360The world's first underground railway opens in London
On 10 January 1863, the Metropolitan Railway opened between Paddington and Farringdon in London, the world's first underground railway. Steam trains ran through shallow tunnels dug under the streets, and about 38,000 passengers rode on the first day. Cities around the world followed, and metro systems now carry tens of billions of journeys a year.
By the 1850s, London's streets were jammed with carriages, carts and people, and the main railway stations were on the edge of the city centre.
The solicitor Charles Pearson championed an underground railway to link them. Engineers used the 'cut and cover' method: they dug a deep trench along a road, built the tunnel and covered it again.
The Metropolitan Railway opened on 10 January 1863, running about 6 km with steam locomotives, which filled the tunnels with smoke. It was an immediate success.
Deep 'tube' lines, dug by tunnelling shields and run by electric trains, followed from 1890. Budapest, Paris, New York and later hundreds of cities built their own systems. The London Underground now has 11 lines and about 270 stations.
- 10 January 1863
- The Metropolitan Railway opens
- 1890
- The first deep electric tube line opens
- 1900
- The Paris Métro opens
- 1904
- The New York City Subway opens
Sources: London Transport Museum · Transport for London · Britannica.