London has the oldest underground in the world, in 1895 the first train started its journey from Paddington Station to Farringdon Station.

The London underground is famous for many reasons. Everyone who has visited London has heard the phrase “Mind the gap” warn visitors about the space next to the train, or deal with the big mass of people during peak hours.

There are 270 stations, covering around 400 km of the city and holding 5 million passengers per day.

The tube is one of the icons in London, even Queen Elizabeth has ridden it a couple of times! Read some more quirky facts about the London tube.   

Ghost Stations

There are 49 abandoned stations in London called ‘ghost stations’. The most famous one is the British Museum Station, next to Holborn station and closed in 1935. Legend says it is haunted by the ghost of Egyptian god Amun-ra and that there is a secret tunnel between the station and the Egyptian exhibition in the museum.

After knowing this, I am sure the Egyptian decorations in Holborn station now will have a different meaning for you.  

Lost Property

The lost property office receive 300,000 items on average every year.
Umbrellas are the most common item that people leave in the tube. More than a thousand umbrellas are found every year in the stations. Some of the weirdest items left at stations include a samurai sword, human skull, wedding dress, prosthetic leg, and even a coffin.

Parties in the tube

The last drinking party in the tube was held in 2008. After the London of Mayor announced that alcohol would be banned, drinkers organized themselves and joined for the last drink in the underground. The party finished with 17 people arrested.
Another famous tradition is the “No trousers tube ride” happening in January, where everyone gets rid of their trousers inside the tube. This party is celebrated in all the big capitals of the world and London was no exception.  

Life underground

Estimated half a million rats live underground. Also, snakes and foxes have been spotted here. The website “animals on the underground” has found 35 different animals draw in the tube map. Click here to see it (it’s way too cute!)
If you are new in London, you can use your contactless credit card or get an Oyster card.
Remember to plan your trip in advance, you can download the app citymapper.