London Underground

The London Underground (also known simply as the Underground or as the Tube) is a <a href="/facts/Rapid_transit/bbhkQbAW">rapid transit</a> system serving <a href="/facts/Greater_London/bkKKcJYh">Greater London</a> and some parts of the adjacent <a href="/facts/Home_counties/ob4TG1Ha">home counties</a> of <a href="/facts/Buckinghamshire/WMRE3NJp">Buckinghamshire</a>, <a href="/facts/Essex/cuUqAlzH">Essex</a> and <a href="/facts/Hertfordshire/TcBlCoSp">Hertfordshire</a> in England.

The Underground has its origins in the <a href="/facts/Metropolitan_Railway/Nnrs74Ir">Metropolitan Railway</a>, opening on 10 January 1863 as the world's first underground passenger railway. The Metropolitan is now part of the <a href="/facts/Circle_line_(London_Underground)/pd1B7Dk8">Circle</a>, <a href="/facts/District_line/IrlsjgFl">District</a>, <a href="/facts/Hammersmith_%2526_City_line/2uLMAzPk">Hammersmith & City</a> and <a href="/facts/Metropolitan_line/E9cadxcS">Metropolitan lines</a>. The first line to operate underground <a href="/facts/Electric_locomotive/580UInEr">electric traction trains</a>, the <a href="/facts/City_%2526_South_London_Railway/qlz0ojhI">City & South London Railway</a> in 1890, is now part of the <a href="/facts/Northern_line/98h4gHBY">Northern line</a>.
The network has expanded to 11 lines with 250 miles (400 km) of track. However, the Underground does not cover most southern parts of <a href="/facts/Greater_London/bkKKcJYh">Greater London</a>; there are only 33 Underground stations south of the <a href="/facts/River_Thames/XnQWN52L">River Thames</a>. The system's <a href="/facts/List_of_London_Underground_stations/tN91ymH5">272 stations</a> collectively accommodate up to 5 million passenger journeys a day. In 2023/24 it was used for 1.181 billion passenger journeys.
The system's first tunnels were built just below the ground, using the <a href="/facts/Cut-and-cover/PJNSaSIw">cut-and-cover</a> method; later, smaller, roughly circular tunnels—which gave rise to its nickname, the Tube—were dug through at a deeper level. Despite its name, only 45% of the system is under the ground: much of the network in the outer environs of London is on the surface.
The early tube lines, originally owned by several private companies, were brought together under the Underground brand in the early 20th century, and eventually merged along with the sub-surface lines and bus services in 1933 to form London Transport under the control of the <a href="/facts/London_Passenger_Transport_Board/Hskt4YPv">London Passenger Transport Board</a> (LPTB). The current operator, London Underground Limited (LUL), is a wholly owned subsidiary of <a href="/facts/Transport_for_London/1MyG8pbc">Transport for London</a> (TfL), the statutory corporation responsible for the transport network in London. As of 2015, 92% of <a href="/facts/Operational_expenditure/btIlR7Ke">operational expenditure</a> is covered by passenger fares. The <a href="/facts/Travelcard/KlkSBmgr">Travelcard</a> ticket was introduced in 1983 and <a href="/facts/Oyster_card/u3M4eMIA">Oyster card</a>, a contactless ticketing system, in 2003. Contactless bank card payments were introduced in 2014, the first such use on a public transport system.
The LPTB commissioned many new station buildings, posters and public artworks in a <a href="/facts/Modernism/AfPDL45X">modernist</a> style. The schematic <a href="/facts/Tube_map/c70r7uJL">Tube map</a>, designed by <a href="/facts/Harry_Beck/hwzHYU7a">Harry Beck</a> in 1931, was voted a national design icon in 2006 and now includes other transport systems besides the Underground, such as the <a href="/facts/Docklands_Light_Railway/orT3gAp1">DLR</a>, <a href="/facts/London_Overground/D5WFEQt9">London Overground</a>, <a href="/facts/Thameslink/IN5SY03S">Thameslink</a>, the <a href="/facts/Elizabeth_line/XIxD4g9T">Elizabeth line</a>, and <a href="/facts/Tramlink/tBkEKEhq">Tramlink</a>. Other famous London Underground branding includes the roundel and the <a href="/facts/Johnston_(typeface)/fDdk8nek">Johnston typeface</a>, created by <a href="/facts/Edward_Johnston/tVvFN8QR">Edward Johnston</a> in 1916.

London Underground open-in-new

London Underground