Coming from a small city in the southeast US, we really can’t appreciate a good public transit system at home. Our town has buses, but no one I know has ever ridden one. They are known for being dirty and unreliable.
The London Underground system, also known as the tube, is a stark contrast from what we are familiar with at home. White and blue collar workers, young and old, rely on the tube for their daily commute. The trains arrive at the stations every few minutes and rarely experience delays.
The Underground spans over 250 miles and stops at 270 stations.
Personally one of my favorite parts of Underground are the maps that show the different lines and their connections. London has made the maps so intuitive that navigating the city via train is a breeze. Connections to different lines are clearly marked and makes transfers very easy.
On this trip, we took a car from Heathrow to the flat, the rest of our transit has consisted of walking and tube rides. Even Rick and Ruth Anne Lawson, the most cautious of world travelers, have learned to love the tube system. A quick glance at the map and they are on their way.
Without the tube system, I can’t imagine enjoying London as much as we have. Riding the tube, we avoid the traffic and the gloomy weather and take a break on the train.
-Michael