London Tube Map

Few cities are as entwined with their subway as London. Officially opening its doors in 1863, and serving over 3 million riders a day, the London Tube is one of the oldest and most prevalent rapid transit systems in the world. And the local love affair with the London Underground is stuff of legend; from the pop culture phenomena “Mind the Gap” campaign to keep riders from tripping on the gap between train and platform, to the tragic terrorist attack that took place in 2005. The London Tube has survived just about everything critics and fans can throw at it, and keeps on growing.

Known as the “London Underground” or by locals as “The Tube”, this advanced subway system boasts 275 stations spanning over 253 miles in and around the greater London metropolitan area. Travelers to London find the Tube map to be somewhat confusing, as the twelve subway lines intersect to form a colorful octopus. Many critics of the London Tube map agree that actual distances between stations are not accurately portrayed, in an effort to make more money off unsuspecting riders. Regardless of drawbacks, for many travelers, the London Tube map is the only way to see the city.

Savvy travelers to London always research and secure a Tube Map before they go. Combined with a trusty London travel guide, the Tube map allows visitors to plan their visit and ultimately reduce stress. Take the time to familiarize yourself with the varying subway lines, where they do and don’t go, as well as keep tabs on station closings and outages. The Transport for London website offers email alerts to keep you posted of important Tube delays while in London. Also available are London Tube maps with the fare zones distinctly mapped out, so travelers can get a good idea how much they’ll be spending on tickets for the Tube. This allows you to decide to pay fares on a one-off basis, or invest in multi-day tickets or an Oyster card pay-as-you-go-credit card.

A must-see for travelers, many London Tube stations have transformed into transit art galleries. These stations are decorated and adorned with works from local artists, courtesy of Platform for Art and Poems on the Underground initiatives. Developed to enhance rider experience, these art projects have given elegance to the London Tube rarely found outside of the UK.

By ROBIN AGUILAR, AOL