Tube Strike

Last Wednesday the tube closed at 6pm and didn't reopen until Friday morning. Tube staff went on strike over pay and the introduction of all-night trains. I had some friends from Omaha visiting so we braved the craziness and attempted to explore the city without the tube. Here are Kim and Jeremy outside a closed tube station. 

The tube shuts down at midnight (earlier if you want to go southbound on the Bakerloo line...which I often do). A few lines (not mine, of course) will start 24 hour service this fall. One way we avoided the madness was by taking the commuter boat along the Thames. It was a fun way to see the city and it wasn't nearly as crowded as the busses.

Things weren't bad getting into the city in the morning, but it was terrible getting out of central London at night. The photo below is of our very crowded bus on our way home Thursday evening. Busses were so full most didn't stop for new passengers so some people would push through the exit doors. It was nearly impossible to get a taxi and Uber tripled their fares. 

It took three times as long to get home, and we were some of the lucky ones. Bike rentals doubled with more than 30,000 hired by 2pm the day of the strike. Restaurants that typically have three month waiting lists were taking walk-ins since so many people cancelled their reservations. 

It was definitely worse than I was expecting. We did laugh at how polite they were about it by announcing the strike in advance rather than just walking out without notice. Also, I got an email thanking me for my patience. Not sure it made up for the stress of trying to get home but I guess it was nice. 

If there is another strike while we are here I'll be much more prepared. I will stay at my flat for most of the day and then walk to Soho to dine at a restaurant I'd have never been able to get in on a typical day.