London Releases Tunnels Map for Claustrophobic Tube Riders

Fewer than half of the London Underground's 270 stations are actually underground, reports Metro Magazine. But sections that are can be uncomfortable, and make it especially difficult for claustrophobic or anxious transit riders to use the system (especially together with reported poor air quality in the subway cars).

To improve accessibility for all riders, Transport for London has published a new map highlighting parts of the transit network that are underground and suggesting routes that avoid long stretches of tunnels.

In the new design, parts of the lines have been given a grey overlay to illustrate which stations or sections of track are underground. The new map also shows which London Overground, DLR and TfL Rail services are in tunnels.

The tunnels map was initially suggested in customer feedback, and is part of TfL's broader campaign to improve user experience. Consultants in that effort are now working in California's Culver City, where a new Metro line is booming even as transit ridership in Los Angeles and throughout the nation continues to decline.