Useful London Underground Hacks To Make Your Commute That Bit More Bearable

Why didn't we know these before?

Every morning and evening, we struggle onto the tube, grumpy, angry and crammed into the chest of a stranger. Somehow we always end up on the busiest carriage when all the others are empty, we always stand in the wrong place on the platform and we always end up just missing the train we need to get to work on time.

One commuter, Martin Strohmeier, took to Quora to post his top tip to help you avoid missing three trains in a row due to the rush hour scrum.

'98% of the time, it's easy to tell where the doors will be on the platform when the train will stop,' he writes. 'What is not random at all, however, is the wear and tear on that yellow line. One doesn't need a keen eye to spot the dirty, worn parts on the line, where everybody steps on. Unless it's freshly painted, this is absolutely reliable (at platforms that use the same type of trains at least).'

So now you know where to stand - but how do you work out which carriage will be emptiest?

Another Quora user, James Lancaster, recommends trying to spot the daily commuter, saying 'the seasoned tube commuter will know where to position themselves to get the door and empty carriage. They are usually the ones with the headphones, newspaper, coffee and making no eye contact with anyone/anything.'

He also recommends using smartphone apps to tell you in advance which carriages will be emptiest, and which you can get on to be closest to the exits - and he even recommends going back a few stops if it means you'll get a seat.

Might be a bit time-consuming, but if you're desperate for a seat, it's a must.

What are your top tube hacks? Let us know @marieclaireuk