The London Hustle

By Heidi Harris 

LONDON--

Like every city and every town there is an atmosphere and impression felt almost immediately after arriving. Right after stepping off of the airplane I was immediately bombarded with all of the transportation offered to tourists and locals alike. Like most people, I don’t like the feeling of being out of place or unfamiliar with my surroundings. Instead of staying inside my fairly small comfort zone, though, I decided to take the London Underground, the cities subway system, otherwise known as "The Tube."  

Public transportation in London is unlike anywhere else in the world. The tube, which opened in 1863, was the world's first underground railway. The tube is a central railway located underground that has 11 different lines leading to various places around the city. After following the signs to the correct line, I jumped on and quickly took a mental snapshot of my surroundings. The first thing I noticed was how cramped and overpopulated the tube was. According to the official tube transport of London, the underground serves on average 1.23 billion passengers a year, all without air conditioning. Unfortunately, I didn't realize how forcefully the tube moves forward, and without the help of a handrail I fell into the person next to me--definitely a tourist moment I would be happy to forget.  

 

While the tube isn't the most graceful form of transportation, it allows you to get to your destination without the hassle of the traffic above. It is also cost effective, averaging £2.80 pence per ride, which is $3.75 in U.S. dollars. Factoring in the cost of Petrol (or gasoline) the tube also cuts down on the amount used daily, taking thousands of passengers to their desired destinations. Overall, this iconic railway line is an extremely efficient way of transporting thousands daily in a timely manner while producing fewer greenhouse gases than if every passenger were to drive.

Even though there isn’t anyone buckling seatbelts, offering refreshments, or giving directions, the tube is a wonderful form of transportation in a huge city. In order to fully live like a Londoner, I intend to continue to familiarize myself in the ways of this colorful city by boarding the tube.