Why are children using the tube on field trips?

[Specialapplek]

Very often in London I see big groups of young children (and teens as well) being accompanied by their teachers on the tube. Presumably they are on school trips.

Why don't they charter a bus though? When I was in school we always hired a bus for our trips to the museums, zoo, etc. We could sit with our friends and sing songs and play games. Why would anyone choose to transport a big group of children on the tube? No one gets to sit down, the teachers have to constantly watch out for kids falling over, wandering off...

I'm genuinely curious so could anyone weigh in? As a parent I think I'd prefer my children being transported in a private hire bus, unless travelling on the tube is part of the purpose of the whole excursion.

Are you seriously asking?

Cost for a start. Far cheaper for the parents. The tube is an utterly brilliant service. Why wouldn't they use it as opposed to clogging up the roads?

Because it's convienient and free.

If they have to charge for coaches they would go on a trip twice a year due to costs. If they walk, take London bus or tube they can go on a trip every few weeks as free or very cheap.

My sons are at school on central London. They go out someone probably once every two weeks as everything is so close. One trip might be a walk around local area, another to a museum, to see a monument etc. They were covering victorians this term. They have been to three musems, a few nearby walks with a guide talking about the buildings, and recently walked to Prince Albert statue in Hyde park and had a talk and then did some drawings of it. All free.

To be fair I don't think teachers themselves exactly choose to use tube - my friends work in London and absolutely hate shepherding 30odd y6 years olds around on it and would much prefer to chuck them on a bus - but for all the very good reasons mentioned above don't get the option to.

Dd had a trip to a London museum (we 2 hours away from London). What with traffic and the driver getting lost in central London they had 6 hours on coach 2 hours at the museum.

Children travel for free ... and the tube is FUN if you're a child. I still find it fun now ...