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Navigate London’s Public Transport as a Student

A Guide to the Trains, Tubes and Buses Around Central London

London is home to an impressive 9.7 million people, living across 9 transport zones. Zone 1 is London's most central transport area, covering major locations like the West End, Oxford Street and Piccadilly Circus. Meanwhile, Zone 9 is the outermost area and includes parts of Greater London like Amersham, Brentwood and Chesham. 

With so many people commuting for work and education, Central London is incredibly well-connected. You can travel by tube, overground train, tram or bus.  

General Tips

If you’re new to the city, the colourful London Tube Map and many bus routes can initially seem confusing, but our guide to navigating London’s public transport will have you traveling like a local in no time.  Here are some public transport pointers: 

Factor in Rush Hour

Rush Hour in London is when most people commute for work or school and is typically between 7-9 am and 5-7 pm. During these times, tube, bus and train services can be busy. If you prefer to avoid the crowds, then it’s best to travel outside of these times. 

Plan Ahead 

London is a big, bustling city and navigating it is much easier if you’re familiar with your route. The Citymapper and TfL Go apps are designed to help you plan routes and travel confidently around the city. If you can, check the TfL website for network updates and line closures before you travel so that you can adjust your trip accordingly. 

If You’re Not Sure, Ask for Help!

The London underground and overground train stations are well-staffed. If you’re not sure about which line to catch or the platform you should be on, head over to a Transport for London officer and they’ll help get you to wherever you’re going. 

Types of Public Transport

The Tube (London Underground)

The London Tube is an underground rail network currently made up of eleven lines: Bakerloo, Central, Circle, District, Hammersmith & City, Jubilee, Metropolitan, Northern, Piccadilly, Victoria and the Waterloo & City Line. The Underground trains run every 2-7 minutes, so don’t worry if you get off at the wrong place or miss a stop – there’ll be another service in no time! 

Transport planner apps and Google Maps are a great way of pinpointing the tube stations within walking distance of your student accommodation in London. For example, residents at Chapter Kings Cross accommodation are a seven-minute walk from Kings Cross St Pancras and ten minutes from Angel. This means that students have quick access to six tube services, including the Northern, Piccadilly and Victoria lines. 

Tube Etiquette

  • Keep right when on the escalator, so people can walk up or down to the left. 

  • Have your ticket or contactless payment method ready at the barrier, especially during rush hour to avoid congestion.

  • Always allow people exiting the tube carriage to leave before you get on the service.

Buses

Traveling by bus is one of the cheapest and greenest ways to get around London. All buses are low or zero-emission, and the Mayor’s Hopper Fare allows you unlimited travel on buses within one hour of purchase for £1.75. 

All bus stops have their name, route number and the direction they’re headed displayed on the sign. Some bus stops around the city also have a digital countdown with live updates on the next buses to arrive. 

Find out which bus lines and stops operate near you with the TfL Go App.  You can also check the buses nearby and plan a journey on the TfL Website.

 Bus Etiquette

  • Make yourself visible close to the stop and signal to the driver of the bus you want to get on. 

  • Give customers exiting the bus time to get off before you board. 

  • Be ready to change buses on an overcrowded service. Overcrowded transport is unsafe. If the driver says it’s too full, then it’s important to cooperate and wait for the next one.

Overground and National Rail

The London Overground consists of six newly named lines: Lioness, Windrush, Weaver, Liberty, Mildmay and Suffragette. The overground lines are run by TfL and serve the city’s suburban areas. Each line has its colour on the London Overground map to help people use the service. There are also fifteen National Rail lines across the city. 

You can organise your trip using the TfL journey planner or download the Trainline app, where you can compare ticket prices, book your service, and apply your railcard discount if you have one. Find out which train stations are near you using the nearby map service on the TfL website.

Train Etiquette 

  • Make sure to use the overhead luggage rack for your bags, rather than putting them on a seat. The service can get busy and spare seats must be available to passengers joining the train. 

  • Respect seat reservations. National Rail services typically allow you to reserve a seat. If you choose to do so, then make sure to find your seat. Don’t sit in somebody else's reserved seat unless they’re a definate no-show.

  • Be patient when exiting and boarding the train, especially when it’s busy. 

Docklands Light Railway (DLR)

The DLR is a driverless train serving select areas of East, North East and South London. These areas include:

  • Beckton

  • The Docklands

  • Stratford 

  • London City Airport 

  • Greenwich and Lewisham 

From the DLR you can also access the IFS Cloud Cable Car across the River Thames. The trains run from 5.30 am until 12.30 am Monday-Saturday. There’s also a Sunday service with reduced hours. 

Trams in South London

London Trams serve the South London area, connecting Wimbledon to New Addington and Beckenham Junction. The trams are treated like the London bus network, so they also benefit from the Mayor’s Hopper Fare which allows you to take unlimited trips within one hour of purchase. 

The trams work on a touch-in, touch-out system. Before you board, tap your Oyster card, contactless payment method, or travel card on the yellow reader at the tram stop. When you arrive at your destination, use the same card/device on the stop reader to mark the end of your journey. You can find which trams run near you with the track map on the TfL website. 

 Tram Etiquette

  • Stop, look, and listen for oncoming vehicles before crossing tramlines.

  • Hold the handrail when the tram is in transit, as trams can stop and start suddenly at their stops. 

  • Be conscientious of other passengers; wheelchair users have priority over the wheelchair space in the carriage. 

Money-Saving Tips

Buy a Student Oyster Card

For commuting students, the 18+ Student Oyster photocard is a must-have. The card gets you a 30% discount on adult and season tickets for the bus and tram. 

Your photocard is valid for up to 3 years of your course and will be posted to you once your application has been approved. 

Off-peak Travel on Trains

You can save money by booking off-peak and super off-peak train tickets which are available when you travel outside of weekday “rush hour” periods. Off-peak hours in London are from 9.30 am on weekdays, while weekend and bank holiday tickets are all considered off-peak. You can see which tickets are offered at an off-peak price through National Rail or a ticket vendor like the Trainline app. 

While off-peak tickets are cheaper, it’s worth noting they’re less flexible and may require you to travel on specific routes. A single ticket is only valid for the date specified, while an off-peak return is valid for one month from the date on your ticket. Discounts on off-peak tickets include 1/3 off your ticket with any National Railcard.

Railcards 

The National Rail offers a 16-25 railcard which is ideal for students wanting to save on their train fares. A 26-30 railcard is also available for mature pupils. A railcard is priced at £30 a year, or £70 for three and gets you 1/3 off rail travel around the UK. 

It’s important to have your railcard on hand during any train journeys where you’ve applied the discount as you’ll need to show it to the conductor alongside your ticket.

Season Tickets 

You can get season tickets for the train via National Rail and the bus & tram service through the TfL website. A season ticket for the train gets you unlimited trips at any time of day between two stations. Meanwhile, the Bus & Tram Pass season ticket gets you unlimited travel on these services around London. Tickets are available by week, month, or on an annual basis.

Prices for a train season pass vary based on the stations you want to travel between. However, a Bus & Tram Pass for students offers unlimited travel on buses and trams around the centre of London at a flat rate of £17.30 for the week or £66.50 for the month. 

Essential Apps and Tools

Plan Your Route

Citymapper and TfL Go are your go-to apps for planning. You can find live service times and network updates, and search for the stations or bus stops near you. 

Check Your Oyster Balance

You’ll be able to manage your travel costs through the TfL Go app from February 2025. Otherwise, you can organise your Oyster balance using the TfL Oyster app. 

Manage Your Train Tickets and Passes

Use the National Rail website or download the National Rail app to manage your train tickets, season passes and railcard. 

Find your Student Accommodation in London with Chapter

Chapter has en-suite apartments and studios across North, East, South, and West London. Take a look at the different universities in the city and learn more about applying for a room in one of our student homes today.