NationStates Jolt Archive


World's Best Metro

Princetondale
18-10-2006, 23:30
I your opinion, which city has the best metro/underground/subway system?
Wilgrove
18-10-2006, 23:30
All subway system are inferior to cars.
Morganatron
18-10-2006, 23:31
From my experience in the cities I've visited, I would say Portland Or. has a pretty nice transit system. The worst would definitely be Phoenix.
New Xero Seven
18-10-2006, 23:31
I hear Tokyo's is pretty efficient. Toronto's subway system is relatively small, compared to say New York City, but it does the job.
Rameria
18-10-2006, 23:32
I liked the one in Paris.
L-rouge
18-10-2006, 23:32
All subway system are inferior to cars.

Except when those underground networks are actually moving and the car is stuck in a traffic jam.
Cannot think of a name
18-10-2006, 23:33
From my experience in the cities I've visited, I would say Portland Or. has a pretty nice transit system. The worst would definitely be Phoenix.

Isn't Portland also the place that has the orange or yellow bicycles or whatever that they have on the corners that you can just take and ride to where you need to go and just leave it there? And no one steals them because what would be the point? Or something akin to that?
New New Lofeta
18-10-2006, 23:34
Isn't Portland also the place that has the orange or yellow bicycles or whatever that they have on the corners that you can just take and ride to where you need to go and just leave it there? And no one steals them because what would be the point? Or something akin to that?

Only in America :D *big thumbs up!*
Princetondale
18-10-2006, 23:35
All subway system are inferior to cars.

in most gridlocked cities, the subways are much faster than cars. It is also more environmentaly friendly. Look at LA for example. Their trains suck so most people drive. that is why the air is so dirty.
Philosopy
18-10-2006, 23:36
All subway system are inferior to cars.

There is no way you would say that if you'd ever tried to drive in rush hour Central London.

I say the Tube. I've always thought it's exactly how public transport should be - reliable, frequent and as close to door to door as you're ever going to get with mass transport.
Farnhamia
18-10-2006, 23:36
The only one I have any real experience with is New York's and it's tremendous! It's been scary and dirty and way overcrowded and you don't want to be stuck in a tunnel waiting for a police action to clear at the station up ahead in July in a car with no air-conditioning, but you can go anywhere in the city, practically, on one fare, and some of the stations are very cool. :D
Infinite Revolution
18-10-2006, 23:36
this is the best metro:
http://www.mobileart.tv/media/3gpvideo/Rallying/MG%20Metro%206R4.jpg
:D
Swilatia
18-10-2006, 23:37
All subway system are inferior to cars.
first of, its called a metro. secondly, not during the rush hour. sure, they may be tightly packed and all that, but they are actually moving at regular speed, while cars are going much slower during those hours.
Infinite Revolution
18-10-2006, 23:38
Only in America :D *big thumbs up!*

*cough* amsterdam *cough*
Morganatron
18-10-2006, 23:38
Isn't Portland also the place that has the orange or yellow bicycles or whatever that they have on the corners that you can just take and ride to where you need to go and just leave it there? And no one steals them because what would be the point? Or something akin to that?

Not that I've seen, or if it is, it's a recent thing. The rapid transit ticketing system is all electronic, so you can technically ride without paying for a ticket, but they do have employees randomly checking for tickets and if you get caught without one, it's a pretty hefty fine.

The bicycle thing would be pretty cool though...
Chandelier
18-10-2006, 23:39
The only metro I've ever been on was the one in Washington, D.C. It was pretty good, I guess, but we don't have any in my area, so I have nothing to compare it to.
Princetondale
18-10-2006, 23:41
i think the paris metro and the london tube are very nice. I've been to new york once and the metro was efficient. Although it was a little dirty it was still pretty good. On the other hand rome's metro is horrible. it has few stops in the historic district and the trains are covered in graffiti.
Communist Group 5
18-10-2006, 23:42
London Underground is the fastest and easiest way to get around London. And, it is clean. Berlin U and S Bahns are pretty nice too.
Morganatron
18-10-2006, 23:42
Only in America :D *big thumbs up!*

Nah. Only in the hippie lovin' tree huggin' Pacific Northwest. ;)
L-rouge
18-10-2006, 23:43
Either the LU or Newcastle Metro, though I haven't used the Newcastle Metro for about 10 years so it might have got worse.
Communist Group 5
18-10-2006, 23:44
Glasgow Subway!
Swilatia
18-10-2006, 23:44
this is the best metro:
http://www.mobileart.tv/media/3gpvideo/Rallying/MG%20Metro%206R4.jpg
:D

that is not a metro. in case you do not know what a metro is, it is an underground (well, not entirely, some cities such as berlin have above-ground metro sections as well) railway system that can be used to get from one city to another.
Clanbrassil Street
18-10-2006, 23:44
All subway system are inferior to cars.
You don't get traffic jams in the subway.
Philosopy
18-10-2006, 23:45
that is not a metro. in case you do not know what a metro is, it is an underground (well, not entirely, some cities such as berlin have above-ground metro sections as well) railway system that can be used to get from one city to another.

No...that was a Metro. It was the name of that make of car.
L-rouge
18-10-2006, 23:46
that is not a metro. in case you do not know what a metro is, it is an underground (well, not entirely, some cities such as berlin have above-ground metro sections as well) railway system that can be used to get from one city to another.

Actually that is a Metro, MG I believe, though it could be Austin...
Infinite Revolution
18-10-2006, 23:46
that is not a metro. in case you do not know what a metro is, it is an underground (well, not entirely, some cities such as berlin have above-ground metro sections as well) railway system that can be used to get from one city to another.

that is an MG Metro 6R4 actually :p .
Kiryu-shi
18-10-2006, 23:46
I get at least half of my sleep every day on the New York subway system. It's my second bed. Tokyo's is cool for the comfortable seats, but the people in New York are way more interesting. I can get anywhere I want to in New York by train and/or bus. I have three free rides for every weekday for being a high school student, so can I more or less go anywhere for free, 'cept on weekends. And not later than 8:30, which can be annoying.
Infinite Revolution
18-10-2006, 23:47
You don't get traffic jams in the subway.

but you don't get strikes in cars.
Swilatia
18-10-2006, 23:47
No...that was a Metro. It was the name of that make of car.

but thats not the kind of metro this thread is talking about.
Princetondale
18-10-2006, 23:48
but you don't get strikes in cars.

very true
L-rouge
18-10-2006, 23:49
but thats not the kind of metro this thread is talking about.

True enough, but it was a pedantic play on words, and isn't that what this forum is all about...?
Philosopy
18-10-2006, 23:49
but you don't get strikes in cars.

I am normally all in favour of using the car over any form of public transport, but seriously, no matter how jammed in and hot you are on the Tube, it always beats sitting in a car in London, where you've done well if you cover a mile in two hours.
Kinda Sensible people
18-10-2006, 23:49
Seattle! :p

Long story, for those of you not from here.
Kiryu-shi
18-10-2006, 23:51
Seattle! :p

Long story, for those of you not from here.

I was pretty sure they don't have one... is there a story behind it?
Zimcray
18-10-2006, 23:51
I have been on both New York and Tokyo's.

Hands down--Tokyo/Japan has the best subway/rail system.

For one thing, the trains are NEVER late. Getting on and off is simple. The trains are all extremely clean, almost hospital-clean. Purchasing a ticket even for those that don't speak Japanese is the easiest thing in the world. After a good solid week of riding the trains, I hated going back to driving cars.

Another thing... Japan's railway system is integrated. You can hop on a subway line that connects to a major hub (i.e. the Tokyo district or station) and get on a JR line that will take you anywhere in Japan. Purchasing tickets for trains is identical to purchasing for subways.

Now the downsides... First, the subway cars can get crowded. But they aren't that bad--only during rush hour in the morning and evening. Second, the subway system shuts down at 11pm in Tokyo. This is bad because, well, Tokyo has great nightspots and is a massive massive city (think multiple cities interwoven under the name "Tokyo"). If you're stuck in Shibuya and need to make your way to, say, Akihabara, it's not going to be fun paying for a taxi.
Morganatron
18-10-2006, 23:52
Seattle! :p

Long story, for those of you not from here.

Long Live Joe Metro! ;)
Swilatia
18-10-2006, 23:53
True enough, but it was a pedantic play on words, and isn't that what this forum is all about...?

no. thats how people try to win threads.
Morganatron
18-10-2006, 23:54
I was pretty sure they don't have one... is there a story behind it?

the Seattle bus system is called Metro. Seattle actually has a pretty kick-ass Bus Tunnel system which is under renovation right now. But I love it, as I'm one of those who can't afford a car and rely on the bus system.
King Bodacious
18-10-2006, 23:55
All subway system are inferior to cars.

I agree but expand it to Trucks..... :D
Kiryu-shi
18-10-2006, 23:55
I have been on both New York and Tokyo's.

Hands down--Tokyo/Japan has the best subway/rail system.

For one thing, the trains are NEVER late. Getting on and off is simple. The trains are all extremely clean, almost hospital-clean. Purchasing a ticket even for those that don't speak Japanese is the easiest thing in the world. After a good solid week of riding the trains, I hated going back to driving cars.

Another thing... Japan's railway system is integrated. You can hop on a subway line that connects to a major hub (i.e. the Tokyo district or station) and get on a JR line that will take you anywhere in Japan. Purchasing tickets for trains is identical to purchasing for subways.

Now the downsides... First, the subway cars can get crowded. But they aren't that bad--only during rush hour in the morning and evening. Second, the subway system shuts down at 11pm in Tokyo. This is bad because, well, Tokyo has great nightspots and is a massive massive city (think multiple cities interwoven under the name "Tokyo"). If you're stuck in Shibuya and need to make your way to, say, Akihabara, it's not going to be fun paying for a taxi.

I find riding the New York Subway system much more entertaining than Tokyo's. And Tokyo's subway maps are worse than New York's subway maps. Tokyo's are more comfortable, but get more crowded.
Infinite Revolution
18-10-2006, 23:57
but thats not the kind of metro this thread is talking about.

ach, bluddy 'ell, i was just bein' facetious :rolleyes:
Swilatia
18-10-2006, 23:57
I agree but expand it to Trucks..... :D

no. in fact, i would say that altoghether, even with todays cars, road transport is still inferior to rail transport.
Boonytopia
18-10-2006, 23:58
The Paris Metro is the best I've used, easily better than London's tube. Tokyo's coverage is excellent, but annoying because it's made up of three separate carriers; 2 metro companies & the JR lines. I can't remember what Berlin's system is like.
King Bodacious
19-10-2006, 00:01
no. in fact, i would say that altoghether, even with todays cars, road transport is still inferior to rail transport.

Maybe so from where you are but not here in Florida. They passed a law for a bullet train system go go from Jacksonville to Miami to Tampa then it was repealed right away. For one it would have costed too much money and secondly we like our vehicles.

In my opinion, I'll go Truckin'
Swilatia
19-10-2006, 00:04
Maybe so from where you are but not here in Florida. They passed a law for a bullet train system go go from Jacksonville to Miami to Tampa then it was repealed right away. For one it would have costed too much money and secondly we like our vehicles.

In my opinion, I'll go Truckin'

pah, thats because americans just do not know how it is supposed to be done. I mean, you passenger cars are ovsized tin cans.
Cannot think of a name
19-10-2006, 00:32
Maybe so from where you are but not here in Florida. They passed a law for a bullet train system go go from Jacksonville to Miami to Tampa then it was repealed right away. For one it would have costed too much money and secondly we like our vehicles.

In my opinion, I'll go Truckin'

Alright, you're not really American, are you? Just a cartoon puppet some foreigner made, to accentuate some stereotypes or something?
Swilatia
19-10-2006, 00:44
Alright, you're not really American, are you? Just a cartoon puppet some foreigner made, to accentuate some stereotypes or something?

yes. his behaviour does seem to resemble that of a troll puppet.
Boonytopia
19-10-2006, 00:48
Alright, you're not really American, are you? Just a cartoon puppet some foreigner made, to accentuate some stereotypes or something?

No way, he's yours. You can't disown him that easily. ;)
Chandelier
19-10-2006, 01:56
Maybe so from where you are but not here in Florida. They passed a law for a bullet train system go go from Jacksonville to Miami to Tampa then it was repealed right away. For one it would have costed too much money and secondly we like our vehicles.

In my opinion, I'll go Truckin'

That's too bad. I live in that area, too. Now we have to deal with the expansions of roads and the additions of more and more lanes. At least in my area, we're growing too quickly for the road construction to keep up. I wish we had a train system. The money issue I can understand, but with the amount of construction and car accidents that happen around here, I'd rather we had a train.
Ralina
19-10-2006, 02:05
The London tube loses if just for the fact that it shuts down at midnight every night and doesnt open up again until 5.30. What is up with that?
Swilatia
19-10-2006, 02:07
The London tube loses if just for the fact that it shuts down at midnight every night and doesnt open up again until 5.30. What is up with that?

they are not the only ones. in fact, some close earlier.
Neo Undelia
19-10-2006, 02:21
All subway system are inferior to cars.

You bet.
I'd rather drive my old Accord than spend any amount of time cooped up with the degenerates that ride on subways.
Potarius
19-10-2006, 02:27
http://thumbs.automart.com/imgs/ag/automercado/veh/038/26738038/feed/thumb/26738038_10517035955001030.jpg
Boonytopia
19-10-2006, 02:57
The London tube loses if just for the fact that it shuts down at midnight every night and doesnt open up again until 5.30. What is up with that?

That's what the Melbourne system does too. Last trains leave at 12am & it starts running again about 5am. It's hardly on the same scale as London, Paris, Tokyo, etc though.
New Xero Seven
19-10-2006, 03:03
Most subways/metros shut down for the night, for maintenance and whatever. Toronto's is the same.
Carterway
19-10-2006, 03:06
I've seen a number of the metro systems around (London, NYC, etc...) but for general convenience and comfort, the DC metro is the best. It certainly isn't larger than most of the other systems (hey, DC actually isn't THAT big a city) but it is well run, inexpensive and very convenient.

http://www.photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=3993172

One of my photos of the DC metro. Enjoy
Katganistan
19-10-2006, 03:14
NYC Transit system -- open 24/7/365, baby!

And it's fucking ginormous.
And you can go ANYWHERE in the system for a flat rate of $2.00, and that covers transferring from subway to bus.

http://www.mta.nyc.ny.us/
Demented Hamsters
19-10-2006, 03:37
Can't say about other cities, but Hong Kong's metro system is damn good.
It runs from 5.30am to 1am daily. Average waiting time throughout the whole day on all lines is 2.1 minutes.
You can get from one end of HK right up to the Chinese border. Clean and quick and very cheap (dearest ticket is <$2US). Also has what's called an Octopus card which is same size as a credit card. Wave that in front of the turnstile entering and exiting and it automatically deducts the cost of the fare. I have mine set up so when the balance reaches zero, it automatically adds $250HK ($30US) to it from my bank a/c. Better - I can use it at the 7/11, supermarket, chemist and now even taxis to buy stuff with.
Ralina
19-10-2006, 03:39
Yeah, 24/7 Metros must be an American thing. I know New York and Chicago never shut down. It sure is helpful when you are out late drinking and whathaveyou.
Nadkor
19-10-2006, 03:42
Brussels has a very good one.
Boonytopia
19-10-2006, 03:57
Random Paris Metro photo.

http://s53.photobucket.com/albums/g66/Boonytopia/th_DSC00149.jpg

I forgot about Hong Kong, that's another excellent system.
Lacadaemon
19-10-2006, 04:25
I'm surprised someone actually mentioned the newcastle metro. Though it really should be called the tyne and wear metro, because if you don't the mackems get angry.

NYC subways are a good idea in principle, but frankly the infrastructure is a bit antediluvian at this point. (Not to mention filthy). Really the mta needs to be abolished and the whole system expanded, modernized and overhauled.
Slaughterhouse five
19-10-2006, 04:29
does rome have one?

anyway, out of all the ones i have been in (which has been a few) i would say london is pretty high up there.

i really didnt care for the paris one.
Andaluciae
19-10-2006, 04:37
Washington D.C.

It's a circle with spokes. I think in circles.
Kiryu-shi
19-10-2006, 04:39
NYC subways are a good idea in principle, but frankly the infrastructure is a bit antediluvian at this point. (Not to mention filthy). Really the mta needs to be abolished and the whole system expanded, modernized and overhauled.

They're slowly modernizing the system. The Lexington line was one of the first to get the new trains, and they are actually quite nice. Plus, it's New York, the filthy is part of the experience of the trains. Considering the number of people who ride the NYC subway everyday, I think it's actually very effective. Unless you want to go somewhere on a weekend. Then your screwed.
Lacadaemon
19-10-2006, 05:05
They're slowly modernizing the system. The Lexington line was one of the first to get the new trains, and they are actually quite nice. Plus, it's New York, the filthy is part of the experience of the trains. Considering the number of people who ride the NYC subway everyday, I think it's actually very effective. Unless you want to go somewhere on a weekend. Then your screwed.

Oh jesus. It still uses DC motors and thermionic valves for the switching system. Just because they slapped some new rolling stock on the 4-5 doesn't mean that it isn't, at heart, a relic from the 1930s.

It's positively primitive. Nor is there any intention to really modernize it. The last big opportunity was under mayor crotch, but he squandered it.

And there is no excuse for filthy. Really, that's my biggest beef with NY'ers. I love living in the city, but the complacency that people show and their willingness to tolerate disgusting things often baffles me. Plenty of other places have mass transit that doesn't resemble a trashcan and there is no good reason why ours should either. It's not big and it's not clever.
Kiryu-shi
19-10-2006, 05:23
Oh jesus. It still uses DC motors and thermionic valves for the switching system. Just because they slapped some new rolling stock on the 4-5 doesn't mean that it isn't, at heart, a relic from the 1930s.

It's positively primitive. Nor is there any intention to really modernize it. The last big opportunity was under mayor crotch, but he squandered it.

And there is no excuse for filthy. Really, that's my biggest beef with NY'ers. I love living in the city, but the complacency that people show and their willingness to tolerate disgusting things often baffles me. Plenty of other places have mass transit that doesn't resemble a trashcan and there is no good reason why ours should either. It's not big and it's not clever.

How can you dislike all those little cute rats running around the tracks while you wait for your train? And the smell of piss on the stairs at Canal really gets me ready for the day every morning. Not many other mass transit systems can brag that any time you walk into a station, you can observe the creation of stalagtites and stalagmites in front of your eyes, can they. It's really quite beautiful, if you look at it with the right eyes.




Of course, it also is another reason why I'm looking foward to leaving New York as soon as I can.:p

Added cause it sounds so bad: I actually do love the New York subway. I love the entertainment that the random musicians provide. I love the variety of the people and cultures that ride the subway with me every day. I love that it provides me with two hours of relatively undisturbed sleep/homework/reading newspaper time everyday. I like the wierd bonds that I form with people with whom I ride the subway with everyday. I love how convenient it is for me to get around the city from Brooklyn, and that it can take less than an hour for me to get to a Mets game. It is horribly dirty, but it's other attributes more than make up for it.
Kanabia
19-10-2006, 06:01
That's what the Melbourne system does too. Last trains leave at 12am & it starts running again about 5am. It's hardly on the same scale as London, Paris, Tokyo, etc though.

Isn't it dumb? I suppose that's private companies for you, no profit in it. And lately they've been cancelling a lot of trains on my line - just the other day I made it to Parliament station at 9:00, and didn't get a train until 10:30, and the week before I was stuck at Clayton station for just as long (fantastic place to be stranded, too.).

Twits. I buy tickets pretty much every day why now?
UpwardThrust
19-10-2006, 06:06
All subway system are inferior to cars.

Except for speed efficency pollution and ease in the downtown areas

I am not saying they would be good EVERYWHERE but the locations that they are in are often make for the alternitives being better
Bitchkitten
19-10-2006, 06:08
The only place I've lived with even a half decent public transportation system was San Francisco.
Duntscruwithus
19-10-2006, 07:46
the Seattle bus system is called Metro. Seattle actually has a pretty kick-ass Bus Tunnel system which is under renovation right now. But I love it, as I'm one of those who can't afford a car and rely on the bus system.

Most people inside Seattle prefer the buses or walking. Understandable, those hills can be a real bitch with a manual transmission. Been there, done that. And another reason I drive through Bellevue instead.
Ariddia
19-10-2006, 15:43
Incidentally, the deepest metro in the world is, apparently, the one in Pyongyang. From what I've read of it, it's a rather bizarre place, with almost regal decorations (http://www1.korea-np.co.jp/pk/102nd_issue/metro.jpg) and of course lots of propaganda paintings.
Rameria
19-10-2006, 15:52
Brussels has a very good one.
The Brussels metro is a fairly small system, but I like it a lot.
Rameria
19-10-2006, 15:56
The only place I've lived with even a half decent public transportation system was San Francisco.
Public transportation in the bay area rocks compared to elsewhere in California, but it still doesn't hold up to metro/bus systems in European cities (like London or Paris). At least in my opinion.
Vetalia
19-10-2006, 15:58
Aesthetically, probably Moscow. In terms of efficiency, I'd have to say either London or Paris (I'd lean towards Paris because I like the city more, but...).

My favorite, albeit nowhere near the best is probably Pyongyang's just for the sheer surreality of it. Everything in that country is like some kind of dream world...it's the "theater of the absurd" on a national scale. They've got this palatial subway that only has a few stops and no riders...it's stunning, actually.
Ariddia
19-10-2006, 16:06
My favorite, albeit nowhere near the best is probably Pyongyang's just for the sheer surreality of it. Everything in that country is like some kind of dream world...it's the "theater of the absurd" on a national scale. They've got this palatial subway that only has a few stops and no riders...it's stunning, actually.

Indeed. From what I've been able to read about it, it's quite amazing.

Rather makes me want to visit it. Assuming the situation there doesn't degenerate into utter chaos over the next few months...
Compulsive Depression
19-10-2006, 16:11
The one in Barcelona is pretty good. Nice, big and - above all - air conditioned trains!
London's just works, but it's getting expensive. Beats the busses any day, though (but then so does walking).
I've not used any others.
New Burmesia
19-10-2006, 16:46
Anything except London. God knows why you have to pay so much for an elderly, mobile bin on wheels. At least in Paris you can gaze at the wonderful rubber tyres, and practice Lateral Thinking in New York trying to work out what goes where.
New Burmesia
19-10-2006, 16:47
Indeed. From what I've been able to read about it, it's quite amazing.

Rather makes me want to visit it. Assuming the situation there doesn't degenerate into utter chaos over the next few months...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/3113352.stm
Ariddia
19-10-2006, 16:50
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/3113352.stm

I'd already found and read that, but thanks. :)

I'd really like to visit both Koreas. As soon as possible, especially with things going the way they are...
Gift-of-god
19-10-2006, 17:05
I voted Mexico City. Paris is somehwat confusing and dirty, but not as bad as New York, which requires you to be either a New Yorker or a survival commando with deadly observation skills to navigate it. London's cheif advantage is that it's better than driving in London.

Haven't tried most of the others, but Mexico City has a very clean system that runs late, can easily be used by illiterate people or those who do not speak spanish, has a separate entrance and cars for women and children travelling alone at night, security officers, and aztec ruins that have been left where they were found during the excavations.
Not bad
19-10-2006, 17:06
pah, thats because americans just do not know how it is supposed to be done. I mean, you passenger cars are ovsized tin cans.

Far better to commute packed into phallus shaped sardine tins far underground with hundreds of sweaty smelly Europeans rubbing against you picking your pockets and blowing halitosis in your face. That is progress at it's finest. Everybody should be able to see the benefits.
Whereyouthinkyougoing
19-10-2006, 17:16
I shamelessly voted Berlin (even though I've cursed them innumerable times, but I guess they're actually pretty decent.) :p

The only other one on the poll I know is Paris and I hated that because of the sweltering heat in the stations. Ugh.

Singapore was pretty nice, though. Clean, of course. ;)
The Potato Factory
19-10-2006, 17:32
I've only ever used Melbourne's, and now that I think about it, I suppose it's pretty decent. The City Loop takes you to all the best places in the city, Melbourne Central station is a small mall, and Southern Cross station goes right to Telstra Dome and the Docklands (which they've done a bloody good job with, some great restaurants there).
The Coral Islands
19-10-2006, 17:55
As far as the list goes, I've only ever been on Berlin's. It seemed to work pretty well. I've also been on Toronto's, and it was nifty. The GoTrain even had its own television show, so it must be special :P. Ottawa is improving its light-rail transit system, and once that gets up and running I bet it will be super. Ottawa is pretty good with the current LRT (Although it goes from one shopping area, past a university, to an empty field, so the location is rotten) and its bus system is fantastic. I love Ottawa's cycling paths too, although I hear Bogota has a spectacular bikepath system that beats any other.
Nadkor
19-10-2006, 18:17
The Brussels metro is a fairly small system, but I like it a lot.

Yea, very punctual, fairly clean, and nice stations.

And, as far as I could tell over the three days I used it constantly, completely free.
Rameria
19-10-2006, 19:39
Yea, very punctual, fairly clean, and nice stations.

And, as far as I could tell over the three days I used it constantly, completely free.
Well, they do have ticket machines you're supposed to use, they just don't have turnstiles. So lots of people ride free, and hope they don't get caught by the ticket checkers they occasionally send around. :p
Soviestan
19-10-2006, 19:53
Beijing FTW! And its not even close. clean, safe, fast, not confusing, and air conditioning. can't be beat
Iztatepopotla
19-10-2006, 21:06
Mexico City's is clean, fast, very affordable, each station has an icon, and goes everywhere. Many stations also have unique art and Aztec artifacts and other stuff to see. The Zócalo station has scale reproductions of the Aztec city, the Spanish city and the modern city, for example. It gets very crowded at rush hour, though.

Toronto is more comfortable and doesn't get as crowded, but is prone to delays, it's very expensive, has few lines (it takes them about 20 years here to build a new line, then reduce it in half and finally spend twice as much to build the agreed half) and doesn't run as late or as often during weekends.

Montréal is kind of in the middle, with better coverage than Toronto but not as good as Mexico City, and it's also cheaper; the only problem is that the train cars are very small.
Risottia
20-10-2006, 15:08
Berlin if you consider also S-Bahn and Regio. I've seen also Hamburg and Muenchen's U- Bahn, and they're quite good, and Hamburg's got real spectacular tracks, running above the streets.
Moskva has the most beautiful underground stations.
Wien has got some of the best underground tracks - some of them run over the ground, like the line near Schoenbruenn, some other cross canals over bridges, very spectacular sight, cool architecture.
Roma's sucks, although Mayor Veltroni is going to widen the underground network a bit - in Italy, only Milano has a decent underground.
London Tube is one of the best underground services around.
Paris Metro is quite a mess.
Ariddia
20-10-2006, 15:14
Paris Metro is quite a mess.

As someone who uses it almost every day, I find it quite efficient. Much better than my experiences of the London Tube. What do you find "messy" about it?
Markreich
20-10-2006, 23:32
Washington DC.

I've been on Prague's, London's, Vienna's, New York's, Boston's to compare it with...
Anglo Germany
20-10-2006, 23:39
London, because its London, it has cool station names, its British, its the oldest, stteeped in History and is reliable, it links to everywhere you could want to go, and it is still expanding, unlike some systems...
but the Berlin metro is hot, in fact the whole German public transport system is. Travelling from hamburg to Munich we were 14 seconds early by the end... Imagine what the Swiss one must be like...
Congressional Dimwits
21-10-2006, 00:09
All subway system are inferior to cars.

Oh! We have a Los Angeleno here!
Congressional Dimwits
21-10-2006, 00:11
in most gridlocked cities, the subways are much faster than cars. It is also more environmentaly friendly. Look at LA for example. Their trains suck so most people drive. that is why the air is so dirty.

Dirty? You're going to stop at "dirty?" How about "practically solid?"
Congressional Dimwits
21-10-2006, 00:29
I would have to say the most efficeient subway I have ever been on is that of (nor surprisingly) New York. Though, admittedly, I've never been to Paris, and I was in London two weeks after the bombings, and the people I was staying with didn't want me to ride it, and I was with them the whole time. (At least I got a picture of the sign. ;) ) I found the Washington Subway to be philthy and the Los Angeles one to be nonexistant.

The most fun mass transit system I have ever been on was undoubtedly that of San Francisco. I love the way that they restore old trolleys from all around the world and then incorperate them into a modern transit system. The last time in was in SF, I took a 1930s Portugese streetcar along the Embarcadero. San Francisco does everything unconventionally; last year (for just one afternoon), they turned Filbert Street into an Olympic-class ski-jump. I can assure you, that was some of the funniest news footage I've ever seen- skiiers sailing past the third floor of old Italianate appartment buildings. -But I digress...
Deep Kimchi
21-10-2006, 00:32
I think that London Underground has the best coverage (IMHO), but for roomy cars, I think the Washington DC Metro is best.

The cars are easily a meter wider than the London carriages. The problem with the DC Metro is that it's designed mostly to carry suburban office workers in and out of office zones in the city (which it does quite well every day - 40 percent of city workers who live in the suburbs come in on Metro).

The London system also has the "human" touch which I didn't feel in other countries. It also has the panache of WW II that you can still feel in some of the older stations.
Clanbrassil Street
21-10-2006, 00:37
but you don't get strikes in cars.
Strikes are rare enough to be worth it.
Clanbrassil Street
21-10-2006, 00:38
The London system also has the "human" touch which I didn't feel in other countries. It also has the panache of WW II that you can still feel in some of the older stations.
Yes the Tube definitely has that. The Stockholm metro also has it.
N Y C
21-10-2006, 00:40
Not that I've been on many, but I still think New York's the best. There's so much history if you know where to look for it, it's cheap and it does its job well.

I'd also add some of the stations of the Athens metro are very cool. Some of the walls have plexiglass sheets that allow you to see the artifacts discovered during excavation, some still in situ.
Nevered
21-10-2006, 00:41
Anyone mentioned Chicago yet?

The L is the best I've ever ridden, and with a green line stop less than a minute from my dorm building, I can get anywhere in the city anytime.
Deep Kimchi
21-10-2006, 00:47
Yes the Tube definitely has that. The Stockholm metro also has it.

Too many metros go for that sterile modern atmosphere, computerized everything.

One thing Washington Metro used to be famous for was the near absence of people - no friendly Metro attendant on any platform to help with directions, disembodied announcement voices from unseen speakers, no workers at the automated turnstiles.

I saw workers EVERYWHERE on the London Underground, ready to help or just chat.

Here in DC, they've suddenly hired people to help out on the platform. Much better than a computerized sign to tell you which train is headed the way you want to go - a very valuable thing in a city where a lot of riders are tourists.
Andocha
21-10-2006, 02:24
I'm gonna have to go with Hong Kong on this one.

London is confusing to the first-time user, trains are fairly small, it's not cheap, narrow passages, some very deep parts, a bit grimy in places. And travelling on it this summer was insanely hot
Paris... I just remember that one being a bit grimy.
Rome... again, grimy-feeling.
Brussels... small trains, not very pleasant-looking stations, and not particularly safe (crossing over the line?)
Singapore - that one's quite efficient, but the line is very limited in where it can go, and exits don't really link up to any buildings

So why Hong Kong?
-Cheap
-Efficient
-Clean
-Air-conditioned
-User-friendly
-Fast
-Wide, modern trains
-What with the new doors they have on the platforms, it's very safe too, no crazy person's gonna push me on the track!
-Covers most of the important areas
-Exits are built with the local area and business in mind e.g. exits into shopping malls and stuff

But then again, I am more familiar with it :p
Evil Cantadia
21-10-2006, 02:41
Of the ones I've been on ... Vienna.
Velka Morava
21-10-2006, 10:03
Prague... And they are extending it...

BTW Prague subway system can become an anti-nuclear shelter in case of need... try that with a car ;)
Neo Sanderstead
21-10-2006, 11:58
All subway system are inferior to cars.

When was the last time you were caught in a traffic jam on the tube?
Undershi
22-10-2006, 03:14
Well, I think the Berlin U-Bahn is awesome - it's an excelent system! Plus, it has some of the nicest stations... aw heck, I'm hopelessly prejudiced, just because it's the only cities subway system where I... well, no need to go into details :D
Markreich
24-10-2006, 03:07
Prague... And they are extending it...

BTW Prague subway system can become an anti-nuclear shelter in case of need... try that with a car ;)

Um... Canyonero? :D

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i93/_elenaking/untitled.jpg
Undivulged Principles
24-10-2006, 04:47
I can't believe so many people said New York.

I would go with Hong Kong.
Gaithersburg
24-10-2006, 04:53
Washington DC.

I've been on Prague's, London's, Vienna's, New York's, Boston's to compare it with...

I don't know how it would compare internationaly, but DC's Metro is one of the cleanest in the U.S. Also, the stations a rather pretty.
Rameria
24-10-2006, 04:54
I don't know how it would compare internationaly, but DC's Metro is one of the cleanest in the U.S. Also, the stations a rather pretty.
I'll give you clean, but pretty? Really?
Gaithersburg
24-10-2006, 05:00
I'll give you clean, but pretty? Really?

It's the cielings. They give the stations an almost open feeling and it maks you feel as you were almost in a cathedral. All the other subways I've seen tend to have cramped stations.
Wallonochia
24-10-2006, 05:04
Out of the cities I've been to I'd have to say Paris. The map seems a bit confusing at first (at least to this poor Michigan farm boy) but actually makes a great deal of sense.

I haven't used it in about 8 years, and I'm going to have to remember how to get from CDG to Monteparnasse in January.

One thing I really miss about living Europe is the public transit. I'd love to live somewhere that has it, but it doesn't seem to be in the cards at the moment.
Rameria
24-10-2006, 05:06
It's the cielings. They give the stations an almost open feeling and it maks you feel as you were almost in a cathedral. All the other subways I've seen tend to have cramped stations.
Oh okay, I see what you're getting at. It's not what I personally would call "pretty" but I know what you mean. :)
Undivulged Principles
24-10-2006, 05:08
When was the last time you were caught in a traffic jam on the tube?

In NY, several times. It's called waiting for another train to clear the station.
Rameria
24-10-2006, 05:12
Out of the cities I've been to I'd have to say Paris. The map seems a bit confusing at first (at least to this poor Michigan farm boy) but actually makes a great deal of sense.

I haven't used it in about 8 years, and I'm going to have to remember how to get from CDG to Monteparnasse in January.
RER B from CDG to Châtelet-Les Halles, then metro line 4 (towards Porte d'Orléans) to Montparnasse. How sad is it that I still know that two and a half years after leaving Paris? :p
Desperate Measures
24-10-2006, 05:14
I chose New York not because it is easy to use but rather because of how difficult it can be. When you're able to master the New York subway, you feel extremely accomplished on a deep and personal level. I think this accounts for how highly us New Yorkers esteem ourselves. We learn to gain an intuition to know which way the train is coming, when it is coming, when to run, when to walk, which way to face in the subway car - we know when that express will suddenly turn local... we become one with the MTA.
Wallonochia
24-10-2006, 05:17
RER B from CDG to Châtelet-Les Halles, then metro line 4 (towards Porte d'Orléans) to Montparnasse. How sad is it that I still know that two and a half years after leaving Paris? :p

Not that bad. I can still tell you exactly how to drive from the palace in Ar Ramadi, Iraq to the PX (military store) in Al Asad Airbase and it's been almost 3 years. If you make a trip enough times it's hard to forget.

*scribbles directions*
The Archregimancy
24-10-2006, 07:02
I've been to somewhere around 40 different countries and autonomous political jurisdictions around the world (though none of the African ones have metro systems), and my favourites are:

1) Hong Kong - clean, efficient, bilingual, easy to use and fast; could cover more of the territory, but covers much of the important bits of Kowloon and the north side of Hong Kong Island.

2) Washington DC - clean, efficient, and quite possibly the only example of 60s-inspired concrete brutalist architecture that works, but has some serious gaps (despite what a certain Kevin Costner film shows, there is no Metro station in Georgetown) and a slightly confusing ticketing system for the uninitiated.

3) London - for all its obvious flaws (rush hour crowds, age, lack of air-conditioning, cost, etc.), it's preferable to most of the local alternatives and the coverage is excellent compared to many other underground mass-transit systems.
Chellis
24-10-2006, 07:44
Im almost positive a similar answer has been posted, but its late and I dont like to read.

Ryan Seacrest.
Harlesburg
24-10-2006, 07:59
I've walked past a monorail thingy they have in Brisbane Oz...
But that is very different.

However i have to walk underground to get across the tracks.
Yootopia
24-10-2006, 11:42
Glasgow for sure.

The smell is excellent.
SHAYTAN UKHIROSS
24-10-2006, 11:57
Taiwan's MRT is good...
Been there several times.
It's quite large (imported from Germany I think) and VERY clean.
However it's quite like Tokyo's during rush hours: overcrowded:p
And 1 more point:
they've got TVs in stations, it's too loud and it lags!:(
Markreich
26-10-2006, 01:17
I don't know how it would compare internationaly, but DC's Metro is one of the cleanest in the U.S. Also, the stations a rather pretty.

Yep, that's why I rate it so highly. Prague's is actually pretty similar, but is much smaller... OTOH, Prague does have the best streetcar system, and a better ticketing system than MetroCard.
Boonytopia
26-10-2006, 03:56
Glasgow for sure.

The smell is excellent.

Hah, I'm sure it is! :p