Met

The Metropolitan Line, universally known as the Met, is the oldest underground railway in the world. It opened on 10 January 1863, running between Farringdon and Paddington. Today it forms part of the London Underground network, operating a continuous service across central London and extending into the outer suburbs, with a total route length of 40.3 miles and 34 stations.

The Met is identified by its distinctive magenta line on the standard London Underground map. Unlike some other lines that serve a single radial direction, the Met branches into three separate routes beyond the central section: the main line continues northwest towards Aldgate, Walthamstow, and Ealing; the Hammersmith branch peels off at King's Cross St Pancras; and the Circle and Hammersmith and City lines interleave with its central tunnels. This complexity of route geometry sets the Met apart from simpler line structures elsewhere on the network.

The original 1863 tunnels between Farringdon and King's Cross St Pancras were constructed using the cut and cover method, where engineers excavated from the street surface, installed iron-framed brick-lined tunnel segments, and replaced the street above. This creates a distinctive shallow, robust structure quite different from the deep-bored lines built from the 1890s onwards. Later extensions, particularly the 1920s construction to Wembley Park and Uxbridge, employed both cut and cover and deep boring where geology required it.

Rolling Stock and Operations

Modern Met trains are longer and wider than earlier lines, with the S Stock introduced from 2020 replacing decades-old A Stock. The line operates a frequent service during peak hours, with trains running every 2 to 3 minutes in the central section. The Metropolitan is one of the busier London Underground lines, particularly during morning and evening commutes on the outer stretches toward Uxbridge and Aldgate.

The Metropolitan shares track with the Circle and Hammersmith and City lines through central London, a shared infrastructure arrangement that demands careful scheduling and has sometimes complicated modernisation work. Maintenance is performed on a rolling schedule, with major engineering works typically concentrated on weekends. The presence of heritage features, including original Victorian tunnel sections with decorative tilework, adds conservation constraints to renewal projects that do not affect newer lines built with modern specifications.