What are approx "commute hours" on the London Underground?

I'd say 8 to 9:30 a.m. and 5 to 6 p.m. Trains can be really packed but they do come one right after another.

We were there for much of last summer and "commuted" in from one of the outer London suburbs every day. We always tried to leave well before 7:30 AM - otherwise the trains got more and more crowded the closer in to central London we got, until so many people were squeezed in that you had to elbow your way out pressing against everyone and everything in an attempt to get to the doors. In the late afternoon we found that trying to get onto a train any time after 5 and before 7 was pretty difficult. The crowds back up into the tunnels approaching the platform and getting onto a train is a complete free-for-all. If you're with a group it's even worse...one night my husband and I got onto a train and our son, 15, couldn't squeeze in (we're terrible parents I know!!! please don't judge!!) - it took us 2 hours to connect with him again. On Friday nights the rush goes even later with people going home and also going out for the evening. It's an adventure!

Thank you, these are helpful.

I will be sleeping in the Earl's Court area and wanted to know when was a "safe" time to get onto the Underground going to the center. I don't want to interfere with commuters and am not in a hurry to get an early start.

Same thing in the afternoon.

Unfortunately I'm leaving tomorrow and all the locals are, as someone once said, "abed in England."

Have a great trip Kent!

Pam

Bon voyage Kent! Have a wonderful trip!!

Thank you for the best wishes from Andrea and Pamela.
After not being able to do Europe for a long time, I cherish the opportunity to go, and see it as a rare gift. There is so much to learn over there.

I'd pretty much hold off on the Tube until after 9 or 9:30 in the morning; the off peak fares come in at 9:30 and there is often a big push right at 9:30 when the folk who don't want to pay peak prices hit the system, but it is nothing like the crush time.

In the afternoon it gets busy after 4 or 4:30 until really 7.

Fridays are a bit earlier in the afternoon and lighter in the morning rush.

Weekends are different, with the big pushes around football time.

I hope you have a fab trip, Kent...

Saturdays can also be busy around 4-5 pm when people who've been in central London for shopping tend to start heading home.

Thank you to each person who answered.

Kent,

If you can, try to take one of the trains during "rush hour" its interesting and an experience.

Happy trails.

I am in London right now. We got on the Tube at Victoria Station at 8:45 and it was very busy, but by two stops down the line you would not of known it was a commute time. I think it will depend on the station.

don't forget that in the morning the majority of commuters will be going "in" to work so there usually will be a busier side and a quieter side except right in the centre.

Same applies in the opposite way in the afternoon....