How to ride the tube (metro) in London

The London metro is simply one of the most convenient ways of getting around the city. The locals call it the "tube." There are metro stations strategically placed throughout the city. As one enters any station, one can get tickets via a machine or an actual employee. There are several types of tickets, depending on how long one is going to use the metro and how far one wishes to travel. All the stations are divided into six main zones, with zone 1 being the stations in the center of the city. Zones 2-6 are mainly in the outskirts of London. The price of the ticket increases with the number of zones one wants to travel. The tube even reaches Heathrow airport (zone 6)!

Every station is easy to use due to the many signs that guide people to their destination. Metro maps are readily available at the entrances of the stations. At the subway platforms, the wait is usually short (2-5 minutes) but it can be up to 8 minutes. Avoid rush hour, when subway cars are jampacked with Londoners carrying on with their daily business. You can be sure to expect large crowds in major metro stations such as Picadilly Circus.

I definitely recommend the metro as being one of the best, if not the best, mode of transportation in London. So if you pay a visit to this great city, be sure to use the tube!