London Transportation

London transportation is like that of any city: varied and perhaps a bit scary (at first). While you can take taxis, cars, busses, or the tube to get just about anywhere in the city, I'll be focusing on my own experiences while riding the tube and the coach.

Driving in London is not something I'd recommend to those not used to driving in England. Not only does one have to get used to driving on the left side of the road instead of the right, but also London traffic is a little insane. There are plenty of roundabouts in London; including some that are so small they are practically ignored. Cars are not afraid to jump from lane to lane if need be, and, if you are pedestrian, the car usually has right of way in their mind. Local citizens don't seem to have any trouble, and, in comparison to other cities like Mexico City, the driving really isn't too insane. I just suggest you might want to practice one's driving in the country first.

Our main form of transportation though was via the tube. The tube in London is what other people may call the subway. A person can easily locate the entrance to the tube with an underground sign such as the one shown to the right. While we were in London, all the lines were nearly always in good service, meaning none were closed. The only time we ran into a line being closed was at a specific stop, and there were other ways to get where we were going. The maps for the tube are easy to read as well. Besides each platform is a map for that line running at that platform and in which direction it is running. The only thing to watch for would be when you choose to ride the tubes. Busy lines that go through the central part of London such as the Circle, District, and Piccadilly lines can get extremely full, especially in the morning and in the evenings when people are going to and from work. When the tube begins to get full, do not expect any personal space. Even if you think no one else CAN fit in the car, people in a hurry will always find a way to make it work. The best bet for finding emptier cars is either to walk to the far ends of the train, or find a spot on the platform far from platform entrances. Most people who enter the platform tend to stand near the entrances while waiting for the next train, therefore these are the most densely populated. Since cars can get very crowded, and even when they are not, the proper etiquette on the tube would be to stay as quiet as possible and try not to take up too much space. While you can talk to other passengers, you will probably be glared at if it's above a whisper. Seats on the tube are first come, first serve, so if you want a seat, sit near them so you can easily take a newly emptied one. I personally loved riding the tube. It was easy to get to place to place, even making transfers. I got where I needed to go quickly and efficiently, save for the one time we wanted to take a line during that station's cleaning time. I definitely enjoyed this form of transport, and it would probably be the easiest way to get around London.