The London Underground customer experience

Travelling around London is a challenge as you join millions of others circulating the city all eager to reach their destinations. The city is surprisingly small and supported by a tube network older than any of its users connecting the various suburbs and communities.  Navigating the tube you need to embrace your fellow man as you find your nose pressed against the armpit of the nearest commuter able to enjoy their lack of deodorant first hand. 

Each station operates as a unique island of this network with novel solutions to ascending from the depths of the tube with combinations of stairs, escalators and lifts. The tube staff appear at random intervals to aid you along in your journey directing you around the nearest pool of sick and onto your destination. Each train lurches its way around the tracks limping along clearly showing its age and miles of service. Without fail the station design will have incorporated a leap of faith over a vast canyon to reach the platform while you take care to "mind the gap". Whatever the time of year you can rest assured that you will be over-dressed as temperatures soar on the underground making the experience even more difficult to endure. Every major city has the same challenges to meet the travelling needs of its visitors and residents and we should be proud to have the underground in London. Epic? Not really but like much of London a part of the family for London life and as such able to get away with so many of its shortcomings.