Transport for London (TfL) has come up with a novel way to promote active commuting while taking in the sights of the city: following the tube on foot.

TfL has published a new map which shows the time it takes to walk above ground between almost all of the stations on the London Underground network.

While some particularly taxing journeys take longer than half an hour to walk, there are eight journeys in the centre of London which are actually quicker to make on foot than on an underground train.

Health benefits aside, anyone who’s ever caught a tube during the rush hour will be able to attest that walking the line is a far more appealing prospect. And with a single adult fare on the tube costing £4.80, the push towards active commuting will leave those who walk in significantly better financial shape as well.

Active design has been a hot topic in recent months, especially in light of new research which found cities which strive to promote physical activity gain a significant economic advantage. The University of California study – which was commissioned by Nike and UK charity Sustrans – showed areas which foster physical activity enjoy economic benefits such as higher retail revenues plus lower healthcare and crime costs.

The initiative to promote physical activity chimes with a recent opinion piece from Health Club Management editor Kate Cracknell, which called for policymakers to embrace positive changes that embed activity into our daily lives.

The TfL walking map can be viewed in full here.