There are 10 main lines and 2 smaller lines, aswell as the DLR.

Central Line - This is the red line on the tube map. It goes from West Ruislip to Epping, on two different routes, one which goes through South Woodford and one which goes through Fairlop.

District - The Green line on the map. It goes from Richmond, Ealing Broadway, Wimbledon, Kensington Olympia and Edgware road to Upminster via many differnt routes, Through stations like Earls Court and Westminster.

Jubilee - The Silver/grey line, goes from Stanmore to Stratford, through Green Park and Wembley Park.

Northern - The Black tube line on the map. It goes from Edgware, Mill Hill East and High Barnet to Morden via Bank or Charing Cross.

THE ZONES

THE PRICE

The elderly and disabled - You can get freedom passes, which offer discounts (again see the website for details. New Deal people also get discounts.

Well, after buying your ticket, you go down some stairs or an esculator (or even a lift!) to the platform, that looks exactly like an overground platform but underground (usually, alot of the stations are overground, especiialy on the piccadily line). There are also ticket barriers to go through where you have to put your ticket in the machine to get through, and posters of either advertising, or maps to help you plan your journey. People seem to worry about using the underground (i suppose we all are alot more after the bombs, but also for other reasons too) but its not as claustrophobic as i expected when i first started using them. It is well lit etc, but still, i have friends who wont use the tubes! Anyway, the train comes (fairly regulary unless there are delays which you will be warned about) about once every 3 minutes on a good day, but up to 17 with delays. In the rush hour, they are PACKED so be prepared to stand up and have your face in peoples armpits. On the way towards the airport there are also alot of bags, so space is limited. However, if you are at the begining of a line, you may get a seat, or if you use the trains at a less busy time). There are posters in some stations telling you the average journey time from A to B, but sometimes the tubes just seem to stop for a bit. At each station the doors automatically open (eg you dont need to press a button like on the bus) and you continue on your way....

They are about 8 carriages long (i think, i have never counted!), and the newer ones are nicer! The Piccadily line has newer trains, the District line ones are older. The seats are not usually like on a normal train (facing each other) although on some services (the victoria line) they sometimes are. Normally, the seats are in rows along the carriage walls facing each other, so you are constantly looking at the person opposite you! There are bars to hold on to and a large area by the doors to stand in should you need to (you probably will!), aswell as some padding on sticky out bits of the train to sit on. On some lines, there are also fold down chairs. The chairs are comftable enough, with armrests to fight over. They are not the greatest seats in the world, but they are not the worst either!

1. Let the people getting off get off first.
2. DONT assume by throwing your luggage in to the train as its about to go will make it stop. I've seen people do this, it doesnt work!!!
3. Stand on the right on the esculators so people in a hurry can get past.
4. Let people who need to sit down sit down, eg old people, people with kids, but dont give a two year old its own seat when it can sit on your knee!
5. Be prepared for delays. Leave some extra time.
6. Get a tube map! These are available from all tube stations and it makes your journey much easier.
7. Ask the staff if you dont know where you have to go. Many arn't that nice, but they seem to know alot about where you are going
8. Check the tube you are getting on goes via the station you want. Some tube lines are split, make sure your going the right way.
9. Always have a ticket, or you wont be able to get through the barriers at the next stop!
10. Bring something to do! Long tube journeys are boring!
11. Walk to the end of the platform, or the part furthest away from the entrance to the platform as you are then more likely to get a seat.

The tubes are an interlinking system, so wherever you are, you can get to any other place on the tube system, though it might take some time with switching lines all the time. Again a tube map it useful here, a bug white dot indicates that is a change point at the station between lines. On the actually tube, there will also be a map of the line with station's other lines on them. E.g, Piccadily circus is on the Piccadily line and the Bakerloo line. Look for links or ask.

The tube system links to many big National Rail stations like Victoria and Paddington aswell as Waterloo. The voice over on the tube will say when to 'change here for national rail serices', and also sometimes announces places of interest, such as galleries. Again, check the map. It has the national rail services symbol for an overground train link aswell as one for Tramlink and riverboat services. You can also see airport interchanges, and information on stations, like which wil be closed sundays.

Thank you for reading.