It’s quicker and cheaper to walk than take the Tube
Getting around London’s transport network can prove something of a challenge, especially when relying on the Tube map for navigation.
Its geographical precision leaves much to be desired, with many trips seeming far longer or shorter than they actually are.
Consider the journey between Charing Cross and Embankment, for instance. Walking the 300 metres proves both faster and more economical than boarding the Tube, despite the Bakerloo and Northern lines connecting the two stations.
Anyone heading from Trafalgar Square to the Thames should avoid the costly, sluggish and frequently packed Tube route crammed with tourists, and instead embrace the pleasant three-minute stroll.
There are many restaurant choices lining Northumberland Avenue or Villiers Street, ideal for grabbing a bite along the way.
The Underground connection from Charing Cross to Embankment stems from the London Tube’s intricate past.
During its early years, the network comprised various competing companies, each operating rival railway services covering distinct districts.
This resulted in several competing terminals emerging within the same vicinity to capture passenger traffic, including Embankment and Charing Cross. Both locations have undergone name modifications throughout the decades to differentiate them from one another.
While this ranks among the briefest journeys on the network, the closest two stations to one another are actually Leicester Square and Covent Garden, separated by a mere 250m, rendering a Tube ride between them rather unnecessary.
Those acquainted with West London, meanwhile, will be well aware of the perplexing situation at Edgware Road, where one station serves the Bakerloo line while another caters to the Circle, District and Hammersmith and City lines.
It’s a proper headache for unsuspecting visitors who step off the Bakerloo line only to realise they’re at the incorrect station for their Circle line connection.
Hammersmith is another puzzle, being two separate stations.
Even more baffling, travelling between them on the Tube demands 10 stops and three different line changes.
There are a few other Tube journeys in London that could easily be faster to walk, though they’re considerably less complicated. The trip between Shepherd’s Bush Market station and Goldhawk Road Station on the Circle and Hammersmith and City Line only takes one minute.
Looking for more from MyLondon? Subscribe to our daily newsletters here for the latest and greatest updates from across London.
