London's Tube Etiquette✨: Don't stand on the left!

It's no surprise how royal and famous london is for its Monarchy, Castles and Tea. 🫖🇬🇧

Aside from it's attractions, London is also a city known for it's hustle bustle work lifestyle. In getting from point A to point B, the tube handles up to 5 million passenger journeys a day according to Transport for London. If your a new traveler visiting for the first time here's what I learned from my own commuting experience so let's dive right into it !

1. Don't stand on the left when taking the elevator.

It's important to always stand on the right of the elevator. The reason for that is because commuters might be in a hurry. Rather than having people block the way, the right side is to stand and the left side is so people can easily pass by quickly.

2. It's not polite to make eye contact in the Tubes.

Usually in the U.S it's pretty normal to make eye contact with other people but in London it's considered impolite and confrontational. Part of their public transportation culture is to keep to your yourself. It's a pretty unspoken rule that leads to many of questionable reasons but that's just way it is.

3. There's no such thing as having a personal bubble.

Be prepared to be squished! Hopping on the tube can be a bit uncomfortable at first while it's know to get very crowded. Sometimes it's not always guaranteed to find a seat so prepare to hang on from bar rails.

4. Prepare to sweat.

Traveling underground as it gets so crowded will also make you feel very hot and humid as your surrounded by so many other commuters so be warned. It's recommended maybe bring a fan or something to cool you down.

5. Keep your personal belongings close to you at all times.

One of the most important things to be be careful for are pickpockets. Whether your carrying a backpack, purse, fanny-pack or no bag at all it crucial to keep your belongings help close in front of your sight at all times. One of London's Underground common crimes especially at tourist hotspots. According to British Transport police it's been reported to be a record high of 7,899 pickpocket thefts in the year 2022.

I hope in knowing what you know now that you embark on your journey to feel more prepared and comfortable knowing what to expect. Whether it's the through the bustling streets or underground tunnels remember to embrace the unique culture rhythm of the city and let it become a memorable part of your travel experience.

Cheerio !