Please explain to me like I'm dumb - how do I use the tube?

[Knbcdryhb]

Sorry posting here for traffic

Never been to London before, going in a few weeks and a bit nervous about getting around on the tube.

can anyone explain how it works? How do I pay? How do I know where to go, will there be someone there to help? How will I know if I'm getting on the right line? Anything else I'm not thinking of / general advise?

Make sure that you use the same card or phone/watch to tap in and out. I presumed it was ok to use a card to tap in, and phone to tap out. It got rather expensive!

Use the same card to tap on and off, within I think zones 1-4 the price is capped at £8.50 for 24 hours use. Some trains on certain routes may not go where you want to be but when you hear a train approaching look at the destination on the front of the train. If you get on and then realise you're wrong just get off at the next station to wait for the correct train. In the carriages there is route and train information. Wear something cool because it can get hot, stuffy and sweaty. When using escalators stand on the right unless you want to run up or down them you do it on the left hand side. Tube maps are free and it's very well signposted. You can't really go wrong.

Are you arriving at waterloo or waterloo east. Its a direct tube on the bskerloo line but there are 2 buses too if you're not in a hurry and you can pass through the sights.m

Are we fighting? 🤣

Use buses as well as tubes - you'll get to see more

Google maps will tell you what bus & direction you need, and alert you a couple of stops before you need to get off.
The buses have visual displays and announcements ot the next stop.

buses you get on at the front, and you don't need to tap out.
you can travel on as many buses in an hour for a single fare as you want.

the daily cap covers tube and bus fares + docklands light railway and trams (and some overground, but the overground is a bit complicated)

Has anyone mentioned the noise and wind when the tube approaches?

That'll be me, sorry.

If you have a National Railcard then the staff at a tube station can add the discount to your Oyster card.

Hope you have a lovely time visiting.

Nothing to add to the sensible responses.

Sorry haven't rtft but worth noting (if there are various routes for the same journey)

Central line, Victoria line, northern line are some of the deepest (and hottest) tube lines.
The met line is largely above ground if you don't like being underground.
The Elizabeth Line is new, more modern and has air con.
There are usually staff at barriers who will be able to advise if you have a problem or question.

A few thoughts: Get hold of a tube map before you start your journey. Work out where you want to go and what line you need. Work out if you need to change lines and where.
If you have a wheelchair or a buggy some stations have lifts. People are usually helpful if you need to get on and off with a buggy etc. Try not to do this in the rush hour if you are uncertain.
If paying is worrying, you can get an Oyster card from a London station, top it up and pay with that. It stops the worry about tapping in and out. They work on buses too. London buses are cashless but will, like the tube, take a credit card.

Carry a map with you.
Good luck.

The one thing that bugs me about getting on the tube is people on MN etc say ‘ just get the Victoria line to Oxford Circus and get off at Covent Garden or whatever.’

But for none Londoners like me and OP, the main worry is… what direction? You lot know - but us lot have to panic when we’re at the station and changing to the next line and stressing about towards which direction? It’s really not that clear sometimes

The station (if it has more than one line) will have colour coded directions to each line.

Follow the directions to eg Victoria line. Then when you're at the right level for that line it will say eg Victoria line northbound on one platform and southbound on the other.

If you don't know which direction (I'm very familiar with using the tube but I can't always think on the spot, am I going north or south, east or west) just look for the station you intend to go to on the boards and choose that platform.

Even if you get on the tube and then realise it's not the right direction, it's generally quite easy to get out at the next stop and walk over to the opposite platform to go the other way.

I have just come back from a few days in Greenwich and I’m missing London already. I think everyone has covered the most important things but I would encourage you to venture outside of zone one. London has some of the best public transport in the world, so don’t be afraid to explore and get lost a little (although with Google maps that’s incredibly hard to do) you’re never ever far from a bus stop.

I miss the one day travelcard for zones 1-2 and zones 1-4.

Download the citymapper app. It tells you which timeline, when, what direction, where to change in real time.

It’s the north or south bound thing that’s VERY stressful. “Just look on the boards” can be baffling if you have no idea which board you should be looking at to find your stop.

The TFL journey planner on my phone is helpful but it makes absolutely no mention of which direction you need to be going, north south etc. Just says get the Picadilly line to Holborn or something.

Funnily enough when I’ve been to Paris, they have a similar online journey planner and they say towards XX stop. I’ve been far less stressed using the Metro tbf.

Download Citymapper - it will tell you the best route to take and what form of transportation

Thanks for citymapper suggestions, that looks a lot better.

Mostly the boards are next to each other so you don't need to know which way, just look for the station youre heading for... (looking at both boards) ...

Main rule. Stand on the right on
The escalator.. Any suitcases keep in
Front of you on the right. Walk on the left if you want to move quickly. You will be shouted at by a local (sorry) if you breach this and stand on/block the left.
Do not stand to talk/sort about bags at the top or bottom of the escalator. Again you will be shouted at.
Tap in and tap out with same card (contactless or Apple Pay).
Use citymapper.
Enjoy, and do check as sometimes walking is just as quick.

I am going to London tomorrow till Sunday
I haven't been for years so not familiar with oyster card.
But I saw your post. I have a disabled Railcard.
What is best/cheapest for me to do?
Should I get an oyster card? And how do I do that?

I think you used to have to use Oyster or a ticket before contactless got trendy

CityMapper (App) is really useful for telling you which Tube to get on and in which direction.