Going underground: Five ways to live the history of the world's oldest subway network in London

After opening in 1863 and only running from Bishop's Road (now Paddington) to Farringdon Street (now Farringdon), the Tube now accommodates up to 5 million passenger journeys a day from its 272 stations.

The London Underground network is steeped in history. Disused stations (also known as ghost stations) have become filming locations, museums, entertainment centres, and in both world wars, provided shelter from the horrors of Germany's intense bombing campaigns.

So, if you are traveling across the pond this year, immerse yourself in the history of the world's oldest subway network by doing these five things.

Embark On A Walking Tour

Most of London's free walking tours will remain above ground. However, they pass by historical stations, landmarks, and monuments that represent the history of London's public transport network.

Visit The London Transport Museum

The London Transport Museum, located in Covent Garden, is the perfect activity for history, art, and transport enthusiasts. The museum encompasses everything from riverboats and horse-drawn omnibuses to double-decker buses and the Underground.

Visitors who want to learn more about the world's oldest subway network can explore old Tube maps and trains, a collection of London Underground posters, and how the Greathead Shield made digging deep tunnels much easier.

Tickets, which give you access to the museum for a whole year, start at £22.50 (approximately $30).

In addition, the London Transport Museum offers tours of the Underground network, including the opportunity to visit disused ghost stations such as Aldwych, Down Street, York Road, and Brompton Road.

Spot Harry Beck's Blue Plaque

In 1933, underground electrical draughtsman Harry Beck produced an imaginative and colorful Tube map that was based on an electrical circuit diagram. The design was initially considered too radical, but it remains the map that we know today.

In 2013, on the 80th anniversary of his map and the 150th anniversary of the London Underground, Beck was given a posthumous dedication in the form of a blue plaque. You can spot Beck's plaque at his birthplace on Wesley Road in Leyton, East London.

Try An Escape Room

Mission: Breakout is an escape room centre located in the disused South Kentish Town tube station, which closed in 1924, creating an eerie and immersive atmosphere.

You can choose from three Tube-themed games, including:

Codebreakers. Based on the extraordinary true story of the very secret Codebreakers, visitors have to decode the encrypted Nazi messages, identify the spy, and escape Churchill's secret war room.

The Lost Passenger. Based on the true story of a lost passenger in South Kentish Town tube station in 1924, visitors must step down into the ghost station and investigate the paranormal activity.

Underground 2099. Set in 2099, rats have transformed and are trying to take the lead in this new, disfigured world. Visitors must defeat the leader, King Rat.

Prices start from £28 per person (approximately $38) and you have 60 minutes to escape the room, using clues, messages, and scripts to help.

Attempt The Tube Challenge

There is no better way to ensure you've seen the entire London Underground network than to make a challenge out of it.

'The Tube challenge', which was first recognized in 1960, requires participants to visit every single London Underground station (yes, all 272 of them) as quickly as possible.

The current Guinness World Record for the fastest completion is held by Robin Otter and Thomas Sheat, who traveled to all stations in 17 hours, 46 minutes, and 48 seconds on August 10th, 2024.

A similar, and maybe slightly easier, tube-related challenge is the 'The All Lines challenge', where participants try to ride all 14 Underground lines as quickly as possible.

Ready To Live the History of the World's Oldest Subway Network?

Don't forget that one of the best ways to live in the history of the world's oldest subway network is to ride it. The London Underground network is the most efficient way to get around London.

Journey prices depend on what zones you are travelling within, but are capped at a daily limit no matter how much you travel. Consider getting an Oyster card or using your contactless payment card for access to the Underground.