London Underground

[ElaineFromLondon]

Hi, I was just wondering if anyone here would let their 12yo boy get the tube from Hampstead to Chalk Farm, im thinking of letting mine do this to get to/from school

I would.

I would, but not between 8am and 9.30am. It's packed with commuters then, and there seems to be endless accidents every morning.

Yes, I would, I used to get the tube to school (different line). It's only a couple of stops, I think?

I got the metro to school in Paris from age 10 and then used the tube a great deal (although not usually to get to school) from age 15 in London. (In the 1990s). But I´d still be perfectly happy for my kids to use the tube to get to school.

London kids get the Tube and trains all over to get to and from secondary school - a couple stops on the Northern Line is nothing. Yes, I'd expect a 12yo to be doing a journey at least that complex to get to school.

i'm not sure, i worry that he would get the wrong train or get off at the wrong stop.

He can't navigate 2 stops on one line, no changes?

It's two stops! To be honest I'd encourage him to walk anyway seeing as it's downhill, but to answer your question yes of course a 12 year old should be able to cope. I get the tube to Belsize Park everyday and never noticed the endless accidents mentioned either.

It's completely normal for Yr 7s (so 11 year olds) to get the tube to school!

DS doesn't, he can walk t school, but he has been using a combination of tube, bus and overground to go places with his friends since he was 12-ish.

Start training him early: every time you take a tube journey together, get him to work out where to go and to lead you. Do the school journey a couple of times.

A couple of stops on one line is a doddle. How on earth will he not know where to get on and off? And how can he possibly get the wrong train? Wrong direction, maybe, but if he can read, he will go the right way.

And very quickly learn that all you do if you make a mistake on the tune is get off and go back the other way!

A 2 stop journey on the tube for a 12 yo is a very easy school journey indeed!

Yes i would allow it - it's a very simple journey!

12 yr old DD gets the northern line to and from school. It's no problem. She missed her stop once and worked out how to get home.