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?

Haven’t read the whole thread but in case not already mentioned stand on right of escalators. Use the wider gates if you’ve got luggage (usually at the side of the row of barriers) and do not stop at the barriers or top of escalators to put your wallet or phone away as that will annoy Londoners. Just stand to the side in the ticket hall to get yourself sorted as there’s always room there.

Move along the platform, when waiting for your train, nothing marks you out more as a tourist than just gathering in entryways and exits and it’s annoying.

Also if visiting Covent Garden or Holborn area if often quicker to walk than get the tube. Don’t go from Leicester Sq to Covent Garden for instance, as it’s quicker and nicer to just walk.

I hooe you have a lovely trip. I love this city, so much to see and do.

@Knbcdryhb sorry if I'm copying other people's posts (haven't read them all).

The hotel is in a nice area.

From waterloo station I'd get the bakerloo line direct to paddington station, then walk. No need to change.

You can then take the bakerloo line back to piccadilly circus for the lyric.

There are other ways of doing this but as they are all on the bakerloo line then that will be easy

Oh and the app someone mentioned earlier got a typo in it - it is called citimapper.

Look at a Tube map now - stations in circles with double rings round them are stations where you can change lines. All platforms have the direction of travel, eg North, South etc & also clearly show all the stops on them. Once you understand the map, it makes so much more sense. I first used the tube on my own when I was about 19 (many, many years ago) & having this explained yo me was the real key to understanding how yo navigate tge Tube system. (I lived very rurally, so was not a regular user until that point).

This is the one most people have been suggesting, no typo is there another one called citimapper though?

I have stayed at that hotel, is eight mins walk from Paddington, in a straight line. So, Waterloo, head for the tube, tap in on barrier and follow signs for the Bakerloo line. You want a northbound train, get off at Paddington. Up the escalators, out of the station and walk along Praed St.

To get to Shaftesbury Ave, do that in reverse and get out at Piccadilly Circus. Once you are in Soho/Covent Garden area, have a nice explore, then Head back to Piccadilly Circus for the return to Paddington.

i do use one because I don’t come up to London much and I’m not sure of the methods one can use.

Ah yes, sorry for the typo. The app is 'Citymapper' it's got a green background and a white arrow as the app logo for Apple.

As a Londoner I use Citymapper to tell me whether tube or bus or walking ortaxi a combination of those is going to be quickest for me.

Tap in AND out on the tube.
Tap in ONLY on the bus.

Enjoy

Agree with this. The fastest way to irritate Londoners is to stand stock still in the middle of a platform or thoroughfare and block other people. A lot of people commute on autopilot and barely notice other tube users but some people get arsy if you’re standing around blocking traffic. Particularly if there’s several of you standing holding hands.

Carry water: the tube be really hot in summer and some lines don’t have air conditioning.

Build in a lot more time than you think you need.

If you can, avoid travelling during commute times (roughly 8-9.30am and about 5-7pm). The tube is a breeze when it’s quiet but when it’s packed it’s really packed.

Your journeys are pretty easy though so you should breeze it.