Facts About The Tube The London Underground is the first urban underground railway. Otherwise known as Metro or Subway. 1.1 billion journeys are made on the Underground every year. This means that more people use the Underground than the rest of Great Britain's national rail network. Paris Metro and Moscow Metro are busier. The Underground has 250 miles of track. Shanghai Metro is the only other Metro system in the world to have more track. The Underground has 287 stations. Only the New York Subway and the Paris Metro have more. The London Underground is commonly known as "The Tube" this is because of the deeper lines having a near circular tunnel shape. The Metropolitan Line, Circle Line and parts of the Hammersmith & City Line aren't actually underground they were dug into the road and then covered up again. This way is called "Cut-and-cover". The London Underground may be called the London Underground but 55% of it is above ground. The London Underground was never properly planned but just sprawled under and over the city. Finally, the London Underground was built over a time of 140 years and is undergoing some major refurbishment and improvements for its future. If you would like to find out more about the London Underground check out this book: "A passengers history of the tube" By Andrew Martin P.S the tube map is based on electrical circuit drawings.