Going Underground

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So, as mooted on the Paris thread, underground urban transit systems on wheels, some say the Tube, some say the Metro, some say the Subway and some say words in Russian which I neither know nor have the ltters to reproduce. Which ones have you been on, which ones are good, bad, noteworthy or pointless.

London Underground: A thing of joy which is cracking at the seems. The original and still the best (and one of the largest). Classic.

Paris Metro: Stations are about ten metres apart, the trains are ugly and its barely underground at all. All this plus a silly map which makes the lines snake around forever. Dud.

Prague Tube: Two lines, why do they bother? Clean and no ads though, and gets you around.

Mexico City Subway: Thirty years old, scarily full all the time but the map makes sense, the changeovers make sense and - apart from groping problems - rather impressive.

Tell me more...

― Pete, Tuesday, 24 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Rome's pretty good, except I learned the hard way to never disturb a pickpocket while he's 'working'.

― dave q, Tuesday, 24 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Glasgow underground - so very very small, but handy in a circuitous sort of way

Prague underground - my favourite, very big stations and, like what Pete says, very clean

Barcelona metro - lovely and very handy for getting around especuially to the Camp Nou, also ties in verynicely with the overground trains, which, through the very centre of the city, run underground too.

― cabbage, Tuesday, 24 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

londons is really varied though isn't it?

ie. some lines ace: victoria
some unfeasibly disgusting and shit: district

brussels seemed okay, was surprised at how many stations they had though.

― gareth, Tuesday, 24 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

sorry but tis gotta be the moscow metro!!!

kicks everyone ass.........gotta see it to blieve it. trains run every 40 secs at peak hour, handles 9 millions people a day, trains virtually never ever late, and.....it costs 5 roubles for one journey, as amnay changes as you like, from whereever to whereever... (20p)

and some of the stations are fantastic.....

boy am i going to miss that shit in a couple of weeks/

― ambrose, Tuesday, 24 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Lyon metro is ace - a bit like the DLR but underground.

― Jonnie, Tuesday, 24 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Paris Metro: some of the lines don't even have trains on them. They're just subterranean buses made to look like trains. Therefore RATP = evil deceivers in league w/SATAN!

― Richard Tunnicliffe, Tuesday, 24 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I cannot believe that Bus Boy has started a thread on the tube!! He always refuses point blank to use it, even when it is quicker, just to make some kind of warped point (e.g. going to visit friend in Clapham South, I take the tube - there in under an hour; Pete takes the bus - about 3 hours later he staggers into the pub).

And on the exceedingly rare occasions when you succumb, Mr Baran, you act like a gibbering ape who has never seen a tube before, playing with the seats and carrying on in a quite unacceptable manner.

I've only ever been on the Tube and the Metro. I have a grudging fondness for the tube I suppose.

― Emma, Tuesday, 24 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

The Barcelona metro is blinding: effective air conditioning and everything. I'll say this for the Catalans: they may speak a bastard version of Spanish with a German accent, but their public works are outstanding.

The Paris metro is grim, and the people that work on it are the world's rudest.

The Milan metro is OK, except for it barely goes anywhere. When I arrived in 1987 they had already started working on the third line, and when I left in 1990 it still wasn't finished. Used to go under our flat, too, but you got used to quickly.

― Mark Morris, Tuesday, 24 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

The T in Boston is SHITSHITSHITSHITSHITSHITSHITSHITSHITSHIT. It closes at 12:30 and is only effective if you aren't trying to change lines. Evil.

― Dan Perry, Tuesday, 24 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Edmonton is clean and useless .
NYC i remember being filthy and a freak show by got me from a-z
Van is the best though 'cause its a monorai and a ferry adn connects to all the small towns.

― anthony, Tuesday, 24 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

The New York City subway ROX. 24 hours and takes you practically anywhere you want.

Philadelphia's SEPTA is OK, definitely not as extensive as NYC (and some lines are even dirtier than NYC's believe it or not) but since Philly's smaller it serves its purpose well enough.

Besides NYC and Philadelphia, I've been on subways/undergrounds/metros in: London, Glasgow, Newcastle, Paris, Barcelona, Rome, Vienna, Prague, Munich, Stuttgart, Berlin, Stockholm, and Oslo. My pick for favorite: Vienna -- clean, air conditioned stations, "smart" escalators, extensive coverage (though the map's confusing as all hell).

― Tadeusz Suchodolski, Tuesday, 24 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I liked the fact it got me from a-z 24/7. It was just odd to say the least.

― anthony, Tuesday, 24 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

The NYC subway is great, they've installed these new trains that are FROM THE FUTURE on the 2/3 line and it's fantastic. Whenever I'm on those, I feel like I'm in a movie or a tv show, because on tv shows and movies that aren't trying to project NYC as a gritty urban hell, the subways all look like they are, like, yachts or something, they're so clean and pristine and WHITE, as if any of them are white. Well these trains are, they are silver and shiny and have a mechanical voice telling you where you are instead of the scary fuzzbox that you can't understand, and they have these scary red lights on the front. They are ACE, though they make me miss the ugly horrible red box cars that used to be the 2/3 because those were so NOT from the future, they looked like trains from the 1800s, I expected cowboys to come hijack the train and look for gold or something.

The only time I've ever had a major problem on the NYC subway was like three years ago when Canal Street (amongst other stations, but Canal was the worst and I will forever despise Canal for it) flooded out completely and utterly, shutting down several lines, including the E which I had to take to get to work when I worked at Citibank. So I get to the WTC and ask the people, okay, the E isn't running, how do I get to Lex? So this crackhead tells me to take one train up to this street, then take it over, blah blah blah. Well what she fails to tell me is that the first train was going to shut down at Union Square and refuse to bring me further - OR BRING ME BACK TO WTC! Nothing was running back or forwards at all from Union Square, it was completely shut down because it was flooding out too. So I go to try to catch a cab - thanks to the complete subway meltdown, there were none to be had. I had to walk from Union Square to WTC and just go home. It was only like the 4th or 5th week I had been living back in NYC too, so I was completely confused and rusty on how to get around. I mean, I've certainly walked much farther than that since (beat this, NYCers: from Battery Park City - the absolute tip of it at that - back to 67th and Columbus), but at the time I had no idea how to get to where I needed to be and was just trying to stare into the sky and eyeball where I needed to direct myself to get to the WTC.

Other than that, subways have been good for me. They move quickly generally, they are pretty easy to understand, they RUN ALL NIGHT which is bloody important! I love them.

― Ally, Tuesday, 24 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Buenos Aires was nice, quick, cheap and easy....and so was the subway.

― Geoff, Tuesday, 24 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

agree that the london underground is varied, though disagree with the description of the district line as "unfeasibly disgusting." i rather like the wooden slatted floors and furry orange upholstery.

the new york subway just confuses me, so i walk everywhere.

the el in chicago is cool, though not so much underground.

glasgow underground loop seems a little pointless, but all the better for that.

paris metro has the best buskers.

― kevan, Tuesday, 24 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

yeh, but kevan, the district line takes ages, just to get to the next stop. and it absolutely stinks! full of people with cans of special brew at 1 in the afternoon, and scary people in the hottest part of summer wearing done up duffle coats - with the damn hood up, and like, icky stuff everywhere. if the district line was a bus, it'd be the 253

― gareth, Tuesday, 24 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

The District/Circle/Hammersmith mess is buggered by the stupid flat junctions at Earls Court, Edgware Road, and Aldgate which all too often lead to big train snarl ups. 50% + of Wimbledon -> Notting Hill journeys I make are delayed in some way, most often through signalling issues or too many trains crossing at Earls Court.

― Richard Tunnicliffe, Tuesday, 24 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Apparently they're putting up tube fares AGAIN, which as far as I'm concerned is absolutely outrageous unless they make the trains run 24hrs. Or they totally revamp the District line, Gareth's right, it's horrible.

― DG, Tuesday, 24 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Ah yes but they are putting down bus fares again. From next Christmas there will be a 70p flat fare wherever you are going. Hooray for Ken.

― Pete, Tuesday, 24 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Bus Boy reveals his true colours. Buses are all well and good and that, but if you are trying to get somewhere fast (e.g. your office cos you love your job so much) the tube is a vital tool. When it isn't broken.

― Emma, Tuesday, 24 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

We have a subway in Chicago, too, Kevan. The elevated lines are mostly for tourists, except the parts outside of downtown, where nearly all of the trains run above ground. The L is a rat trap, but it's *our* rat trap and we love it. I live down the street from it and like falling asleep to the sounds of the trains. Chicago would seem strangely mute and disorienting without it.

― Kerry, Tuesday, 24 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

LA's subway is a ghost metro with ugly art. Creepy. Or at least it was the couple of times I took it. Very limited run, too, just goes from Downtown to the tip of the San Fernando Valley. Useless! Public transportation in Los Angeles is pathetic. Planning/construction was very controversial, rife w/ scandal: mismanagement, kickbacks, enormous sinkholes on Sunset Blvd. They say it's earthquake proof, but you really have to wonder.

BART in San Francisco has always seemed pleasant to me. Ditto the Washington DC metro. All underground transportation is fascinating to me when I'm on vacation, though.

I know I'm romanticising it, but the New York subway's the best, it was great even when it was filthy and falling apart. Can't wait to go back to NY and try out those new trains Ally spoke of...

― Arthur, Tuesday, 24 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I love the London Underground map. It's pure class. I also miss the old grey trains, they have silly sentimental value for me as I used to wave to them from a footbridge in Woodford when tiny. Central Line in rush-hour = Hell on Earth. And before I forget, does anyone know anything about what's happening to the old Epping ---> Ongar branch of the Central Line? I never got the chance to go on it before it was closed, and am told it was a really lovely journey. I heard that someone bought it and was going to re-open it as a private railway, but that was ages ago and I've heard nothing since.

― DG, Tuesday, 24 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I love the Broadway express in NYC and the elevated B and D out to coney Island and *affects brooklyn accent* the A Train to Far Rockaway.

Moscow metro is amazing, full of gold statues of stankanovitic workers, have to walk miles underground to change. Conservatoire trained buskers.

St Petersburg has steel doors on the platforms which clang shut just before the train leaves.

Calcutta, only one line very hot (rome's is similar in design but two lines)

I love the bit of the paris metro where it leaves the ground crosses the seine an comes in elevated into the Gare d'Austerlitz.

London's ought to be the best in the world but something went wrong there.

― Ed, Tuesday, 24 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

The DC metro seemed cool. It was clean and efficent, I could get to where i wanted, it was coldly beutiful ... A vote for DC.

― anthony, Tuesday, 24 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Orange County = NO subways, tubes or the like, unless you count the Disneyland monorail. Ha. Therefore I have little to compare things to -- London is my sole example, based on last year. Jane complained quite a bit about it, but compared to OC's wasteland, London was a fucking paradise -- keep in mind I have no car and don't plan on getting one!

The Moscow one I've heard much about and would dearly like to visit. The Barcelona one sounds great!

― Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 24 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

The one I went on in East Berlin is great, with full-on wooden carriages and these massive airy stations. All fantastically unsafe. I also seem to recall they had machines to put your ticket in, but no barriers.

― Graham, Tuesday, 24 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

The Philadelphia SEPTA train, as it leaves the 34th Street Amtrak Station, gives one a knockout view of the Philadelphia Center City skyline just as the train crosses the Schuykill and just before it goes under a tunnel.

On the other hand, the Philly-NJ PATCO commuter train/subway offers a lovely view of the crackhouses and smack shooters in lovely (NOT!) Camden as it crosses the Ben Franklin over the Delaware River.

― Tadeusz Suchodolski, Tuesday, 24 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Lisbon's was great if only for the fact that it is mostly run on the honor system. You're supposed to by tickets, but there really aren't gates, and if they check you on the train and you don't have a ticket, you can just buy one - they don't throw you off! I thinkI bought 2 tickets the whole week I was there.

Seattle is a joke, it is a monrail with 2 stops. Washington is O.K., but overpriced. Montreal, if I remember was very large and ornate. Barcelona, as has been mentioned is pretty nice.

Boston, well, it does have a an awful lot of stations for how small the city is and can get you within a block of about anywhere in the city. It does stop at 12:45 though, and some of the stations dont' smeel like urine, they are urine.

― tOM p, Tuesday, 24 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

The T in Boston is far better than any other subway systems in the United States save NYC ( I think it may even be the cheapest too) SF's subway is more of a railway system, designed to move people in and out of SF from the Suburbs, and not really to get in and about in the city itself.

The only thing I hate about London Tube is having to ride it during the Rush hour. Otherwise I find that it's fine (if a bit slow).

Taking an hour to go 3 miles is the most ridiculous thing about living in a city.

― marianna, Tuesday, 24 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

An interesting London Underground site:
Underground History, sounds like an all-purpose historical site but is mostly about 'ghost' stations and lines.

― DG, Tuesday, 24 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

some moscow metro sites (in russian, but theres some pics n stuff) http://www.metro.ru

http://www.metro.ru/map/2001.html for the map

perovo: http://www.metro.ru/stations/kalininskaya/perovo/ for my old stop...chck it out! how coolasfuk is it?

mayakovskaya: http://www.metro.ru/stations/zamoskvoretskaya/mayakovskaya/

the most beautiful station. won a world architectural desing compettion the year it was built try some of the stations in the list at http://www.metro.ru/stations

the famous ones (generally in the middle of each numbeed section, ie ones in the centre of town, often have pictures of interiors etc)

damnit, moscow is THE BEST in the world! bar none! damn ytour fancy euro aircon trains! they suck ass!

even in comparison to london st petersburgs is pretty good. and its shit!

― ambrose, Tuesday, 24 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Bay Area BART: not really a subway; for short trips it's cheaper than riding the bus but the whole idea of rail transport of this sort in the bay area is a bit ludicrous considering the way the population is spread out. If there were a more extensive ferry system in the bay and more train stations leading away from the bay, we might actually solve some traffic problems around here. Stations are nothing special...you can't eat, drink, or smoke at them even though most of them are outdoors, which is ridiculous. Stops running at midnight, which is hopeless considering how useless taxis are in the bay area. Drunk driving is a way of life, unfortunately.

Boston: Extremely confusing "inbound/outbound" layout which requires you to know something about where you are in order to get where you want to go to. The stations are hard to find, and the trains are ugly.

New York: The only 24 hr subway system in the US? This plus a little walking got me everywhere I wanted to go in NYC. I wish the trains were still covered in graffiti, considering how boring they look.

Chicago: Mostly elevated, some pretty sketchy lines too.

Stockholm: Absolutely gorgeous stations, especially the blue line...they didn't "finish" the bedrock or add tiles or anything so it really seems like you're walking through deep caves (the deepest line is VERY deep). Murals and amazing art installations everywhere. Almost a "Pirates of the Carribean" (Vikings of the Nordic Seas?) feel. An engineering marvel, considering that Stockholm is really a bunch of islands. The best argument for socialism I've ever seen. This is the best I've actually seen with my own eyes.

Berlin: Incredibly efficient service...we are all napping somewhere in East Berlin when we wake up and realize our train leaves from the main station in West Berlin in 15 minutes. We haul ass to the U-Bahn, transfer somewhere to the S-Bahn (maybe it was the other way around), and manage to make it with time to spare. The best argument for fascism I've ever seen.

Moscow: I've only seen pictures and heard about it from friends, but the stations look like fucking cathedrals. This is the one thing in the world I want to see more than any other. The best argument for Stalinism?

Munich: Never rode the U-bahn, but we visited an adult book store/video arcade located right in one of the stations. Obviously designed with the business traveller in mind.

Prague: The friend we were staying with lived right on the red line. Didn't run all night, but we were always going home after 6 AM so it wasn't a problem. There were at least 4 lines. However, there were a lot of sketchy looking skinheads and gypsies on the trains. Plus the taxis are so cheap, the subway's hardly necessary.

Paris: The network is really unbelievable, but this system will always be associated with the Charles Bronson posters that were everywhere the first time I road the thing.

Madrid: Service to EVERY corner of the city, really pretty and clean trains.

Rotterdam: Perhaps two lines, but very modernist and the headlights when the train came into the stations seemed VERY bright.

Amsterdam: Unless you're carrying luggage this is a completely useless subway as there's only like one line that splits into two and you can walk from one end of the city to the other in like 15 minutes anyway. Like most everything else in Amsterdam, completely filthy.

Lisbon: The lines have really great names like girassol (sunflower) but that's all I remember.

Budapest: They seemed really proud of their metro, but it seemed kind of depressing to me. Three lines, I think, nothing special.

Calcutta: Pretty modest, but the fact that they have a fucking subway in CALCUTTA and not in San Francisco really bothers me.

Toronto: Seemed pretty cool; few lines but logical. It was a long time ago though.

Tokyo: Even more extensive than the Paris network; people EVERYWHERE. The stations seemed kind of dark, sterile, and spooky, despite all the people.

Does Rome have a subway? I think I remember one. Never been to London.

― Kris, Tuesday, 24 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Boston's T. Where to begin? For two yeasr me omly means of transit. It takes me an hour to get to work which is under a mile away. Its almost always crowded...try getting off! No one riding it wants to be and they show you with their scowls. Very often late and they have a policy that if you have to wait a HALF HOUR you get a FREE TOKEN!!!! WHOPDEE FUCKING DOO! I woudl glady pay 5$ to have it come within 10 MINUTES! There are MANY places it doesnt go, its stops at 12 30 leaving you to cab hell. And if your apartment is near it expect to pay hundreds MORE.

― Mike Hanley, Tuesday, 24 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Rome does indeed have a subway. Not very extensive service, though (maybe because they're afraid of disturbing any of the antiquities?). Worst thing is how it stops about a mile from the Vatican, making one trudge through the blazing Roman summer sun to get there.

Another thing I remember about the Prague subway -- the steepest escalator I'd ever ridden on. Almost at a right angle, in fact, and a veritable vertigo inducer.

(Hard to believe I'm the only in here who's ridden the Philly subway, tho'.)

― Tadeusz Suchodolski, Tuesday, 24 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Chicago: Our two subways run all night, but they're the only lines that do.

― Kerry Keane, Tuesday, 24 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

eleven months pass...

New York - New Jersey PATH Train: Often overlooked in the shadow of the vast NYC Subway lines, themselves a conglomerate incorporating older indie lines such as the IRT, the PATH train was constructed to run under the Hudson River to the west of Manhattan Island into northern New Jersey. It only had a couple of stations in Manhattan which were designed for suburban commuters to connect to the NYC Subway or corporate neighborhoods. At least part of that service was affected on Sept. 11, 2001. My fondest memory of the PATH train however, was hitting on all of the teenage and college girls from Jersey as they got on and off in Manhattan - they were usually from well-to-do Jewish families who kept a close eye on them while at home and as a result were eagar to act out a little independence once they hit the pavement in Manhattan. Music fans may be surprised to learn that many of the 1980's ska bands as well as skinheads were from North Jersey, and their contributions to the downtown scene was due in part to the PATH train, though it at that time never seemed to run as late as you'd like it to.

― Van Gorden, Monday, 8 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

four months pass...

Mexico City was good - even though I got pickpocketed. Very handy for getting around and dirt cheap. But more crowded that you'd have thought possible. If you've ever tutted at the stuopidity of trying to get on whilst others are getting off (say at somewhere like Oxford Circus) then Mexico City makes it look like a polite tea party. Golly. And they have gender segregation in rush hour as the men do lots of frotting.

― Dave B (daveb), Tuesday, 19 November 2002 12:21 (twenty-three years ago)

Washington DCs is great. i like the 60s brutalism, and the fact that all the stations are almost identical. it reminds me of the planet of the apes film, the one in the 20th century.

bostons is silly. this decrepid tram that trundles along barely underground between all these stations that are barely a couple hundred yards apart.

philadelphias is mucky and confusing, this token rubbish (see boston also) must stop

new yorks is ok, i quite like it, depends on the line though

berlins is nice!

brussels too!

london, well, i've said my piece above

paris i cant remember

― gareth (gareth), Tuesday, 19 November 2002 12:27 (twenty-three years ago)

Glasgow wins, it's beautiful for it's simplicity and the nice people who frequent it. There are two circles, one for each direction so if you stay on long enough you always end up back where you started, there's a train every 3/4mins, it always costs the same wherever you go AND you can stand on whatever side of the escalator you bloody well feel like!

― Plinky (Plinky), Tuesday, 19 November 2002 12:32 (twenty-three years ago)

Music fans may be surprised to learn that many of the 1980's ska bands as well as skinheads were from North Jersey

I think they might.

London Underground = cool. I like the fact that my friends over there can have a local that's miles away.

London Underground map = very cool.

― Andrew Farrell (afarrell), Tuesday, 19 November 2002 12:37 (twenty-three years ago)

brussels = efficient, reliable and clean, but totally unspectacular to look at (platforms all look same, no grand entrances). The trams are more fun - sometimes they dive underground for a few stops (pre-métro stations they call these)

paris = bohemian, noisy, often hot and crowded, but generally okay considering its age

london = grrrrrrr, but more character than any other system I know of

budapest = getting old, but efficient from what I remember (just 2 lines I think)

boston = good. i liked the old cars on the green (?) line that gareth refers to. Some of the other lines are more traditional eg the one that goes to Logan airport

chicago = mostly above-ground? pretty good IIRC

atlanta = very good

montréal and toronto = both very modern-looking. Service taking priority over character? I seem to recall one of these had a bizarre train indicator system, tho'. Instead of telling you how long until the next train, it told you how long since the last train departed. Imagine that in London! instant commuter rage!

― Jeff W, Tuesday, 19 November 2002 13:39 (twenty-three years ago)

the london underground has some of the best stations ever, my favourite is the one from the death star which is at westminister when you get off the jubilee line.

the t in boston is wonderfully rickety and so fun for a tourist but, presumably, a pain in the ass when you live there. there's some gadgets to play with at the mit station, but i can't remember anymore details about them.

the metro in paris is fun with its sudden views and competing accordian players. it seems to cover the city pretty throughly. the mile-long underground walks to connecting stations can be annoying.

the bart has carpet! carpet?! madness i tell you.

the ny subway is noisy and dirty and scary, just like new york is supposed to be.

on some lines in the underground in lyon you can sit in the big window at the front and watch the tunnel lights whizz towards you and pretend you are going into hyper-space, and so it wins.

― angela (angela), Tuesday, 19 November 2002 14:29 (twenty-three years ago)

Glasgow underground is the best (i know biased) but the tube is good, when it works, especially to people like me who dont know where the heck they are going to! The buses here are sooo slow, even Glasgow buses are faster!

I'd love to go to see the moscow underground.

― Fuzzy Wuzzy (Madam Plinky), Tuesday, 19 November 2002 14:38 (twenty-three years ago)

on some lines in the underground in lyon you can sit in the big window at the front and watch the tunnel lights whizz towards you and pretend you are going into hyper-space, and so it wins.

But d00d, what about the space-age experience of sitting at the front of the DLR just as it's about to go underground? WaHEY!

― Sarah (starry), Tuesday, 19 November 2002 14:41 (twenty-three years ago)

that sounds like a cool treat and i will make sure to do it the next time i'm in london. where does the DLR make its dive?

― angela (angela), Tuesday, 19 November 2002 14:46 (twenty-three years ago)

DC is pretty good, as long as your starting place and destination are both within 3 blocks of a Metro station. (Many DC neighborhoods do not have Metrorail service.) Shutting down at midnight (2am Saturday and Sunday mornings) is an obvious dud, especially because at the more remote stations that means the last inbound train is at 11:30pm/1:30am.

I liked the Chicago and Boston systems, but I'm sure I'd think differently if I had to depend on those to get to and from work or entertainment.

― j.lu (j.lu), Tuesday, 19 November 2002 15:48 (twenty-three years ago)

The DLR journey from Greenwich to Tower Gateway at night is fantastic. Feels like you're in some 50's vision of 2002 rather than the slightly less groovy reality.

― RickyT (RickyT), Tuesday, 19 November 2002 15:54 (twenty-three years ago)

has anyone mentioned portland? although i don't remember any underground portions (and it was some years ago) it was a fast, efficient network of above-ground light rail trains connecting outlying areas with the downtown core. simple, clean, efficient.

― fields of salmon (fieldsofsalmon), Tuesday, 19 November 2002 16:03 (twenty-three years ago)

Skipping 36 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

This very large image superimposes the tube map onto a satellite photo!

http://www.nyclondon.com/blog/images/tube_geo.jpg

― Jerry the Nipper (Jerrynipper), Tuesday, 7 September 2004 10:13 (twenty-one years ago)

Fantastic. I was trying to do this ages ago (using the same two images I think) but couldn't get a precise enough fit for my liking.

― robster (robster), Tuesday, 7 September 2004 10:25 (twenty-one years ago)

He had the same problem by the looks of things. North Greenwich ends up on the north bank of the Thames.

― robster (robster), Tuesday, 7 September 2004 10:32 (twenty-one years ago)

I don't see why there is such a housing shortage when there are so many green fields just lying there doing nothing.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller), Tuesday, 7 September 2004 10:34 (twenty-one years ago)

but don't forget that lots of them are parks - there's a bit swathe of green to the east of walthamstow, but that's epping forest, and the green to the south is hackney downs,etc. which you wouldn't really want to build on.

― Vicky (Vicky), Tuesday, 7 September 2004 10:54 (twenty-one years ago)

Where's the district line western branches to Richmond, Wbldon etc. Maybe they're green and lost in the backgrd?

― Dr. C (Dr. C), Tuesday, 7 September 2004 10:55 (twenty-one years ago)

You can just about see them - it's easiest to find earls court, and trace them from there

― Vicky (Vicky), Tuesday, 7 September 2004 10:59 (twenty-one years ago)

Yes, they are - view the picture as big as it gets (if IE is making images shrink to page size, hover your mouse cursor over the bottom right of the pic and click on the icon that appears).

I never realised there was such a wide swathe of North London NE of Islington that didn't have The Tube. As a South Londoner, my sympathy is limited, though.

― Markelby (Mark C), Tuesday, 7 September 2004 11:03 (twenty-one years ago)

The Paris Metro is actually G*R*A*T*E, not least because it has a station called Stalingrad and is really cheap.

Doesn't the Prague Metro have three lines?

I like the Boston Subway, because of the special measures they have to take to ward off CHUDS.

― DV (dirtyvicar), Tuesday, 7 September 2004 11:06 (twenty-one years ago)

Prague has three lines; it's OK as urban underground transit systems go...

― Dave B (daveb), Tuesday, 7 September 2004 12:39 (twenty-one years ago)

three years pass...

Classic: new London Transport Museum print-on-demand cheap poster store with huge collection: http://www.ltmcollection.org/posters/index.html

Some gems:

http://www.ltmcollection.org/images/webmax/32/0218-32.jpg
http://www.ltmcollection.org/images/webmax/57/0923-57.jpg

Show me your favourites plz thx.

― caek, Sunday, 9 September 2007 20:35 (eighteen years ago)

No?

― caek, Monday, 10 September 2007 10:52 (eighteen years ago)

what do you mean by print on demand?

― Tracer Hand, Monday, 10 September 2007 13:00 (eighteen years ago)

http://www.ltmcollection.org/images/webmax/49/1735-49.jpg

― blueski, Monday, 10 September 2007 13:12 (eighteen years ago)

Too much info. Need a random picture button. Just looking through the 80s section in search of yuppie lols. This one's bizarre:

http://www.ltmcollection.org/images/webmax/50/0207-50.jpg

"The Tube. It's got trainy things wot take you places. Get it?"

― ledge, Monday, 10 September 2007 13:26 (eighteen years ago)

Most boring poster series ever:
http://www.ltmcollection.org/images/webmax/gp/i00002gn.jpg http://www.ltmcollection.org/images/webmax/gp/i00002go.jpg http://www.ltmcollection.org/images/webmax/gp/i00002gp.jpg

― ledge, Monday, 10 September 2007 13:31 (eighteen years ago)

should be four of those... well they're all the same.

― ledge, Monday, 10 September 2007 13:31 (eighteen years ago)

http://www.ltmcollection.org/images/webmax/40/1476-40.jpg

― blueski, Monday, 10 September 2007 13:33 (eighteen years ago)

http://www.ltmcollection.org/images/webmax/45/0923-45.jpg

― blueski, Monday, 10 September 2007 13:35 (eighteen years ago)

Tracer: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Print_on_demand

The 80s stuff is kinda disappointing. I think I looked through it expecting to find a Robert Palmer video or Christian Bale.

The London Zoo one is great, and the Dollis Hill one is very pretty.

Random function definitely needed.

xpost, wow!

― caek, Monday, 10 September 2007 13:35 (eighteen years ago)

cha boy e. mcknight kauffer:

http://www.ltmcollection.org/images/webmax/28/1735-28.jpg

― That one guy that hit it and quit it, Monday, 10 September 2007 13:37 (eighteen years ago)

ended up killing a bunch of people:

http://www.ltmcollection.org/images/webmax/lb/i0000nlb.jpg

― That one guy that hit it and quit it, Monday, 10 September 2007 13:39 (eighteen years ago)

http://www.ltmcollection.org/images/webmax/24/1476-24.jpg

― DG, Monday, 10 September 2007 13:40 (eighteen years ago)

http://www.ltmcollection.org/images/thumb/41/0249-41.jpg
http://www.ltmcollection.org/images/thumb/10/0218-10.jpg

P.C.M.A.?

― blueski, Monday, 10 September 2007 13:41 (eighteen years ago)

I wonder what the ones that aren't in A-series aspect ratio look like printed on A3 or A4. I hope they're doing something intelligent with cropping the paper rather than stretching in one direction or cropping the image.

― caek, Monday, 10 September 2007 13:42 (eighteen years ago)

1990s retro

http://www.ltmcollection.org/images/webmax/95/0237-95.jpg

http://www.ltmcollection.org/images/webmax/97/0237-97.jpg

― ledge, Monday, 10 September 2007 13:42 (eighteen years ago)

http://www.ltmcollection.org/images/webmax/65/1062-65.jpg

― blueski, Monday, 10 September 2007 13:43 (eighteen years ago)

The Chicago L is becoming more of a dud every day.

― Jeff, Monday, 10 September 2007 13:44 (eighteen years ago)

http://www.ltmcollection.org/images/webmax/-2/1476-2.jpg
http://www.ltmcollection.org/images/webmax/33/0365-33.jpg

― blueski, Monday, 10 September 2007 13:50 (eighteen years ago)

they should bring this one back

http://www.ltmcollection.org/images/best/vo/i00002vo.jpg

― blueski, Monday, 10 September 2007 13:51 (eighteen years ago)

"Tiny Hebrew symbols are hidden in the vertical sections of the tail; together they spell out the name of his first granddaughter, Revital."

Revital?

― koogs, Monday, 10 September 2007 13:56 (eighteen years ago)

"Fresh air" makes baby go grey, also watch out for dark sinister trees and thugs loitering by the pond

http://www.ltmcollection.org/images/webmax/n8/i0000ln8.jpg

― ledge, Monday, 10 September 2007 14:02 (eighteen years ago)

http://www.ltmcollection.org/images/webmax/76/1664-76.jpg

OK whatever you say just don't hit me!

― ledge, Monday, 10 September 2007 14:04 (eighteen years ago)

http://www.ltmcollection.org/images/webmax/lh/i0000flh.jpg

― ledge, Monday, 10 September 2007 14:05 (eighteen years ago)

http://www.ltmcollection.org/images/webmax/29/0157-29.jpg
http://www.ltmcollection.org/images/webmax/52/0223-52.jpg
http://www.ltmcollection.org/images/webmax/74/0707-74.jpg

― ledge, Monday, 10 September 2007 14:09 (eighteen years ago)

http://www.ltmcollection.org/images/webmax/22/0147-22.jpg

― ledge, Monday, 10 September 2007 14:09 (eighteen years ago)

What year are those three "PROGRESS" ones from ledge?

― caek, Monday, 10 September 2007 14:11 (eighteen years ago)

1924/5. Loads more like those under Themes/London's transport system/Stations, but but I think I just found my favourite - Euston:

http://www.ltmcollection.org/images/webmax/x4/i0000lx4.jpg

― ledge, Monday, 10 September 2007 14:13 (eighteen years ago)

Wow. Great colours.

― caek, Monday, 10 September 2007 14:14 (eighteen years ago)

(1967)

― ledge, Monday, 10 September 2007 14:14 (eighteen years ago)

Was going to say they look very intense for the 1920s.

― caek, Monday, 10 September 2007 14:14 (eighteen years ago)

Hi caek

Thank you very much for your feedback, we really appreciate your
suggestions.

In response to your comment, I agree that being presented with over 5000
posters and 500 original artworks can be a little overwhelming!

We tried to add a variety of features on the browser to provide several
ways into the collection, in particular the 'Others are searching for'
hyperlinks located on the home page (beneath the search tips). A user
can also enter the collection via three main ways by 'theme', 'date' and
'artist'. We have links to associated artworks and posters from our
'Stories behind the collection' feature and our Curators 'Top ten'
selection, and examples of artists on all of the main decade themes.

We are currently planning our 'Phase 2' work for the project, so I will
pass on your suggestion to the rest of the development team for
discussion.

Kindest regards

Anna

How lovely!

― caek, Tuesday, 11 September 2007 13:30 (eighteen years ago)

http://www.ltmcollection.org/images/webmax/00/i0000900.jpg

This one is awesome.

― caek, Tuesday, 11 September 2007 13:33 (eighteen years ago)

"thence"

― caek, Tuesday, 11 September 2007 13:33 (eighteen years ago)

camden is fucked-up like intestines

― That one guy that hit it and quit it, Tuesday, 11 September 2007 13:35 (eighteen years ago)

"Oxford Circus [...] try it and save time"

ROFFLE

― Mark C, Tuesday, 11 September 2007 14:03 (eighteen years ago)

one year passes...

happy birthweek roundel

― Annoying Display Name (blueski), Thursday, 9 October 2008 13:40 (seventeen years ago)

five years pass...

Here's a question, someone here may know the answer - why do Jubilee Line trains and as far as I'm aware, only Jubilee Line trains make that WUB WUB WUB noise as they are leaving the station?

― Grandpont Genie, Thursday, 23 January 2014 10:42 (twelve years ago)

Don't know, but here's some fake tube signs:

http://imgur.com/a/lUWTG

― my father will guide me up the stairs to bed (anagram), Thursday, 23 January 2014 10:47 (twelve years ago)

Saw those, Anagram, they're good! I'm pretty sure a mate of mine's responsible for them too. He's not saying he did, but then again he's not saying he didn't ;-)

― Grandpont Genie, Thursday, 23 January 2014 10:52 (twelve years ago)

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