As a recent first-time tourist to London from Boston (not the one in Lincolnshire), I studied TfL maps extensively before visiting. I realized that the one thing that made comprehending the system easier (aside from using a Mapway app in my spare time and running theoretical journeys on it) was figuring out the Northern line first.

If you’re a tourist reading this, if you want to understand how the entire tube map works, start with the Northern line! Once you know how the Northern line works, everything else will seem really easy!

Why the Northern line? It’s a perfect mix of complex and diverse, going to many important places.

Camden Town is the glue that keeps the Northern line together. Without it, it’s really two lines.

For tourists, the real thing to understand is the difference between “via Charing Cross” and “via Bank.” Bank branch trains will take you east, towards the City of London, DLR, etc, and Charing Cross branch trains will take you west, to, very broadly, “the touristy stuff.”

Directionally, once you have a handle on Bank and Charing Cross, just comprehend what’s “northbound” and “southbound”. King’s Cross / St. Pancras, Euston, and Camden Town are “north” of most tourist sites, and London Bridge and Waterloo are “south” of them.

If you wanna level it up, “Edgware” and “High Barnet” are “northbound”, and “Morden”, Kennington”, and “Battersea Power Station” are “southbound.”

If you really wanna make it interesting, Mill Hill East and Golders Green are also northbound.

This sounds like a lot at first, but getting a good grasp on how the Northern line works will greatly improve your knowledge of the tube map and of London’s geography in general. Once you know the Northern line, comprehending the Elizabeth line, the Jubilee line, the Central line, and even the interlined sections of the H&C/Circle/Met, and Circle/District lines will be much easier!

by s7o0a0p

11 comments

  2. Imagine if the 1935 Northern Heights plan had been completed. You’d have an extra branch from Moorgate to East Finchley, then to Mill Hill East, Edgware and three stops further. Plus a branch to Alexandra Palace.

  3. This is the exact line I screwed up on coming back from Camden Town a few months ago. I wasn’t paying attention and hopped on the wrong line. I had to backtrack to Camden Town to make it right.

  4. While you’re at it you can get a nice game of Mornington Crescent going

  5. the northern line is a mess, can’t wait for TfL to split in two different lines!

  6. I feel pretty proud that only once have I been on my way home to Belsize Park and wondered why the train was suddenly above ground.

    It’s also fun when you are running to catch it and have to simultaneously read where it’s going to (or via) and decide whether to jump on or not.

  8. I’ve visited lots of cities around the world and beyond a quick glance at the prices have never studied their transport systems in advance.

    Quick question OP, is everything alright?

  9. When I first moved here 10 years ago I got the Northern line from Balham to London Bridge. When I wanted to go home I spent ages in the station looking for the Southern Line. Figured it just named the direction.. derp.

  10. You need to do it like a local and download citymapper and just do what it says.

  11. Or just do what I did when I visited Tokyo and use Google maps, don’t need to understand the maps at all

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