TICKET machines are getting cleaver on the London Underground nowadays—they can speak 17 languages. All touch screen’ machines are being upgraded from today to speak the lingo’ for more of London’s diverse communities as well as tourists and business travellers

TICKET machines are getting clever on the London Underground nowadays—they can speak 17 languages.

All touch screen’ machines are being upgraded from today (Monday) to speak the lingo’ for more of London’s diverse migrant communities as well as tourists and business travellers.

Some machines could already parley’ in five languages apart form English, using French, German, Italian, Spanish and even Japanese.

Now all touch screen’ machines in every station will help passengers in Arabic, Bengali, Chinese, Greek, Gujarati, Hindi, Polish, Punjabi, Tamil, Turkish and Urdu.

“More than three hundred languages are spoken in London,” City Hall’s transport director Kulveer Ranger points out.

“Improving the languages on our ticket machines will give many people added confidence and make sure tourists get that positive experience’ of London.”

Tube bosses, of course, have their eye on the 2012 Olympics when East London plays host to the world and his dog when they converge from all corners for the Games.