Claustrophobia and the Tube

On our recent visit, in May, it really depended on the line and time of day. I don't think you can make a generalization about it. We found that by avoiding rush hour, there was enough space for mostly everyone to sit. Uber was a more pleasant experience than taxis (although apparently we had exceedingly bad luck with dishonest and taciturn drivers) as well as being reasonable in cost.

I would always count on the tube being crowded --- just how crowded is the question. Midday you can probably find a seat but plan on standing most of the time. The "Black" cabs of London are roomy and probably best choice for you. They are not as cheap as the tube obviously but not overly expensive either -- IMO. The top part of the double deck buses is pretty open and you might try a short ride on one to see how you react. The bus in London is great and very efficient to use.

The Underground will vary according to time of day, which line, and specific routes. End carriages tend to be quieter.

Taxis will quickly eat up your funds. You'll be spending £10 for short runs.

Buses may be an option for some routes.

Also, if you're outside commute hours and a packed train pulls up, try waiting for the next one to see if it has fewer passengers. I'm also claustrophobic in crowds and I've had luck with waiting when needed.

I am very uncomfortable on the Tube and avoid it as much as possible.

We love to walk and London is a great city for walking, especially on the pedestrian-only Thames Path along the river. Where our goal is too far to walk, or we are in a hurry, we use the red buses. They are much less expensive than the Tube, and one can get great views of the sights from the upper deck,especially the front seats.

Here is a schematic map of the bus routes in central London, and the tourist sites they serve:

https://content.tfl.gov.uk/bus-route-maps/key-bus-routes-in-central-london.pdf

When we have to transport luggage, we use the famed black cabs, and have never had a bad experience. I am surprised to read above that someone found cab drivers dishonest, but those must not have been official black cabs.

I think and hope that what the post above is saying they had "dishonest" uber drivers. It would be unthinkable (in terms of his licence) for a black cab driver to be dishonest.
I am a great believer in the London bus network. On many routes they can be almost as fast as the tube, with bus priority measures which are now in place.

Beth, I’ve been on the Tube when it has been packed and also found it challenging. We often take the bus which we love but if the route gets bogged down with traffic delays, sometimes the Tube becomes essential, particularly if you are needing to get somewhere by a specific time. As others have said, you can try waiting for the next train. And if you are scheduling specific commitments try for off peak times.

I like the bus and try to plan a bit in advance so I am familiar with the routes near where I stay and visit. Someone already posted the link for bus routes - thank you! Also, I have been known to hail a taxi from time to time. I am a great walker, but sometime a taxi treat is just what is needed. BTW, I do take the Tube when needed, but I search for alternatives first. Also, if you go into TfL's website and tell it what you want to do, you can opt for things like no escalators or bicycle only. It is really a comprehensive transportation website.

If you do decide to take the tube, there are two flavors of tube lines. You may want to avoid the ”deep” tube lines.

The ”deep” tube lines like the Piccadilly line have cars that are smaller and more claustrophobic than other lines like the District line. The list is in this wiki
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_Underground_infrastructure

If you are thinking of taking the bus instead (not a bad idea), use the CityMapper App on your phone. It is a tremendous help.

I stick to Google maps for bus info. But yes it depends on which stops you go through and time of day. Occasionally they have "issues" on the track and stations upstream get jammed. And I mean jammed, shoulder to shoulder. That is not fun. I use the tube to get to and from the airport and maybe when the place I am going is on the same line, but buses are a better way to see the city and certainly cheaper. Walking is the go to though if right down in zone 1.

The bus can get crowded also and does not have much head room if you are 6 feet tall. I hit the top of my head on the ceiling of the bus a couple of times.

The deep tube lines (everything but the Circle Line and all the ones that overlap with it) are very small (a six-foot tall person will find their head close to the ceiling). The Circle, District, Hammersmith & City, Metropolitan and Elizabeth Lines have trains that are full-size or close to it. The Circle, District, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan also have sections that are open cuttings rather than enclosed tunnel.

I take both, but have started favoring buses because of the great views! especially as noted above, from upstairs. And the fact that when you alight, you are right at ground level – no subterranean passages to navigate in a crowd. The buses used to be excruciatingly slow during rush hour, which was fine if we weren't in a hurry, but the dedicated bus lanes seem to be helping. I am in awe of the bus drivers' skill in not mowing down the many, many people who step out right in front of the buses – especially noticeable when you're sitting in the front row upstairs!