggest gripe for Londoners about tourists is them blocking the escalators. Walk up the left or stand on the right...

Use the TFL journey planner to get an idea of your journey times etc, if you are planning to be late, have an idea of when the tubes run until. If you need to get back for a specific train out of a mainline terminus and you need to use several lines to get there, the journey may take longer than you think

Oyster Travelcard v paper Travelcard....

Oyster is ok if you are making point to point journeys and leave/re-enter the system regularly. That is it's flaw as it just doesn't work in the way that the Travelcard as a product allows.

If you wish to just roam around the network, the paper Travelcard is essential otherwise you'll be racking up incomplete journeys and coping several maximum fare fines.

I won't be roaming round the network at all. But I didn't think you could put a one day travel card on an oyster. Please correct me if I'm wrong. Is an oyster easier than paper?

I plan to travel on an A stock, and a 67 stock train, as I doubt I will be back in London before they are scrapped.

Oyster is more useful if you live in London and semi-frequently use the tube.

It's not very useful if you're the sort of person who likes to ride around the tube for the sake of riding around on the tube. (Unless its got a long-term travelcard loaded onto it)