It’s not necessary though. If I ever missed a train and therefore something important cause of one of those lies you best bet there would would be a lawsuit on the way for damages. Edit: Ok. I admit any lawsuit would be a failure and a waste of my time and money. I still believe that, if there is more than one way to get to a destination, the sign should point to the route with the shortest distance. In cases of areas that receive a lot of traffic, it can, in addition to the fastest route, list “alternative routes” however it should have to list them as such.
@@rttrttyan except that if they didn't "lie" to you then you would be even more late. That's the whole point is if they made these paths just general knowledge then there would be too many people trying to go that way and it would take longer. It's up to you to know these things without them telling you so you can take the shorter path with ease
There is an airport somewhere (don’t remember the specifics) that uses a similar psychology. People were complaining about having to wait for too long at the baggage collection area so the airport built/signposted a new route that would take longer to walk to the baggage area. And it worked! There were less complaints about having to wait for too long because everyone was walking round the new route instead so by the time they got there, their baggage was waiting for them.
Also, I've noticed that I actually take some great pleasure from walking these halls, for a very simple reason - it's really nice to stretch your legs and walk for a bit after being cramped in the flying tube for four hours. The only thing I want is an easily accessible toilet somewhere along the way. And, definitely, an easily readable navigation - I've been to (only a couple) airports that don't have that and you keep walking and are like... wait, did I miss the correct turn and somehow got stranded in the airport bowels?
Palma de Mallorca Airport is like this. It has enormous terminals and takes quite a while to walk from your plane to baggage collection. They even have flat 'escalators' which aren't always on. It takes a good 7-8 minutes to get to baggage collection.
I think everyone who uses that station knows this and it's only by watching this video. It definitely makes sense as I like yourself, always got lots trying to retrace my steps. As it's always quicker in the morning, that leaving in the evening. It really wound me up and I could never understand why? 🤷🏻♂️ But now I know 👍🏻 That quote is so innocent, but so true. If it came to the choice of my dying so others could survive (via an instant, quick, painless death (bullet to the brain)), then so be it. I'd take up food, supplies, space, medicine, clothing and I'm unable to do any labor, due to motorbike accident. This comment went for a bit if a turn for the worst 🤣🤦🏻♂️
I'll never forget the shocks I used to get when I went from "Occasional Visitor" to London to "Resident"; When you wander around on the surface and realize how bloody close some of the stations are!
@@interstellarlunar4597 Just check the above ground maps and turn off everything except tube / rail stations. You can just compare walking / bus times there with the TfL journey planner.
Not sure why all these years later this recommended but it just goes to show how good these two creators and communicators have been for years (thankfully camera tech caught up to them!).
I got to go to London back in 2007 and I was given an Underground pass for every day I was there. For someone completely unfamiliar with London, the Underground is a SAVIOR
There was once a board game called The London Game. It involved trying to get to six (or whatever number you picked, really) stations on the Central London Underground. You did this by rolling dice and picking up chance cards. Everyone dreaded being seized by a compulsion to visit Kensal Green for two turns. Ahem... Anyway, it played out on a map of the London Undergound, a map which is now forever burned into my memory. It means I have a truly in-depth knowledge of finding my way around below ground in London, but absolutely no idea what I'm doing above ground. It took me long enough to work out that Charing Cross and Embankment are literally right next to each other and that anyone who goes from one to the other by train is an idiot. :) Now I find out that even the signs lie to me?! D:
@Max Ambient Indeed, The Getaway on PS2 taught me how various areas of London (which I knew in a fragmented way from going everywhere on the Underground) are connected above ground
It doesn't sound like a big problem, but for people who have limited mobility, like myself, that is a HUGE issue when you get re-routed on long route. It's happened a lot to keep people socially distant during Covid and I can honestly say its made it a nightmare getting out, because I know that instead of having to walk say 20m, I'll have to walk 200m instead. It's hugely disempowering to have to use a wheelchair or get train/airport staff to get you a wheelchair and push you around because walking routes have changed and suddenly they're now unmanageable.
Public space designers should look into putting blue accessibility symbols next to the signage for the permanent, shorter, but un-labeled or mislabeled routes, so those who need them can know they're shorter, but people who aren't disabled might think they're slightly longer but easier-to-traverse ways of getting to the same location (a la wheelchair ramps that double back on themselves).
Fair point. London wants to change towards being more accessible; however it must be behind the best for mobility for a couple of reasons. Primarily because it is old and dense, alterations are very expensive. As a corollary it is a somewhat cruel and insular place. Historically and even today, it has something of the asylum about it.
This reminds me of the town I live in. It's a tourist town, with most of the major attractions confined to a few major roads, which means most of the tourists stay confined to those roads and they are *always* congested as a result. Us locals, however, know all the shortcuts and side streets, as well as the massive network of interconnected parking lots that span virtually the entire city. There's an implicit agreement that we don't share these shortcuts with tourists, for fear that they clog up our nice, quiet side streets.
Google maps may ruin that for you, if it detects a shortcut is has no problems with routing you through a residential neighborhood vs a main road even if its the same time prediction. And if your new to an area you don't have much choice but to trust the gps.
Never drive on 13th Street / US 441 when you're in Gainesville Florida. There is literally never any reason to spend one second on that street. Main and 6th are quicker to the east and 34th is quicker to the west.
There's also a shortcut on Tottenham Court Road to go the Central Line both East and Westbound, go to the No Entry Sign then turn right, and go down the stairs. There, no hassle
Yh I noticed yesterday on my way back to north acton that there were two ways from Tottenham Court back to north acton that are quicker than taking the tube
At baker Street if you take an elscalator down towards the "northbound" bakerloo line, you end up being able to get to both north and south bound platforms, seeing as theyre (obviously) right next to each other. Following the signs to the southbound would take you round in a bit of a circle, not that much time wasted but if you know the trains pulling in this second it can make or break you catching it. I'm constantly late/cutting it fine whenever I use the tube so it helps.
I've just been to London for four days and sometimes going for a pleasant leisurely walk at ground level is better than the endless stairs, escalators, tunnels, barriers, platforms and busy trains of the Underground - but it IS still convenient when you're in a hurry.
It's good safety practice, but also good psychology. Once travelling, most people prefer to be on the move and *feel like* they are getting somewhere, rather than being stuck in queues. If everyone took the short route, it would eventually lead to bottle necks and queues. A lot of people would prefer a 6 minute walk where they are in constant motion to a 2 minute walk and then a 4 minute queue.
You forgot to mention London transport minutes on the train times where one "minute" on the display can sometimes be a wait of anywhere up to five or more.
@@michelsfeir1127 At least it's not "any amount of minutes except 5". That would leave you working out scenarios in your head. "How is that the only time they're sure it WON'T come?"
I wish I knew that Kings Cross trick. I've never missed my train, but I've cut it SO close on more than one occasion and that trick would have removed more stress than I can put it words. Thanks for the tip Tom!
There were some works at the Euston station today, and the TFL sort of had to unveil a secret route between the Underground and the National Rail station. If you follow the National Rail signs, you usually have to get on serval escalators, then exit on the street, go on your left and enter the right entrance of the Euston National Rail station and walk towards the middle of it to see the big timetable signs. Turns out there is a much faster way to get there: just follow the Overground signs after having checked out the underground (it’s directly on your left) and it uses ramps instead of escalators. When you come at the checkin point for the Overground, turn around and continue going up as if you were exiting the Overground. You’ll end up straight in the middle of Euston Station, right under the big timetable signs (perfect spot to quickly reach your train)! 🤯
Oh god same. I even mildly recoiled watching everyone touch the escalator handrail with their bare hands. I used to do it every day on my commute without even thinking about it, and now the idea seems as bizarrely gross as licking the damn thing. I really hope we unlearn this stuff when it's no longer life-or-death.
@@joiskyhigh I've always done my best not to touch rails and stuff in public... Though that was just because I'm mildly germaphobic. But now the idea of being in a crowded area is terrifying
Haha I live in the ACT (in australia) its honestly business as usual. Then you watch something from Europe or the USA and everyone is publicly shaming for what used to be normal behaviour. The contrast is absolutely amazing. We have night clubs and packed trains. People with masks are an extreme minority. Turns out if you listen to your scientists instead of the idiotic business owners who cant think 2 days past their latest financial decision, the virus gets beaten and everyone gets to go back to work. Listen to the smart people when they tell you something bad will happen. They have education and expertise you lack.
I thought everyone knew the fast way to get in/out of the Victoria line at Kings Cross. Nobody I’ve ever travelled with tried to enter the gates in the main ticket hall - it’s much faster to walk past the Starbucks and enter the gates at the second, smaller ticket hall. But yes for anyone visiting London this really does save as much time as they claim.
A lot of people from other cities love to hate on the New York subway map, but one of the nicest things is that while it definitely isn't to scale, it makes it really easy to evaluate whether you'd be better off walking or taking the train, and also deciding whether it's worth walking farther in order to get on the line you actually want and avoid transfers.
Having a city designed in large parts on a modern grid also makes the correlation between overground and underground (and L trains) even easier. London streets rarely run in a straight line for long, if at all.
I've been watching far too many Tom Scott videos this past few days. But between the red shirt, the occasional comment about TNG, the reference to Mirror-Mirror in another video, and now the need of the many quote, I think I can confirm Tom Scott likes Star Trek, and for some reason, it makes me very happy.
For short journeys, ALWAYS check a street map before commencing the journey, that's common sense really. Where it makes sense to use the longer tube journey instead, is when you simply need to go from one station to another to carry on your journey. Exiting, walking and then re-entering the network would cost you more (2 singles). However I do agree that the labyrinthine Escherian nightmare that is Bank/Monument station is infuriating. I always take the shortcuts.
I've only ever seen one really nicely done above-ground map of London that had the tube lines and stations overlain onto it. but it really was glorious. I wish I remembered anything about branding or where I'd gotten it.
Great Scott! I lived in London for twenty years, used the tube all the time and I never knew any of this! It seems Bayswater and Queensway aren't the only two stations that are closer than they appear on the map.
We know that sometimes it takes 1 or sometimes 4 minutes to walk down corridors. Its so planned to avoid people crush/people crowd pushing commuters off platforms onto the rails.
It's quite normal in any traffic intructions. The route you are shown might not be the fastests one. But it is probably the one route that has the widest road. So people are pushed to use that one (instead of just cramming them all to the narrow roads).
Now that makes me wonder if Google Maps does this for directions. Maybe if 1000 people are using Google Maps at once in a big city, and the "quickest" route would have them all intercept, it would make it slower, since the traffic would build up, so I wonder if Google Maps would send half the people a different "longer" way to avoid that.
Encountered the exact same thing. I had a ticket booked for me requiring a change from London Euston to St. Pancreas, with the journey plan to take the tube. I later found out that it's about a 10 minute walk between the stations
NPR did one like this on the New York subway system a few years ago with the same results! They had one person use the subway, one take a taxi and one walk to the same locations and every single time the person walking got there way ahead of the subway or the taxi.
Fun fact: There is a similar lie in Seoul, Korea, although there is no reason behind it other than the construction changes made in Line 4. The lie is Sinyongsan (Line 4) to Yongsan (Line 1). The metro takes 15~20 minutes with one transfer, while you can just walk a breezy 150m out from Sinyongsan to Yongsan.
Interesting film, thanks. Living in Scotland I usually only pass through London when on my way somewhere else. I can walk from Euston to Waterloo, Liverpool Street, Paddington, Marylebone plus of course Kings Cross and St Pancras being just up the road. Good exercise after over 4 hours on a train, plus you get to see a bit of London. I think Euston to Waterloo is about 40 minutes on foot, but I always leave plenty of time. It beats me why Londoners are always running everywhere! Liverpool Street is a bit of a challenge as I invariably get lost in the Broadgate Centre. If I miss a train, there's usually another in half an hour which is no big deal. It's years since I went on the Underground.
I live in Scotland too. Totally agree. I just walk most of it. The best part is that Londoners don't understand that I can go without visiting their city for years. I have even spent most of a decade away from it. I don't think I visited there once between 1998 and 2012 or so. I spent more time in the USA, the Netherlands, the Middle East and Germany than I ever did there in that period. As far as I'm concerned it's another country... With too much power over the rest of the UK.
I'm glad I found this video. I sometimes have to get the train from Kings Cross mainline station and have to get the Victoria Line to get there from home. It takes what seems like ages to get there from the Victoria Line platforms, but in future I'll to take the Euston Road exit. Thanks guys!
At tottenham court road when you get off a southbound northen line train and you need to get to the central line, the signs point to a route from the middle of that platform, up and escalator and along a ridiculously long tunnel. If you get off the back of the train though and use the exit right there it's about half the distance and you come out at the quiet end of the platform 😉
georgef551 Boston has a half-assed subway with an unreliable tram line on top of it. New York, Paris, Moscow and London, on the other hand, have real subways.
So you're saying I could walk from Watertown to Back Bay faster than the T? Not buyin it sir. It's certainly not perfect but a fuckload better than what we have out here in the west. Which is nothing.
@@SteelJM1 The MBTA would be fine if the state government didn't keep starving it of funds for maintenance and equipment. You wouldn't reasonably use it to travel between stops in the downtown core (the various tendrils of State Street Station are connected by walks longer than some entire journeys), but that's true of short trips in New York as well. Design-wise, the main issue with it is that the whole system is so intensely radial (the system map is called the "spider map" for a reason). It's great for traveling in and out of the core, not so much for circumferential trips. There are some weird phenomena: the current map doesn't at all show that the B, C and D branches of the Green Line converge within a couple of blocks of one another around Cleveland Circle. There was an older version that actually did.
5 лет назад+2
Hi, I live in the Czech republic, about 70 kilometers to the south-east of Prague. But due to my job, I spend almost more or less half of month in our capital. It is our only one city with subway (locally known as "Metro"). Its web is very simple (only three lines, building of the fourth recently began). But there are also buses and trams in service. In center (determined more of less by places named below), it is not surprise that you may reach some places faster when you walk on foot than in case of using of city mass transit. And if it is not faster, then it is (at least) more comfortable. - Main train station (also known as Wilson's one) - Central bus station Florenc (and very near Masaryk's train station) - bottom part of Václavské náměstí - southern part of Karlovo náměstí (there is main part of "Všeobecná fakultní nemocnice" - VFN) - náměstí I.P.Pavlova (known mostly as only I.P.Pavlova) 1. example: from VFN to I.P.Pavlova: walk time: about 10-15 minutes reasons: bus interval, tram stop distance, trams interval (not all trams go to I.P.Pavlova) 2. example: from main train station to Masaryk's train station walk time: about 10-15 minutes reasons: no direct connection, city mass transit intervals, city mass transit lines exchange time 3. example: from main train station to central part of Václavské náměstí walk time: 5-10 minutes reasons: no direct connection, city mass transit lines exchange time
You missed the biggest lie of all. "There is a good service on the Central Line" sas one waits for the Hainault train while there is a stream of trains to Epping, Debden, Epping, Loughton, Epping, Debden, Newbury Park, Epping, Debden ... How I don't miss commuting now I'm retired.
Gwailo54, Oh my god this is such a nuisance for me, luckily I only need to go to Newbury, however the amount of times I see: Epping, Epping, Debden Is frankly shocking.
@@TheSniper9752 you forgot to add in the Loughton trains as well! I'm glad it's not just me who felt frustrated by the "good service", though we all know TfL will deny the bunching up of services on one branch (the Epping one usually). They lie as regularly as politicians.
I found a bigger lie on London underground, It involves traveling to bounds green on the Piccadilly line, then traveling to moorgate, , normally there's no advertised route directly between them, but taking the great northern train from Bowes park (less than a minute walk from bounds green) to moorgate would actually save a lot of time.
Funny thing is that travelling that way is actually cheaper off-peak than using the Underground (provided you don't use Tube services to carry on your journey!). They do have the “London Rail/Tube Services” map, but I think TFL have wanted for quite some time to get their hands on the Moorgate Suburban services (if they do then hopefully they’ll clean up those filthy Northern City Line stations!)
Sometimes I also wonder whether, when using the Tube, I'm actually walking most of the way to my destination. My particular hate is the curving pedestrian tunnel, ending in a sharp turn that immediately leads to yet another seemingly endless tunnel to walk.
Bill Bryson did a bit about this in his incomparable book, "Notes From a Small Island." His example was Bank Street and Mansion House, which you can literally see down a wide pavement from each other above ground, but which takes three stops and a transfer to get between if you believe the map.
Green Park - to switch from Piccadilly to Victoria or vice versa, head up the escalator for the ticket hall, then come back down the other side. Quicker than the endless tunnels between the platforms
This reminds me of the Dallas/Fort Worth Airport here in Texas There is a second, smaller security line that almost nobody knows about, and even during the busy times, when the lines can easily reach an hour wait (and this isn't even counting holiday traffic), the secondary line takes 15-20 minutes tops One time I went to it and there were literally only 3 people in front of me in line
Great video! By the way it's just "London Underground" not "the London Underground" :) (Ex LU employee! We were told never to add 'the' in official documents)
I used to transit via London, in at Euston, out at Liverpool St... At Euston the quickest way by far is to go down Euston road, to Euston square station, then take the circle line straight to Liverpool Street. This saved me from missing the train at least 3 times as it is a good 5-6 minutes faster than taking the Northern line to Moorgate, getting down to the deep stations takes a lot of time!!
I can relate; I was there 2 months ago. The other thing to note is that Lancaster Gate isn't steps-free, so if you were going to King's Cross or Heathrow, it's still safer to lug your bags for fifteen minutes to Paddington instead of risking a nasty accident down the steps at Lancaster Gate.
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I'm glad they didn't just say "grr they make us slower this is unfair!" but instead actually explained why this is necessary
They really didn't though
@@Connection-Lost they did. If so many people was in the same place, it would be a crush. This is dangerous
@@boringperson-zb8vy and as said in the video "slower for everyone"
It’s not necessary though. If I ever missed a train and therefore something important cause of one of those lies you best bet there would would be a lawsuit on the way for damages.
Edit: Ok. I admit any lawsuit would be a failure and a waste of my time and money. I still believe that, if there is more than one way to get to a destination, the sign should point to the route with the shortest distance.
In cases of areas that receive a lot of traffic, it can, in addition to the fastest route, list “alternative routes” however it should have to list them as such.
@@rttrttyan except that if they didn't "lie" to you then you would be even more late. That's the whole point is if they made these paths just general knowledge then there would be too many people trying to go that way and it would take longer. It's up to you to know these things without them telling you so you can take the shorter path with ease
There is an airport somewhere (don’t remember the specifics) that uses a similar psychology. People were complaining about having to wait for too long at the baggage collection area so the airport built/signposted a new route that would take longer to walk to the baggage area. And it worked! There were less complaints about having to wait for too long because everyone was walking round the new route instead so by the time they got there, their baggage was waiting for them.
Honestly that just sounds like every major International airport
Also, I've noticed that I actually take some great pleasure from walking these halls, for a very simple reason - it's really nice to stretch your legs and walk for a bit after being cramped in the flying tube for four hours. The only thing I want is an easily accessible toilet somewhere along the way. And, definitely, an easily readable navigation - I've been to (only a couple) airports that don't have that and you keep walking and are like... wait, did I miss the correct turn and somehow got stranded in the airport bowels?
I think that was Denver iirc
Palma de Mallorca Airport is like this. It has enormous terminals and takes quite a while to walk from your plane to baggage collection.
They even have flat 'escalators' which aren't always on. It takes a good 7-8 minutes to get to baggage collection.
They would have to make a massive walk around in Manchester because it take s nearly two hours to get the bags off.
This explains so much! When I was visiting London I wondered why I couldn't seem to remember my way around Banks. It changes!
jlammetje They're trying to get to your mind see?
Bank is just horrible to navigate whatever the time of day
🤣🤣 bank is a maze
Maybe it's where Rowling got the idea of stairs that went somewhere else on Fridays from.
I think everyone who uses that station knows this and it's only by watching this video. It definitely makes sense as I like yourself, always got lots trying to retrace my steps. As it's always quicker in the morning, that leaving in the evening. It really wound me up and I could never understand why? 🤷🏻♂️ But now I know 👍🏻
That quote is so innocent, but so true. If it came to the choice of my dying so others could survive (via an instant, quick, painless death (bullet to the brain)), then so be it. I'd take up food, supplies, space, medicine, clothing and I'm unable to do any labor, due to motorbike accident.
This comment went for a bit if a turn for the worst 🤣🤦🏻♂️
I'll never forget the shocks I used to get when I went from "Occasional Visitor" to London to "Resident"; When you wander around on the surface and realize how bloody close some of the stations are!
As a London commuter, mind giving me any insider advice, I literally only follow Google's advice
@@interstellarlunar4597 Just check the above ground maps and turn off everything except tube / rail stations. You can just compare walking / bus times there with the TfL journey planner.
*realiSe
“I even had enough time at Paddington Station, to get a cup of tea!”
*British: 100*
I hate you
XD
Except he's Australian, of course.
psammiad ...
@@psammiad so... half-british
don't tell everyone the secret at King's Cross
ElliotGaming Muggles don’t need to know
I'm straight, but Shhh
Twiglet straight as a roundabout
Antony D'Andrea Spoiler Alert: It’s Gate 9 3/4!
@Xyre154 underrated comment
so not minding the gap iIS the quickest way to the hospital
+Spikey Husky I guess yeah.
+Matthew Vatcher You could say it is as quick as the train.
Or the morgue
Or Funeral House,Crematorium or Cementary
I spell my Iis's the way I god damn want!!!!
Not sure why all these years later this recommended but it just goes to show how good these two creators and communicators have been for years (thankfully camera tech caught up to them!).
1:44 Why is there an Apple logo on that calculator?
It is the new Apple iCalc, why? Want one?
It's a camera
Hugh Jeffreys if a phone case for the iPhone
It was a phone case that has a calculator design in the back
Hugh Jeffreys you're here
You just made the underground 700,000 people slower.
1.6 million now. Sorry mate. Glad I don't live there.
Vangelicest 2 years ago
Tanzim Ifas
They said "now" in their comment.
2.3 million now
maybe 5% of the people watching actually live in london
I got to go to London back in 2007 and I was given an Underground pass for every day I was there. For someone completely unfamiliar with London, the Underground is a SAVIOR
Saviour
Only in Britain will you hear a walk in the rain be called "a pleasant walk" - even if by an Australian :D
well nothing in britan is trying to kill you on that walk, unlike australia
@@MooKau_ True :)
after few winter's and spring's months in Glasgow, London weather is always seem pleasant.
@@MooKau_ have you been to Blackpool??
@@mariusdesu1633 yes as an Irishman I do appreciate warm rain.
1:45 Matt was recording with Casio 100 MS
damnn
I really want that phone case now.
Mashrur Ahmed Yafi i
He is in 3098 while we are in 2018 XD
@@thereal_abi5162 greetings from 2019 ;)
these guys are both quality individuals
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•
There was once a board game called The London Game. It involved trying to get to six (or whatever number you picked, really) stations on the Central London Underground. You did this by rolling dice and picking up chance cards. Everyone dreaded being seized by a compulsion to visit Kensal Green for two turns. Ahem... Anyway, it played out on a map of the London Undergound, a map which is now forever burned into my memory. It means I have a truly in-depth knowledge of finding my way around below ground in London, but absolutely no idea what I'm doing above ground. It took me long enough to work out that Charing Cross and Embankment are literally right next to each other and that anyone who goes from one to the other by train is an idiot. :)
Now I find out that even the signs lie to me?! D:
I used to play that game all the time! The London Underground map was engraved into my mind by the age of 3 haha!
Of course Embankment has been Charing Cross, Charing Cross (Embankment) and Embankment (Charing Cross), so even the station is confused!
@Max Ambient
Indeed, The Getaway on PS2 taught me how various areas of London (which I knew in a fragmented way from going everywhere on the Underground) are connected above ground
Allright this game sounds fun. I wanna try it.
I feel like I might be the odd one out. But I'm 16 and that game is engraved in my head. All you guys talking about how it's so old.
When I saw the title
I thought you are going to lie on the train rail.
+Wang Cian /watch?v=ldT2g2qDQNQ
k
Yeah, sure, links to other RUclips videos give you viruses. /s
It actually just links to Tom Scott's video titled "Ambiguity".
I'm t
No you didn't.
"It's all about the greater good."
"The greater good."
You completely forgot about how staying in the tube system keeps you dry when it is raining.
What about getting to and from stations?
"when it is raining"
so.... allways?
@@eyebelieve3 Umbrella
It doesn't sound like a big problem, but for people who have limited mobility, like myself, that is a HUGE issue when you get re-routed on long route. It's happened a lot to keep people socially distant during Covid and I can honestly say its made it a nightmare getting out, because I know that instead of having to walk say 20m, I'll have to walk 200m instead. It's hugely disempowering to have to use a wheelchair or get train/airport staff to get you a wheelchair and push you around because walking routes have changed and suddenly they're now unmanageable.
Public space designers should look into putting blue accessibility symbols next to the signage for the permanent, shorter, but un-labeled or mislabeled routes, so those who need them can know they're shorter, but people who aren't disabled might think they're slightly longer but easier-to-traverse ways of getting to the same location (a la wheelchair ramps that double back on themselves).
Fair point. London wants to change towards being more accessible; however it must be behind the best for mobility for a couple of reasons. Primarily because it is old and dense, alterations are very expensive. As a corollary it is a somewhat cruel and insular place. Historically and even today, it has something of the asylum about it.
This reminds me of the town I live in. It's a tourist town, with most of the major attractions confined to a few major roads, which means most of the tourists stay confined to those roads and they are *always* congested as a result. Us locals, however, know all the shortcuts and side streets, as well as the massive network of interconnected parking lots that span virtually the entire city. There's an implicit agreement that we don't share these shortcuts with tourists, for fear that they clog up our nice, quiet side streets.
Google maps may ruin that for you, if it detects a shortcut is has no problems with routing you through a residential neighborhood vs a main road even if its the same time prediction. And if your new to an area you don't have much choice but to trust the gps.
@@jasonreed7522 yet to see a troublemaker that uses maps to such extent, let alone read instructions
Never drive on 13th Street / US 441 when you're in Gainesville Florida. There is literally never any reason to spend one second on that street. Main and 6th are quicker to the east and 34th is quicker to the west.
Is it in the UK?
I do the same in the most congested areas of London 😅
No Londoner will walk through Leicester Square or Picadilly if they can help it 😂
Today i realised that the collab I had wanted for so long was actually already out 9 years ago
if this video was titled "the King's Cross station's secret nobody's gonna tell you", it would get much more views
Get even more by adding "dirty" before secret, especially since it's a train station.
but then it wouldnt be a secret
Nah that's for yank twats. Brits keep it real
Dias Amreé 'many more', even
agreed, the video is misleading in its title, there are no lies here
There's also a shortcut on Tottenham Court Road to go the Central Line both East and Westbound, go to the No Entry Sign then turn right, and go down the stairs. There, no hassle
kyl -•- omg instead of walking through that long arse tunnel!
Yh I noticed yesterday on my way back to north acton that there were two ways from Tottenham Court back to north acton that are quicker than taking the tube
Except for the people coming the other way that you now inconvenience. I hate people who are so arrogant and conceited as to ignore direction signs
@@ianmoseley9910 may I add that I never take the tube during rush hour so I don't know/experience this
At baker Street if you take an elscalator down towards the "northbound" bakerloo line, you end up being able to get to both north and south bound platforms, seeing as theyre (obviously) right next to each other. Following the signs to the southbound would take you round in a bit of a circle, not that much time wasted but if you know the trains pulling in this second it can make or break you catching it. I'm constantly late/cutting it fine whenever I use the tube so it helps.
"What's a train?" - Midwestern American.
We have trains, but they are mostly for freight.
“What’s a train?” - Pacific Islander
I've just been to London for four days and sometimes going for a pleasant leisurely walk at ground level is better than the endless stairs, escalators, tunnels, barriers, platforms and busy trains of the Underground - but it IS still convenient when you're in a hurry.
Back visiting some of my fave's while Tom takes a well earned break.
It's good safety practice, but also good psychology. Once travelling, most people prefer to be on the move and *feel like* they are getting somewhere, rather than being stuck in queues. If everyone took the short route, it would eventually lead to bottle necks and queues. A lot of people would prefer a 6 minute walk where they are in constant motion to a 2 minute walk and then a 4 minute queue.
You forgot to mention London transport minutes on the train times where one "minute" on the display can sometimes be a wait of anywhere up to five or more.
What'll it be in New York minutes, half'an'hour?
@@jayswarrow1196 Closer to Windows XP minutes, 1 minute equals 36 hours.
Martin Heath When talking about real numbers it is impossible to get more vague than "up to 5 minutes or more" - could be literally any number!
@@michelsfeir1127 At least it's not "any amount of minutes except 5". That would leave you working out scenarios in your head. "How is that the only time they're sure it WON'T come?"
That's common in many places
I wish I knew that Kings Cross trick. I've never missed my train, but I've cut it SO close on more than one occasion and that trick would have removed more stress than I can put it words. Thanks for the tip Tom!
There were some works at the Euston station today, and the TFL sort of had to unveil a secret route between the Underground and the National Rail station. If you follow the National Rail signs, you usually have to get on serval escalators, then exit on the street, go on your left and enter the right entrance of the Euston National Rail station and walk towards the middle of it to see the big timetable signs. Turns out there is a much faster way to get there: just follow the Overground signs after having checked out the underground (it’s directly on your left) and it uses ramps instead of escalators. When you come at the checkin point for the Overground, turn around and continue going up as if you were exiting the Overground. You’ll end up straight in the middle of Euston Station, right under the big timetable signs (perfect spot to quickly reach your train)! 🤯
It's 2020 and seeing so many people crammed into one place with no masks feels so strange now
Oh god same. I even mildly recoiled watching everyone touch the escalator handrail with their bare hands. I used to do it every day on my commute without even thinking about it, and now the idea seems as bizarrely gross as licking the damn thing. I really hope we unlearn this stuff when it's no longer life-or-death.
@@joiskyhigh I've always done my best not to touch rails and stuff in public... Though that was just because I'm mildly germaphobic. But now the idea of being in a crowded area is terrifying
@@DoctorX17 why u terrified of a virus that isn't dangerousz the news manipulate it to be, go live Ur life....
Its 2021 and it still does
Haha I live in the ACT (in australia) its honestly business as usual. Then you watch something from Europe or the USA and everyone is publicly shaming for what used to be normal behaviour.
The contrast is absolutely amazing. We have night clubs and packed trains. People with masks are an extreme minority.
Turns out if you listen to your scientists instead of the idiotic business owners who cant think 2 days past their latest financial decision, the virus gets beaten and everyone gets to go back to work.
Listen to the smart people when they tell you something bad will happen. They have education and expertise you lack.
I thought everyone knew the fast way to get in/out of the Victoria line at Kings Cross. Nobody I’ve ever travelled with tried to enter the gates in the main ticket hall - it’s much faster to walk past the Starbucks and enter the gates at the second, smaller ticket hall.
But yes for anyone visiting London this really does save as much time as they claim.
A lot of people from other cities love to hate on the New York subway map, but one of the nicest things is that while it definitely isn't to scale, it makes it really easy to evaluate whether you'd be better off walking or taking the train, and also deciding whether it's worth walking farther in order to get on the line you actually want and avoid transfers.
Yes but it's still a terrible map for actually catching trains
Having a city designed in large parts on a modern grid also makes the correlation between overground and underground (and L trains) even easier.
London streets rarely run in a straight line for long, if at all.
I've been watching far too many Tom Scott videos this past few days. But between the red shirt, the occasional comment about TNG, the reference to Mirror-Mirror in another video, and now the need of the many quote, I think I can confirm Tom Scott likes Star Trek, and for some reason, it makes me very happy.
For short journeys, ALWAYS check a street map before commencing the journey, that's common sense really. Where it makes sense to use the longer tube journey instead, is when you simply need to go from one station to another to carry on your journey. Exiting, walking and then re-entering the network would cost you more (2 singles).
However I do agree that the labyrinthine Escherian nightmare that is Bank/Monument station is infuriating. I always take the shortcuts.
I've only ever seen one really nicely done above-ground map of London that had the tube lines and stations overlain onto it. but it really was glorious. I wish I remembered anything about branding or where I'd gotten it.
Ever thought about the transit overlay in Google Maps and such?
Great Scott! I lived in London for twenty years, used the tube all the time and I never knew any of this! It seems Bayswater and Queensway aren't the only two stations that are closer than they appear on the map.
I came here looking for angry Londoners.
And you found confused Americans
We know that sometimes it takes 1 or sometimes 4 minutes to walk down corridors. Its so planned to avoid people crush/people crowd pushing commuters off platforms onto the rails.
I am angry whith the underground not give me back my money back 2240 on a bank card as I dint use my oyster card
Legit one of the best Channels on RUclips! Love it!
It's quite normal in any traffic intructions. The route you are shown might not be the fastests one. But it is probably the one route that has the widest road. So people are pushed to use that one (instead of just cramming them all to the narrow roads).
Now that makes me wonder if Google Maps does this for directions. Maybe if 1000 people are using Google Maps at once in a big city, and the "quickest" route would have them all intercept, it would make it slower, since the traffic would build up, so I wonder if Google Maps would send half the people a different "longer" way to avoid that.
Jamie Oliver spotted at 2:05
Jeff D Not really...
0
omfg
I like how Tom's voice is left-panned and Matt's is right-panned. Nice touch!
Now, of course, because you uploaded this, they'll have to rework all the signs.
+1 for the Star Trek reference =D
Encountered the exact same thing. I had a ticket booked for me requiring a change from London Euston to St. Pancreas, with the journey plan to take the tube. I later found out that it's about a 10 minute walk between the stations
NPR did one like this on the New York subway system a few years ago with the same results! They had one person use the subway, one take a taxi and one walk to the same locations and every single time the person walking got there way ahead of the subway or the taxi.
I can imagine Geoff Marshall would be so excited to collaborate on this video, as he's probably the biggest fan of the Tube and trains in general.
Fun fact: There is a similar lie in Seoul, Korea, although there is no reason behind it other than the construction changes made in Line 4. The lie is Sinyongsan (Line 4) to Yongsan (Line 1). The metro takes 15~20 minutes with one transfer, while you can just walk a breezy 150m out from Sinyongsan to Yongsan.
"Lies on the London Underground"
That's so fucking poetic. (I don't know why)
Ahh, the days before image stabilisation in phone cameras.
Thank you, RUclips. You've done it again. 6 years without knowing this video existed then BANG, here it is.
I swear I saw Jamie Oliver when you went done the escalators
timestamp
2:04
2:04 yeah totally!
Ninja Queen nah not him.
Its the actor out of the mentaliat
Is that Jamie Oliver? 2:04
+DanielVidz i thought exactly the same thing
+DanielVidz Looks like Simon Baker to me ;D
Bloody looked like him!
+DanielVidz
Oliver's an idiot anyway, whether that's him or not.
Haha well I'm glad to see I wasn't the only person who thought it xD
And always rememeber: never ask a starfish for directions.
I just read Matt's book. It blew my mind and was hilarious, I must recommend!
+M.W. Vaughn What is it titled?
+Ni Clouds Things to Make and Do in the Fourth Dimension
I'm reading it right now! Love it.
Not gonna lie... when I saw Matt Parker in this video I had a bit of a geek out moment.
thanks for the closed captions :)
Interesting film, thanks. Living in Scotland I usually only pass through London when on my way somewhere else. I can walk from Euston to Waterloo, Liverpool Street, Paddington, Marylebone plus of course Kings Cross and St Pancras being just up the road. Good exercise after over 4 hours on a train, plus you get to see a bit of London. I think Euston to Waterloo is about 40 minutes on foot, but I always leave plenty of time. It beats me why Londoners are always running everywhere! Liverpool Street is a bit of a challenge as I invariably get lost in the Broadgate Centre. If I miss a train, there's usually another in half an hour which is no big deal. It's years since I went on the Underground.
I live in Scotland too. Totally agree. I just walk most of it.
The best part is that Londoners don't understand that I can go without visiting their city for years. I have even spent most of a decade away from it. I don't think I visited there once between 1998 and 2012 or so. I spent more time in the USA, the Netherlands, the Middle East and Germany than I ever did there in that period. As far as I'm concerned it's another country... With too much power over the rest of the UK.
Honestly you two are a wonderful team. More collab pls.
RUclips’s recommended brings us all together again
I'm glad I found this video. I sometimes have to get the train from Kings Cross mainline station and have to get the Victoria Line to get there from home. It takes what seems like ages to get there from the Victoria Line platforms, but in future I'll to take the Euston Road exit. Thanks guys!
At tottenham court road when you get off a southbound northen line train and you need to get to the central line, the signs point to a route from the middle of that platform, up and escalator and along a ridiculously long tunnel. If you get off the back of the train though and use the exit right there it's about half the distance and you come out at the quiet end of the platform 😉
this looks like today tom scott built a time machine and went back to this video
The MBTA (Boston, MA) is the same way. You can get anywhere it can go faster by walking.
georgef551 Boston has a half-assed subway with an unreliable tram line on top of it. New York, Paris, Moscow and London, on the other hand, have real subways.
So you're saying I could walk from Watertown to Back Bay faster than the T? Not buyin it sir. It's certainly not perfect but a fuckload better than what we have out here in the west. Which is nothing.
@@SteelJM1 The MBTA would be fine if the state government didn't keep starving it of funds for maintenance and equipment. You wouldn't reasonably use it to travel between stops in the downtown core (the various tendrils of State Street Station are connected by walks longer than some entire journeys), but that's true of short trips in New York as well.
Design-wise, the main issue with it is that the whole system is so intensely radial (the system map is called the "spider map" for a reason). It's great for traveling in and out of the core, not so much for circumferential trips.
There are some weird phenomena: the current map doesn't at all show that the B, C and D branches of the Green Line converge within a couple of blocks of one another around Cleveland Circle. There was an older version that actually did.
Hi, I live in the Czech republic, about 70 kilometers to the south-east of Prague. But due to my job, I spend almost more or less half of month in our capital.
It is our only one city with subway (locally known as "Metro"). Its web is very simple (only three lines, building of the fourth recently began). But there are also buses and trams in service.
In center (determined more of less by places named below), it is not surprise that you may reach some places faster when you walk on foot than in case of using of city mass transit. And if it is not faster, then it is (at least) more comfortable.
- Main train station (also known as Wilson's one)
- Central bus station Florenc (and very near Masaryk's train station)
- bottom part of Václavské náměstí
- southern part of Karlovo náměstí (there is main part of "Všeobecná fakultní nemocnice" - VFN)
- náměstí I.P.Pavlova (known mostly as only I.P.Pavlova)
1. example: from VFN to I.P.Pavlova:
walk time: about 10-15 minutes
reasons: bus interval, tram stop distance, trams interval (not all trams go to I.P.Pavlova)
2. example: from main train station to Masaryk's train station
walk time: about 10-15 minutes
reasons: no direct connection, city mass transit intervals, city mass transit lines exchange time
3. example: from main train station to central part of Václavské náměstí
walk time: 5-10 minutes
reasons: no direct connection, city mass transit lines exchange time
You missed the biggest lie of all. "There is a good service on the Central Line" sas one waits for the Hainault train while there is a stream of trains to Epping, Debden, Epping, Loughton, Epping, Debden, Newbury Park, Epping, Debden ...
How I don't miss commuting now I'm retired.
Gwailo54, Oh my god this is such a nuisance for me, luckily I only need to go to Newbury, however the amount of times I see: Epping, Epping, Debden Is frankly shocking.
@@TheSniper9752 you forgot to add in the Loughton trains as well! I'm glad it's not just me who felt frustrated by the "good service", though we all know TfL will deny the bunching up of services on one branch (the Epping one usually). They lie as regularly as politicians.
what a lovely informative little video.. if only there were more of these
0:34 WAIT WAIT WAIT. YOU CAN JUST TAP YOUR WALLET ON IT??????????
You can tap on and off with a debit card or use an oyster card with cash on it
Hooray! Lancaster Gate was my home station when I lived in London. Another in a great series of videos--thanks guys!
I knew it, going for a walk is sometimes easier than taking the tube and it's less crowded.
Also Queensway and Bayswater stations are on the same road but the tube map makes it look like you have to take the tube through Nottinghill gate
I found a bigger lie on London underground, It involves traveling to bounds green on the Piccadilly line, then traveling to moorgate, , normally there's no advertised route directly between them, but taking the great northern train from Bowes park (less than a minute walk from bounds green) to moorgate would actually save a lot of time.
Funny thing is that travelling that way is actually cheaper off-peak than using the Underground (provided you don't use Tube services to carry on your journey!). They do have the “London Rail/Tube Services” map, but I think TFL have wanted for quite some time to get their hands on the Moorgate Suburban services (if they do then hopefully they’ll clean up those filthy Northern City Line stations!)
@@fetchstixRHD It was previously owned LT (pre-TFL) and was the northern line but was put into national rail ownership
This is really helpful!!!
Thanks so much.
Sometimes I also wonder whether, when using the Tube, I'm actually walking most of the way to my destination. My particular hate is the curving pedestrian tunnel, ending in a sharp turn that immediately leads to yet another seemingly endless tunnel to walk.
You should try some connections in Paris. Some of them feel like they go on for hours!
Bill Bryson did a bit about this in his incomparable book, "Notes From a Small Island." His example was Bank Street and Mansion House, which you can literally see down a wide pavement from each other above ground, but which takes three stops and a transfer to get between if you believe the map.
My problem is the exit. The one time I didn't follow the exit sign to exit, I was literally trapped and couldn't find my way out
Wow! He should continue doing this type of video ❤
You guys need to do a video together again
You just watched...never mind
Yep. If you arrive in Paddington, always walk to the Central Line
Ah, I thought this was about how minutes on underground displays are different from real minutes. ;)
Green Park - to switch from Piccadilly to Victoria or vice versa, head up the escalator for the ticket hall, then come back down the other side. Quicker than the endless tunnels between the platforms
2:03 “the problem is, if...”
1.7 million views later 😊
“Change trains at Bank” is the biggest swizz ever. It’s euphemism for, “Walk halfway across London.” 😂😂
Stuff that REAL Londoners already know!!!
This reminds me of the Dallas/Fort Worth Airport here in Texas
There is a second, smaller security line that almost nobody knows about, and even during the busy times, when the lines can easily reach an hour wait (and this isn't even counting holiday traffic), the secondary line takes 15-20 minutes tops
One time I went to it and there were literally only 3 people in front of me in line
In Britain, "Matt" is spelled "Matts".
What has been seen cannot be unseen. x)
I dont get it...
+Redshot 62 In Britain, the school subject math is called maths.
***** Thank you for explaining the joke. The joke is funnier if you've ever listened to Matt Parker complain about the American spelling "Math".
+British-Aussie Lover *they're maths. Hey, if it's a plural, you have to use plural pronouns, conjugations, and agreements!
My two favorite youtubers 😍😍
It’s a wonder that Paddington Bear made it out of there in one piece!
two of my favorites! amazing
I wish they had both tube map and rail maps overlaid on the standard map of london
They do it's available online and in leaflets at big stations
It's the most interesting video I have ever seen and I only had been in London one time in my life
Simon baker as Patrick Jane at 2:04
"Jane!"
There's no business like Cho business
Computerphile and Numberphile, together at last
Great video! By the way it's just "London Underground" not "the London Underground" :) (Ex LU employee! We were told never to add 'the' in official documents)
I used to transit via London, in at Euston, out at Liverpool St... At Euston the quickest way by far is to go down Euston road, to Euston square station, then take the circle line straight to Liverpool Street. This saved me from missing the train at least 3 times as it is a good 5-6 minutes faster than taking the Northern line to Moorgate, getting down to the deep stations takes a lot of time!!
Takes me back. I used to commute to the City coming in to Paddington. I would walk to Lancaster gate to get the Central Line to the Bank.
I can relate; I was there 2 months ago.
The other thing to note is that Lancaster Gate isn't steps-free, so if you were going to King's Cross or Heathrow, it's still safer to lug your bags for fifteen minutes to Paddington instead of risking a nasty accident down the steps at Lancaster Gate.
RUclips decided it was time for me to watch this again
Looks like Jamie Oliver @2:06 going up the escalator.
thats what I thought aswel
Cheers your video just saved me an hours wait 👍🏼
2:13 "...Or the one."
jeez... re recomended 11 years later... can't believe 11 years have gone that fast!