ADVERTISEMENT

We have to admit, there’s just something about the tube that makes us consistently fascinated with the odd and wacky things happening down there. Think about it, the moment we step foot on the platform to catch a train, we immediately notice how laws of order stop working. Millions of people use the underground system to get from point A to point B every day, so naturally, life over there is anything but boring.

Thanks to the Facebook page called 'Overheard On The Underground,' we can witness these shenanigans firsthand. "Enjoy sitting on the tube instead of paying for a Sauna?" the creator asked. "If you use the tube on a daily basis, 'random' is probably a daily occurrence. From the woman with a suitcase of false teeth to a monkey in a wheelchair." Just as they stated in the description, the page shares the most amusing and hilariously bizarre pictures of things people spotted below the surface.

We at Bored Panda have gathered some of their best posts that represent the weirder side of humanity and give us a glimpse into the underground world. And as it turns out, it’s stranger than fiction. Scroll down and upvote the ones that made you burst out in laughter! And if you believe you can handle even more content about commuters and their antics, take a look at our earlier posts right here and here.

It's no secret that many of us are used to our routines and usually spend our daily commutes with eyes focused on the ground. Thankfully, the 'Overheard On The Underground' Facebook page offers us a fresh look into the London tube system and showcases everything we might have missed out on. Over 16.4K people seem to enjoy the content they share, whether it’s pictures of hilarious messages on notice boards, questionable ads on billboards, or people proudly embracing their truly vivid colors. After all, the metro is certainly a tense environment. Think of all the pressure that accumulates the moment you enter the station: people running around, rushing to their platforms at lightning speed, and shouting at whoever gets in their way.

ADVERTISEMENT

With so many people stuck in a small confined space, some folks are bound to stand out like a sore thumb, and we certainly love watching them. Apparently, The London Underground welcomes around 1.35 billion passengers every year, Statista reports. The busiest station on the network is King’s Cross St. Pancras, where over 90 million entries and exits were recorded annually over the past few years.

ADVERTISEMENT

The London Tube was established as the Metropolitan Railway which began operating in 1863, being the world’s first train service operating underground. It was built as a way to reduce street congestion, and while there was plenty of interest in this novel method of transport, it wasn’t the most comfortable way to get around. The original trains were driven by steam, so the heavy air and intense smell would engulf the tunnels, making it unhealthy for the passengers and the staff.

A few decades later, electric trains followed, with The City and South London being the first. Because the tunnels were tubular, here’s where the term "tube" emerged and eventually became used as a nickname for The London Underground. In the 1930s, a public organization called London Transport took over. They would run the entire underground system and continue to do so every day. They began making huge expansions with new line stations that served and sometimes even created new suburbs. In 2021, London boasted the longest metro network in Europe with over 460 kilometers in length.

ADVERTISEMENT
#11

Overheard On The Underground

Overheard on the Underground Report

Add photo comments
POST
davidharris avatar
David Harris
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Sir Terry Pratchett was taken from us far too soon! He is one of the greatest authors and observers of human nature ever.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu

However, the passengers themselves are less satisfied with the London metro than transport users elsewhere, naming safety, cleanliness, and passenger behavior as the main issues they face daily. Transport Focus and London TravelWatch surveyed commuters for three weeks in 2020 to learn more about their attitudes to the public transport system. They found that 70 percent of London Underground passengers were satisfied with the cleanliness of services compared to 76 percent of train passengers outside of London.

Moreover, just over half of Londoners were pleased with the behavior of other passengers, and 76 percent were content with the ease of finding the information on when the services were running. However, train passengers outside of the capital revealed greater satisfaction on nearly all of these points. "These results again show significant differences between London and the rest of the country." Arthur Leathley, London TravelWatch Chair, said.

ADVERTISEMENT
#18

Overheard On The Underground

Overheard on the Underground Report

Add photo comments
POST
emberstonepierce avatar
Ember
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Wow! He looks amazing! I’d love to know where he’s been or is headed to

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu

"It is good that people feel they can get travel information easily, but the results also highlight the need for TfL to make sure bus and Tube passengers feel safe and reassure them about the work they are doing to keep services clean," Leathley continued. "We will continue to work with TfL to highlight the improvements that passengers want to see. The survey work we are doing with Transport Focus has provided us with some useful data and as more people start traveling, it will become even more valuable."

ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda

Well, if there’s one thing we’re sure of, commuters are a difficult crowd to please. Fortunately, they find themselves in entertaining situations around the clock, ensuring that the time spent underground flies by. Have you ever encountered something extremely weird yet hilariously amusing while catching a train? We’d love to hear it, so be sure to tell us all about it in the comments!

ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#30

Overheard On The Underground

This lady has printed out a facebook post...and is reading the comments

Overheard on the Underground Report

#32

Overheard On The Underground

Overheard on the Underground Report

Add photo comments
POST
trixigperson3 avatar
Superninjatiger
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Well, maybe he really needed the money back then and it doesnt matter what its worth today.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#38

Overheard On The Underground

Overheard on the Underground Report

Add photo comments
POST
annajfarey avatar
teresacline avatar
Cold Contagious
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

No one on the tube's judgment will ever be as harsh as his wife's, so he will continue to look at his magazine there,lol.

Load More Replies...
tgsbbh avatar
ToGo
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Ew. I've got nothing against these mags, porn etc but viewing them on public transport, ew.

teetznnqgzmxtwvuxs avatar
ttttt
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Actually illegal to read them in public. Indecent Displays (Control) Act

Load More Replies...
lorrie_rothstein avatar
Lorrie Rothstein
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

He should have put a white cover on it. Children might have been on the train

patrick_mckemie avatar
Patrick McKemie
Community Member
1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

He's actually reading Newsweek. This was less embarrassing for him.

rgroper avatar
Robin Roper
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Well, I don't think Sikh have any prohibitions on porn, so I suppose he's good with his God. On the tube, no shame.

krzysztofmazurkiewicz avatar
Shull GaRett
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It looks as if he is judging.... Or found an interesting article...

nizumi avatar
Nizumi
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Could be worse. Could be watching porn on his phone with the volume up. :\

mudslut1000 avatar
Cimarron
Community Member
1 year ago

This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

I wonder if this guy would force women to cover up back home

noneanon avatar
Random Anon
Community Member
1 year ago

This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

So we shouldn't shame someone for their occupation right? The models are getting paid to do their jobs, and the publisher make money to pay them. This guy is just consuming a product and contributing to the wages of the models. If the act of consuming is shameful, the same disdain is also being directed at the models for doing an honest day's work.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
See Also on Bored Panda
#40

Overheard On The Underground

Overheard on the Underground Report

Add photo comments
POST
annajfarey avatar
AnnaBanananna
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I want to know when all the rug shops “going out of business” will be closed for good.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu

Note: this post originally had 51 images. It’s been shortened to the top 40 images based on user votes.