I’ve been especially lucky in my two and a half years in London that my commute always seemed to be outside of peak hours, or at least, I could travel during peak hours on alternatives other than the tube. This means I’ve been able to walk to wherever my client or office is, or I’d be travelling much earlier/later than the majority of London.

The last week has seen me brave the central line at peak times. I’m a big fan of the central line – it tends to be fast, frequent and have the least number of delays (which is easy compared to the district or circle lines I used to depend on). Its other major advantage (often duel playing as a disadvantage) is that, like its name, the line cuts straight through the middle of London. It spans all the way out west, through the west end, continuing on to the city and further east. Combine this with its speed and you can literally fly through London, that is, if you can get on.

I’ve learned that if I catch the central line any time between 5:30pm and 6:30pm, it’s best to know what side you want to get off, and stay close to the exit. When people get on and off at places like Oxford Circus and Holborn, people don’t really hesitate to fill any space they can see, or even simply think there is. Others may shuffle at some point to free some breathing space, though it’s guaranteed to be packed. To be honest, it feels extremely claustrophobic and I find it difficult to remain perfectly polite when you’re trying to exit without stepping on anyone’s toes, or bumping into anyone else’s body.

Of course, this is all a part of living in a big city like London and I knew it was bound to happen. At least I haven’t had the experience of the entire tube station shutting down because of the sheer number of commuters overwhelming the station capacity.