On Wed, 25 Feb 2004 22:04:00 +0100, "Ruud"
wrote:

Hi everybody,

First of all, sorry for any errors in my English.
I'm from the Netherlands, and I have a question about the tube.

I'm planning to visit London for a week, and right now I am preparing
myselve to travel there.

It's a bit difficult for me to explain what I'd like to ask, but ...
Is there anybody that can explain to me, what's on the metro's (train's)
sign if you walk into a tube station.
In other words, wich direction do I keep when I walk into Bayswater station,
and I want to go to St. Jame's Park with the yellow line (circle).
Do you look to the end station, or is there another method?

A very good question to ask. I once assumed that on my first visit to
Paris that the Metro signs would be just like London - how wrong I was.
I got terribly confused!

Lots of good advice in other messages.

In London you have several aids to help you get about

1. Line colour - this is repeated consistently throughout the
system for whatever line you want. District is always Green, Circle is
always Yellow, Central is always Red etc.

2. Each line has a name - instead of a number or even series of
numbers over the same tracks.

3. Signage refers to a geographical direction for the way that the
train is running - so eastbound, northbound, westbound or southbound. As
the Tube Map is diagrammatically represented in this way it is usually
very easy - provided you hold the Tube Map the right way up.

Finally you get the display on the platform which will show the end of a
line - e.g Brixton or Walthamstow on the Victoria Line. The Circle just
says Circle Line on the front but the displays will show you major
station around the loop the train goes via (e.g. Baker St, Kings Cross,
Victoria etc).

An important thing to remember with the circle line is the following.
You can, of course, go either way round the circle to reach a station.
When you get to the line diagram signs (before you walk to a particular
platform in the station) you will see half of the circle shown on one
sign for one direction and other half on the other sign. The sign that
has the station you want to travel to points to the direction that is
quickest.

As an example you might want to go to Tower Hill from Bayswater - as it
is about half way round the Circle Line look for the sign with Tower
Hill on it - that will be quickest (assuming no delays!).

A quick way to work out how long a journey will take is to count the
gaps between the stations and multiply by 2 minutes. Add 5 minutes if
you need to change between lines. That gives a good estimate for most
journey times.

Also you might want to try the scenic route from Bayswater to St James
Park - there is a 148 bus that will take you past Hyde Park, Marble
Arch, Hyde Park Corner, through Victoria and you can get off by New
Scotland Yard (police hq). There's a bus every 10 minutes - nice way to
see lots of green space.

Enjoy your trip.
--
Paul C


Admits to working for London Underground!