When you visit London, a place with more than 8.982 million people and an approximate size of 607 square miles, it doesn’t take much to feel a little lost. Even New York is smaller at 468 square miles and Los Angeles at 503 square miles. Perhaps it is this reason that the London Underground was invented. It does make transportation a little less confusing.
The History of the Underground
The Underground is a public, rapid, transit system that serves London and some of the nearby counties. The first part of it opened in January 1863. In 1890, more was added.
Today, the “Tube” has expanded to 11 different lines and the ability to more than 5-million passengers daily. In the beginning, tubes were laid just below the ground and covered by soil. Today, the deepest station is the Hampstead Station, which is on the northern line. It runs down to 58.5 metres beneath the ground. This is approximately 192-feet.
Cool Facts About London’s Tube
With such an extensive history, the Tube is a place of many interesting facts. For instance, the average speed of transit in the Underground is approximately 20.5 mph. This includes the stops, so the actual travel speed is much higher. If you are on the Metropolitan line, the trains there reach beyond 60 mph.
In the Underground, there is a very short tube journey. You can ride the Piccadilly Line between Leicester Square and Covent Gardens in only 20-seconds. However, this is one of the most impressive parts of the ride for tourists, even though it costs nearly 5 euros to do it.
Would you believe that it is home to one of the longest escalators? Its true. There is an escalator that measures 197-ft!
From areas that were once popular for people wanting to commit suicide to babies being born, the Underground has seen it all. Even Jerry Springer was born at East Finchley as his mother sought out shelter from an air raid during WWII.
Are You Ready to Board the Tube?
No one can deny that the Tube is one of the easiest ways to get around London. It is easy to do and for many, one of the best things to do as a tourist in London. There are money cards that you can use to make it simple to ride where you want to go. If you prefer a more detailed look at the Underground, there are walking tours you can take. Overall, we say that if you plan to visit London, this is one thing you definitely don’t want to miss. Pencil it in while traveling to Big Ben or the London Eye and you will have the best of both worlds. Are you ready to tour this “Underworld” that holds many large secrets?