Thing is, yesterday I had to go to London for business reasons. You know how it is, got the ticket paid and stuff, will be reimbursed for eventual other costs later. Nevertheless I couldn’t resist the opportunity for a hands-on test of London’s Underground system, also known as “Tube”. As an Irish DART-regular, I somewhat knew how bad a public transport can be. However, after having been here for six years, of which I have been using the DART regularly in two of those years, you somehow grow attached to it.
But our nice little DART (Dublin Area Rapid Transit) doesn’t go underground. Such a system is currently been constructed, so the government claims. If so: I predict the first one to launch somewhere around 2150. Or so.
Back to the Tube. Well they are small in the interior, and notably round. The seats are located on each side of each car, unlike other trains. When the train accelerates, it’s a bit like a roller coaster (seriously), it is mostly dark (well it’s underground yo). However, there are parts at which the train sees daylight. The tracks are bumpy at times. In fact, they are so bumpy, that the train looses power for a short moment. So the little scary thing you’d expect in a roller coaster comes for free.
Well. A single costs 4£, whereas a day return costs £6.50. I had no choice as to take it.
All in all, although the trains probably have the same age as our DART trains, I tend to believe that the system itself is much better planned and pretty extensive. I do believe it to be a very quick way to get around London. The place I had to get to was quite a bit away from Heathrow… I got there relatively quick.
My XD card broke, so I could not take pictures. However, I have found two pics on the web (which I assume to be public domain as there was no usage policy).
A District Line train towards Edgware Road. I had to take this train to Earl’s Court where I had to change into the Piccadilly Line toward Heathrow.
Earl’s Court station. Pretty close to the place I had to go to yesterday. A station with two layers: District Line and Piccadilly Line meet up here.
Eva Duran on September 25th, 2007 at 9:58 am says:
Ei Marcus!
I can see you liked the London Underground experience! I recommend you to try the Paris or the Barcelona urderground
of course is nothing in comparision with the London one!
Dragutin on April 18th, 2008 at 10:49 am says:
Better then the transportation situation in Belgrade during the sanctions…
http://www.vreme.com/g/images/512481_82-04.jpg for details