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Underground and Urban RailwaysMany British towns have light rail systems to easily take you around town. The most famous of these is the London Underground or 'Tube' system. There are also an increasing number of other light rail and tram lines around the country. Find out about:
The London Underground or 'Tube'
Using the Tube
The Underground is very easy to use. The 11
lines are colour coded and the world famous map shows how to get
from station to station and where to change trains. It also
shows how to reach mainline railway stations from the underground
network - most of which are located next to or in the same location.
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London has one of the best urban transport systems in
the world comprising the subway, buses, trams and river (together
with walking and cycle routes). These are today managed by
Transport for London. The first Underground line opened in
1863 connecting Paddington and Farrington and the system has grown
ever since and now comprises a network of 11 lines covering a total
of 253 miles with 268 stations and 3 million daily users. The
Tube actually has many uses including taking commuters from the
suburbs into the city, connecting the main railway terminals and
providing city centre transportation. 
Single Fares |
Single cash fares may be purchased for any Tube or Bus journey. However they are much more expensive than using an Oyster Card. Only use these if you plan to make just one or two tube / bus journeys during your say in London. |
Example Fares: £4 for any single journey in zone1; £3 for any single journey within a single zone or two - four zones that do not include zone 1 (e.g. zones 2 - 5) |
Oyster Card(Almost always the best value ticket - even for visitors and now better than a Travelcard) |
The Oyster Card may be purchased at all Underground stations. It costs £3 to buy but you can get it refunded at the end of your trip if you hand it back in. Or simply keep it for your next visit to London! Compared to buying single cash fares (above) you are ALWAYS cheaper to buy single fares with your Oyster Card. Once you buy the card you simply take it to any ticket machine, buy more credit and top it up as required. The aim of Oyster is that it will always be the cheapest ticket compared to singles or Travelcards no matter how few or many journeys you take. It can also be used on some National Rail, London buses, trams and gives discounts for river services. |
Compare these prices to those mentioned above. Any single journey within zone 1 is £1.50 and any single journey within one zone that is not zone 1 or several zones £1. Also there is a daily cap or maximum you may be charged with the Oyster Card and you can make as many journeys as you like with it beyond that cap - ideal for visitors making lots of journeys! The cap is currently £6.30 if you travel peak time or £4.80 off peak within zones 1 - 2 (other higher fares if you travel more zones). |
Travelcard |
The Travelcard was the best value ticket for visitors prior to the introduction of the Oyster Card (see above). It can be used on the tube, buses, trams and some National Rail services for unlimited travel. It is available as a peak or off peak ticket for 1 or 3 days duration. If buying a Day or 3 Day Travelcard and not travelling on National Rail, it may be cheaper to use Oyster to pay as you go - remember it has a daily fare cap so it is cheaper for unlimited travel. Travelcards are also available as season tickets when they may make more sense than an Oyster Card. The Travelcard is only valid for 1 or 3 days. It then expires unlike the Oyster Card (above) which can be charged up an unlimited number of times with extra credit. |
The day Travelcard ranges in price from £6.80 for zone 1 - 2 to £15.00 for zones 1-9 or £5.30 - £8.20 off peak. The 3 day Travelcard costs £17.40 peak (no off peak fare available) to £40.00 peak or £20.00 off peak. Regardless of weather you buy a Travelcard or Oyster Card you are always much cheaper to travel on off peak rates - see below *. |
National Rail Tickets |
If your journey involves a connection between stations in London it will include a transfer on the Tube. Simply insert your National Rail ticket into the ticket barrier at the Underground station. Your ticket will be marked with an underground symbol if it includes this facility so don't buy another Underground ticket as well! |
Included in your National Rail ticket price. |
Freedom Pass |
Free travel for older and disabled people who live in London's boroughs. |
To find out more Telephone: 020 7747 4858/4821 |
* Peak times are 0430-0930 Monday to Friday (except Public Holidays). Off-Peak is at all other times - avoid these times for lower fares.
London Buses and Trams
In addition to the excellent tube network there is also a fantastic bus system in London. Often overlooked by the more famous tube system, the bus network is often an excellent way to get around. When do London's buses make more sense?:
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When travelling between London King's Cross, Euston or St Pancras Stations and Marylebone Station. Although all are on tube lines it is most direct to take a bus between the two, although if you have heavy luggage you might find the tube more convenient as the tube stations are inside the national rail stations.
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When the tube is very busy, sometimes the buses may be less busy and more pleasant to travel on.
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The Congestion charge has made London Streets much less busy with cars so that buses can now travel freely.
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Buses are cheaper than using the Tube.
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Try out one of the two heritage 'Routemaster' routes. They are the only scheduled services still using London's famous bus and take in most of the sights you will want to visit such as Trafalgar Square, The City, St Pauls and the Tower of London.
Bus Fares
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Cash single |
£2.00 |
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Oyster single (same card as for tube - see above) |
£0.90 |
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One day bus pass |
£3.50 |
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Daily Oyster cap (Max payable in one day for unlimited journeys) |
£3 |
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7-day bus pass |
£13.00 |
Using the Bus
If using a Travelcard or Oyster
Card, the same ticket as purchased at any tube
station may be used on buses.
Alternatively tickets may be purchased from
machines at bus stops or onboard.
Bus stops are marked with signs such as the one on the left. They tell you the direction the bus will be travelling in, it's ultimate destination and the name of the bus stop you are at. They also have a list of bus numbers serving the stop. Usually there will be a timetable for each bus listed at the stop and sometimes a map showing you where they go.
If the stop says 'request' it means the bus will only stop if you ask it to by giving the driver a hand signal in plenty of time. Just hold your hand out so they know to stop.
When you get on tell the driver your destination and either pay for your fare or show your bus ticket / Travelcard / Oyster Card.
Once on board find a seat and enjoy the journey. Once you get to your destination ring the bell (there are buttons located throughout the vehicle) and it will stop at the next bus stop to let you off.
The Croydon Tramlink
As with the buses, the Oyster
Card is the best ticket to get for London's tram
lines. There are three lines. Route
1 runs from Elmers End to Croydon, route 2 from
Beckenham Junction to Croydon, running every 10
minutes Monday - Saturday daytime, every 30
minutes at other times, and route 3 from New
Addington to Wimbledon every 7.5 minutes Monday
- Saturday daytime, every 15 minutes at other
times.
There are interchanges with the Underground only
at Wimbledon (as the tram system serves an area
which is not well served by the Tube network).
All stops have disabled access, raised paving,
CCTV, a Passenger Help Point, a Passenger
Information Display (PID), litter bins, a ticket
machine, a noticeboard and lamp-posts, and most
also have seats and a shelter. Tickets may
be purchased at stops, but as with other
services the best value ticket is the Oyster
Card. For those wishing to purchase a tram
ticket the single fare is £2.00 so it really is
better to buy an Oyster Card (single fare £0.90)
unless it really is just one journey that you
will be making.
Interchange with National Rail. There are
connections with National Rail stations at #
Mitcham Junction, East Croydon, West Croydon,
Wimbledon, Birkbeck, Beckenham Junction and
Elmers End.
Blackpool Trams
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Blackpool was the last city in the UK to keep it's tram system. Many are now reintroducing trams, but Blackpool is unique in that they never left. The Tram system is operated by Blackpool Transport under the name of Metro Coastlines. The company operates a bus network and tram line which are fully integrated and colour coded (similar to London) so that they are easy to use. The tram system still has many unique 1930's trams both single and double decker (pictured left) and is one of the few tram systems in the world to still use double decker trams. |
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Blackpool 'Balloon' class tram, source: Wikipedia |
Using the Trams and Buses
Tickets may be purchased from the
driver of the bus or the conductor or driver of
the tram. Tickets may be purchased as a
single, return, Metro Saver or Day Travelcard.
If you only plan to make one journey, buy a
single. If you are coming back also, ask
for the return as this is cheaper than the
single. For multiple journeys in one zone
(bus only) there is an unlimited travel Metro
Saver ticket or a more expensive one for
multiple journeys in all zones.
The best value ticket for visitors making
several journeys by bus or tram (or both) is the
day 'travelcard'.
Trams run along the promenade (sea front) in Blackpool and then out into the countryside for the journey to the town of Fleetwood, around 10 miles away. They pass the main attractions of Blackpool including the Pleasure Beach and Tower.
Connections
with National Rail
Blackpool North Station (BPN) is 250 yards from the station. Blackpool Transport bus routes 2 and 6 serve the station. The tram line is half a mile away, either walk or take a bus.
Blackpool Pleasure Beach Station (BPB) is an easy walk from the tramline on the Promenade which also serves the Pleasure Beach Theme Park.
Blackpool South Station (BPS) is on bus routes 5, 10 and 2 / 2C which connect with the tram line.
Website
Blackpool Transport Official website with timetable and ticket information
Glasgow Underground
Glasgow has its own underground railway making a loop around the city centre and some outlying suburbs. The systems is not extensive because the city and surrounding area instead relies upon an extensive suburban mainline rail network. However the subway is useful for getting around the city centre and visiting many tourist attractions.
Using the Subway
A single fare costs £1, a return £1.90. For visitors there is an all day 'Discovery' ticket costing £2.50 which is provably the best value for money for visitors using the system. There are also various season tickets if you are a regular user.
If you are traveling as a family on holiday in the Strathclyde area, the best value ticket is the 'Daytripper' Ticket. This unlimited travel fare is valid on the rail, bus and subway networks in Strathclyde after 0900 Mon - Fri and all day Saturday and Sunday.
Connections with National Rail
Queen Street Station (GLQ) has its own Subway station and is clearly marked from the main station concourse - interestingly this is not mentioned in the official National Rail webpage for the station! Keep in mind that the subway station is named Buchanan Street (after it's street location) and not Queen Street which is only the name of the mainline station, but they are in fact the same location! The other main station in the city, Glasgow Central (GLC) is about a five minute walk or short bus journey away. The bus is free to rail passengers and operated by Strathclyde Passenger Transport - the same organisation as the subway. This is the easiest way for passengers using Glasgow Central to join the subway.
Partick (PTK) Station is a suburban station in Glasgow on the Glasgow Queen Street / Central to Helensburgh lines. There is a Subway Station at this location within the mainline rail station and this makes another useful point to connect with the subway network. West Highland Line trains do not stop here so it is easier to connect at Queen Street Station.
The subway has a website with detailed information on the system - Glasgow Subway.
Manchester Metrolink
The Manchester Metrolink is a tram / light rail system in the City of Manchester. There are 37 stations on three lines and the network carries 52,000 passengers each day. All the lines start at the Manchester Piccadilly Railway Station and go to Bury (north line), Eccles (west line) and Altrincham (south line).
There is a bus link from Stretford Metrolink station to the Trafford Centre (shopping centre). For people flying to Manchester Airport, the airport has it's own mainline railway station with lots of services to the city centre, Piccadilly station. Onward travel is then available by Metrolink to other parts of the city.
Tickets and Fares.
If you are travelling by National Rail to Manchester through tickets to any Metrolink station are available, just ask for Manchester Metrolink when purchasing your ticket. This is also cheaper than buying a separate ticket for Metrolink. Tickets must be purchased before you get on board the tram from ticket machines at stations. Single, return and day / weekend tickets are available for purchase.
Connections with National Rail
Manchester Piccadilly (MAN), is Manchester's main railway station with all services you would expect from a major terminal station. There is a Metrolink station on site which is the start point for all three lines. Piccadilly Station is served by several rail companies including long distance Intercity trains.
Manchester Victoria (MCV) is a busy station on the Northern Rail suburban rail network. There is a Metrolink station for the north line within the station.
Altrincham (ALT). This is a suburban station in Cheshire and has a Metrolink station within the building. Trains are operated by Northern Rail. The station has a ticket office. Metrolink trams use platform 1. You can also connect with Metrolink at the other National Rail station within the town of Altrincham, Navigation Road (NVR). This station does not have staff on duty. Both are located on the south line.
Metrolink website. The Metrolink
has it's own
website