The uniqueness of the London Underground lies not only in its venerable age, but also in its exceptional length. And it is also a successful commercial project that brings the city treasury millions.
British business
Enterprising Englishmen managed to convert even such a seemingly trifle as a logo. Even the London Underground circuit is sold as a souvenir! Today, the symbol of the subway is recognizable anywhere in the world. It has become a full-fledged visiting card of the capital of the country.
Locals call their metro a pipe. All because of the specific form of the inner space of the lobby. Currently, underground transport daily carries more than three million passengers. The length of the tunnels is about 400 kilometers. But how many subway stations are in London? There are exactly 275 of them!
The prototype of the modern metro was the corridor, which was built directly under the Thames channel two decades before the official work began. In the process of digging, father and son Brunel tried various methods for developing soil masses, but focused on the use of miners.
Metro in numbers
The history of the world metro dates back to the ninth of January 1863. It was on this day between the two stations that the first underground train was launched and successfully passed its way. Taking passengers from Paddington Station, he took them to Farrington Street.
For laying this section, it was required to open the street. A brick tunnel was built, after which the highway and sidewalks were returned to the city. Five years later, the capital has already acquired its own metro line. She led from Westminster to the south of Kensington. It was a kind of Christmas present for the residents of the metropolis.
In 1869, the main tunnel was laid under the river Thames, connecting the two banks. A year later, electric lighting appeared at all subway stations. In 1911, the escalator began to work, a London metro scheme was developed.
In 1977, the British Queen personally opened transport links at Central Heathrow Station, which became the link between the city and the international terminals of the country's main air gate.
Current rates
The pricing method for the London Underground is different from the system adopted in Russia. The entire subway is conditionally divided into segments. There are six of them. Each of them has its own fare. Therefore, traveling around the city by underground transport, you should be guided by the London metro scheme with zones.
It will help to make the most rational route and minimize the number of transfers and transitions from one line to another. All these factors will directly affect travel costs.
The average cost of a trip is £ 4.5. For the budget conscious, a special Oyster program is provided. First, you will have to give 5 pounds, which can be returned by providing the used smart card to the underground cashier. This is a collateral value. Selling points are indicated on the London Underground map. To use it for payment, you need to transfer any amount of money to the account, and then replenish the balance in time.
Mode of operation
The metro takes its first passengers at half past five in the morning. However, some trains begin their movement at subway stations much earlier. Most lobbies close at one in the morning. Endpoints last a little longer. You can familiarize yourself with the conditions of entry and exit on the London Underground map.
During national celebrations and important sporting events, the metro switches to a 24-hour mode of operation. During the Olympic Games, which took place in London in 2012, trains ran through tunnels without interruption.