Adventures Underground: Getting Around London Without a Car

One of the first things that went through my very jet-lagged and disorientated brain after arriving in London was that I would never drive here. The thought came during the hour-and-a-half minicab journey from Gatwick Airport to North London. Ugh.

It wasn’t so much the driving on the other side of the road or having the steering wheel on the right-hand side. I could get used to those things, eventually. It was more about the traffic, the narrow roads and my complete lack of understanding of how either one worked.

If I didn’t enjoy driving on the grid-like streets of Las Vegas, surely the streets of London would drive me to madness. Besides, I’ve always hated driving. I dislike traffic. I also despise those idiots who are clearly more important than the rest of us and therefore see no need to follow traffic laws — or the basic courtesies observed by decent members of society.

Fortunately, using public transport in London means I can avoid driving altogether.

Getting Around London Without a Car

I figured I could safely say “never” because I knew I wouldn’t need to drive in London since London public transportation rocks (yeah, I said rocks). This is where people who live in London will feel the need to chime in and argue. They will likely say that public transport here is unreliable, dirty, crowded, blah blah blah.

It’s easy to complain about something when it’s readily available to be complained about. But, from the perspective of someone who has never had the luxury of good public transport, I think it’s fabulous.

Learning to Use the London Underground

For the past eight months I’ve used the Tube — the Underground — as my main form of transportation. It’s efficient (most of the time), clean-ish, and, decidedly, not scary, even late at night. Once you learn how to read the Underground map, getting around the city is fairly simple. You just need to know which lines stop at each station and where they connect.

Learning the Unwritten Rules of the Tube

Of course, there are some rules to the Tube that you really need to follow. Some are pretty basic common courtesies (those again!) while others will label you as a “tourist” if you don’t follow them.

The first time I encountered these unwritten rules, I chuckled. After becoming a veteran Tube traveller, however, I can confirm that they are very real.

Please stand on the right of the escalator. Otherwise, you may be knocked over — and it is a long way down. Also, resist the urge to chat with the person next to you, unless you know them.

Why I Started Taking the Bus

Travelling underground is fast and effective in a city filled with cars and people but, lately, I’ve started utilising the bus more often. It’s not quite as efficient but I realised that I was missing a lot during my trips below ground.

I knew what my destinations looked like, but I was completely clueless about the places in between. I was overlooking entire neighbourhoods because I was speeding along underneath them.

I actually found the area where I currently reside because part of the Tube was down for maintenance over a weekend (a common woe of the Northern Line since I’ve lived here) and we had to take a replacement bus to the next open station.

As we travelled south through Hampstead and Belsize Park, I saw the area’s beauty and quaintness for the first time. I had heard good things about the area but only after seeing it for myself did I realise that I needed to find a place to live there once my friend moved back to the States. If I hadn’t taken the bus that day, I might still be living in Hendon.

London Public Transport Still Feels Like a Luxury

There is something about not having to worry about negotiating traffic that I find wonderful and relaxing. It makes the packed and sometimes smelly underground carriages bearable. It also makes it easier to tolerate those rude people rushing past you to catch the next train (because another train won’t arrive for another 3-5 minutes!).

So, I always smile when I hear people complain about the Tube or having to take the bus. Perhaps I will eventually become as frustrated as everyone else, but for now, using public transport in London still feels like a luxury.