New Tube Map designed to help people with Anxiety and Claustrophobia

It is actually possible to travel on the Tube without going underground…


The Tube can often be a pretty unpleasant place to travel, particularly at peak times. It's hot, stuffy and you're cramped for space. Imagine how much worse the experience would be if you suffer from Anxiety or Claustrophobia – it could make it genuinely unbearable.

However this doesn't need to be the case anymore; TFL has designed a new Tube Map which will help commuters plan routes that avoid long stretches of tunnel, which can often make Tube travel difficult for Anxiety and Claustrophobia sufferers.

The new design of the map highlights when trains enter tunnels, by outlining the tube line in grey. Over half of the tube stations in London are actually above ground, with only the Victoria and Waterloo lines being entirely underground.

The map has been created as part of TFL’s mission to make “the Tube network accessible to everyone.” It is hoped that the map will encourage people with Anxiety and Claustrophobia who have previously written off taking the Tube, to reconsider.

Transport for London (TfL) director of customer strategy Mark Evers said: "This new map is just one of the tools we have created in response to feedback from our customers on how we can make the transport network more accessible, making travelling easier and more comfortable for all our customers."

Other measures include the launch of new badges in April, inspired by the success of the “baby on board” badges, for people with hidden health conditions who need a seat on the Tube.