Before you even think about the deep, rumbling tunnels, you need an Oyster card. It’s a small blue card that whispers “tap me” as you approach the yellow circle. Pro tip: don’t be the hero who tries to buy a paper ticket every time—you’ll waste a good ten minutes of your life and look like a tourist.
Once you have your Oyster, tap in at the start of your journey, and tap out at the end. Think of it like a hug: you need to arrive for the hug and then pull away properly. If you forget to tap out, the system will charge you a maximum fare, which feels like paying for an all-you-can-eat buffet when you only had a cracker.