London Underground: the Tube

Buy a Visitor Oyster card, Oyster card, Travelcard or use a contactless payment card to get the best value as cash is the most expensive way to pay. Find more information, including how to get tickets, with this guide to Oyster cards and travelcards in London. Check out this guide to cheap travel for more money-saving tips when travelling in London.

An adult cash fare on the London metro for a single journey in zone 1 is £5.50. The same Tube fare with Visitor Oyster card, Oyster card or contactless payment card is £2.40. For more details about London Tube prices, see the Transport for London website.

For contactless payment cards issued outside the UK, please check for transaction fees or bank changes.

There are various discounts available for children, students, and elderly travellers on the London subway.

If you plan on travelling around London to do some sightseeing and visit some of London's best attractions, why not get a London Pass and save even more money.

Devised in 1933 by Harry Beck, the London Underground map is a 20th-century design classic. It's very useful and clearly indicates the general directions used to designate trains (north, south, east or westbound), with all interchanges clearly shown.

Visit this Travel Maps section to download a pdf of the London Tube map.

Transport for London (TfL) produces free maps and guides to help you get around. You can pick up a London Underground Map upon arrival at any London Tube station. London Travel Information centres sell tickets and provide free maps. There are centres at all Heathrow Airport terminals, major stations in London and at Tourist Information Centres.

You can also download a handy Tube and bus map designed for visitors in our Travel Maps section.

Travelling around London on the Tube? Here are some other useful tips that will make your journey more enjoyable and efficient:

• Avoid travelling during rush hours (weekdays, 7-9am and 5.30-7pm) if at all possible
• Check the front of the train for the correct destination
• Stand on the right when using escalators
• Wait for passengers to leave the train before boarding
• Move down inside the Tube carriages while travelling, so you don't block the doorways for other passengers
• Stand behind the yellow line whilst waiting for the train on the platform
• Offer your seat to anyone who is unwell, elderly, pregnant or travelling with small children
• Hold onto the rails if you are standing during your journey
• Mind the gap!
• Download the TfL Go app

London Underground opening times vary slightly from line to line, but the first London subway trains normally start running around 5am, from Monday to Saturday, with reduced operating hours on Sunday.

London metro trains normally run until around midnight. Check with staff at the particular tube station you plan on using to find out exactly when the last train runs.

A 24-hour underground service operates on certain lines. Find more information on this Night Tube page.

Access to most Tube stations is via numerous steps. The London metro system can become very crowded at peak times and, therefore, difficult for those with mobility problems.

Many deep-level Tube stations have escalators to platforms. But nearly all the stations with escalators or lifts also have stairs between street level and the ticket hall and/or between the escalator/lift and the platforms. The downloadable Tube map on this free London travel maps page indicates which Tube stations are step-free. 

When boarding Tube trains, be aware that there is generally a step of up to 8 inches (20cm), either up or down, between the platform and the train. If this is problematic, travel in the first carriage, so the driver can see you more clearly, and allow enough time for you to get on or off.

For more information, visit Transport for London's Accessibility page.