Riding the Tube
By Landon A.
Aug. 1, 2025
If you’re like me, coming from a rural Missouri town, then something you are likely incredibly unfamiliar with is public transportation (specifically the kind that actually works!). This was one of the biggest culture shocks to me from coming to the United Kingdom to study abroad, thanks to the Kinder Institute, for a month. Going from driving to work, school or for other reasons to being completely cut off from any real accessible private/independent transportation is a massive shock that can make you feel trapped or isolated.
Learning how to navigate the Tube, the finest public transportation system I have encountered, along with more generally bus and rail services is one of the most challenging but rewarding experiences you will have while abroad in the U.K. Without it you likely won’t be able to experience or see nearly as much as you wished you could while traveling across a metropolitan region like greater London or bridging the British countryside. But study the map, it might appear intimidating at first but trust me it’s really not, and eventually you will be flying under the streets of London or across the plains of Dover in no time!
Learn more about this blogger’s study abroad program: Kinder-RAI Oxford Summer School