Oldest subway in the world
London Tube is 160 years old – Mayor congratulates
The London Underground is 160 years old. As the oldest subway in the world, the “Tube”, as it is called by the Londoners, began operating on January 10, 1863 – at that time still as the “Metropolitan Railway” with only seven stations.
Commuters on a London Underground train at Westminster station. (archive image)
London Mayor Sadiq Khan met four Transport for London workers, who together have 160 years of service, in Baker Street – one of the oldest stations – on Tuesday.
The birthday of the “Tube”, which transports millions of Britons from A to B every day, will be celebrated with various activities throughout the year. It starts in January with a kind of scavenger hunt, where participants can learn more about the history of various lines and stations.
According to the transport company, the expansion of the underground network over the past century has led to Londoners increasingly populating the suburbs. The 22-mile Jubilee Line fueled the development of Canary Wharf as a financial center in the 1980s.
During the peak phase of the corona pandemic, the usually overcrowded London trains were swept empty for months. According to Transport for London, usage is now almost at the same level as before Corona, especially on weekends. Time and again there are disputes between the London government and the British central government over funding.
(SDA)