The World’s First Subway: London, 1863

The idea of traveling underground wasn’t always so comfortable. The very first subway system opened in London on January 10, 1863. Called the Metropolitan Railway, it initially connected Paddington (then called Bishop’s Road) to Farringdon Street — a stretch of just 3.75 miles (6 km). Trains were powered by steam locomotives, meaning the tunnels were often filled with smoke and heat. Some passengers came out coughing, their clothes dusted with soot. Still, they were thrilled. The idea was revolutionary: beat the city’s notorious congestion by tunneling underneath it.

On its first day, the system carried over 38,000 passengers. Within a year, ridership ballooned to 9.5 million journeys annually. London had tapped into something big.

The Second Subway: Budapest, 1896

Next came Budapest, Hungary, in 1896. It built the first electric underground railway in continental Europe: the Millennium Underground Railway (Line M1). Just 2.4 miles (3.9 km) long, it was a technical marvel. The elegant yellow line still operates today and is now a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Budapest’s metro set a precedent for electric systems, a trend that quickly took off.

Subways Go Global

Over the next century, subway systems expanded into Asia, the Americas, and beyond. Cities found that going underground offered fast, high-capacity transport without taking up valuable surface space.

Today, about 65 countries operate subway or metro systems. These are no longer quaint novelties — they are vast, complex systems integrated with other transport networks and smart payment systems. In many cities, metro expansion continues at full speed.

Some countries with extensive subway systems include:

• China (Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Chengdu, etc.)
• Japan (Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya)
• South Korea (Seoul, Busan)
• United States (New York, Washington D.C., Chicago, San Francisco)
• Russia (Moscow, Saint Petersburg)
• France (Paris, Lyon)
• Germany (Berlin, Munich, Hamburg)
• Brazil (São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro)
• India (Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru)
• Mexico (Mexico City)
• Iran (Tehran)

Meanwhile, countries like Egypt, Turkey, Vietnam, Thailand, Nigeria, and Indonesia are either expanding or rapidly building metro systems.

Who Has the Longest and Fastest-Growing Metro Systems?

The honor for the longest metro system goes to Shanghai, China, with a network spanning over 800 km (nearly 500 miles) as of 2024. It surpassed Beijing in total length and continues to grow.

When it comes to rapid growth, China dominates here too. Cities like Chengdu, Shenzhen, and Hangzhou are building lines at a blistering pace. Chengdu, for instance, opened three new metro lines in 2020 alone.

The Largest Metro Systems in the World

Here’s the list of the world’s largest subway systems:

From London’s sooty beginnings to Shanghai’s digital ticketing and sprawling expansions, subway systems have reshaped how we experience cities. And while they may differ in age, design, and cost, they all aim to solve the same timeless problem: how to move people efficiently in a crowded urban world.

Which metro system have you used that impressed (or disappointed) you the most? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below — especially if your city is working on one!

The post Countries with Subways: A Global Look Beneath the Streets appeared first on Vivid Maps.

Reddit user: Pham_Trinli

New York City

Reddit user: playhouse_animation

Washington

Boston

Atlanta

Reddit user: D3signAllTheThings

Toronto

Source: mapto.ca

Montreal

Reddit user: weilian82

Vancouver

Reddit user: eyqs

Brussels

Berlin

Reddit user: vinnivinnivinni

Frankfurt

Reddit user: tadabutcha

Vienna

Reddit user: p6788

Antwerp

Reddit user: CKokken

Madrid

Barcelona

Reddit user: MightyMiami 

Oslo

Rotterdam

Prague

Reddit user: Swordslayer

Tokyo


Reddit user: –Ninja-

Hong Kong

Shanghai

Singapore

Reddit user: wrcyn

São Paulo

Reddit user: sweedishfishoreo

Delhi

The post Subway Maps compared to its real geography appeared first on Vivid Maps.

This eye-opening visualization highlights just how much the subway map distorts distances and directions for the sake of clarity. For instance, did you know that the 1 train actually travels in a zigzag pattern through Upper Manhattan, rather than the straight line shown on the map? Or that Staten Island is much closer to Manhattan than the subway map suggests?

The iconic NYC subway map we know today was designed by Massimo Vignelli in 1972. While visually striking and easy to read, it sacrificed geographic accuracy for simplicity. This trade-off has been a point of debate among cartographers and transit enthusiasts for decades.

An alternative view is provided by an aerial photograph overlaid with subway lines, showing the true path of trains through the city’s streets and tunnels. This perspective reveals how the subway system adapts to New York’s unique geography, weaving between skyscrapers and burrowing under rivers.

Understanding these spatial relationships can be crucial for newcomers to the city. A tourist might be surprised to find that a short walk could be faster than taking the subway for certain trips, especially in Manhattan where stations can be densely packed.

The NYC subway carries over 5.5 million riders on an average weekday, making it one of the busiest rapid transit systems in the world. Despite its complexity, this network is the lifeblood of the city, connecting diverse neighborhoods and enabling the frenetic pace of life that defines New York.

Next time you’re navigating the Big Apple, take a moment to appreciate the artistry of the subway map, but remember – the city above might look a bit different when you emerge from underground!

For those interested in exploring more about NYC’s subway system and maps, here are some relevant books available on Amazon:

• New York City Transit Authority: Objects
• New York Subway Architecture & Design Map
• The Routes Not Taken: A Trip Through New York City’s Unbuilt Subway System
• NYC Subway Map Poster

The post NYC Subway: Map vs. Geographic Distances appeared first on Vivid Maps.

Source: citylines.co

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Source: bl.ocks.org

Related posts:

– Key bus routes in central London (with top tourist attractions)
– London Traffic Counts Map
– Mapping London’s reach
– London’s Tube Heartbeat
– Visualizing transport for London accidents data
– How central London would look if the Tube map was geographically correct 

… London maps

The post London Tube Map with Voronoi, showing closest station for every location in the city appeared first on Vivid Maps.

Related posts:
– New York’s Subway Deserts
– New York City Subway stations renamed after their most popular Instagram hashtag
– New York City Subway (December 2016)
– The subway of New York City

… New York City maps

The post New York City subway track map appeared first on Vivid Maps.

Related posts:
– Historical Map of Native American Tribes in the Continental United States
– The native tribes of North and Central America

The post Primary source of food for the various Native North American tribes in the pre-Columbian era (agriculture, hunting, fishing, hunting-gathering) appeared first on Vivid Maps.

Interesting facts:
– The longest clocked in at 44 years, but there were five relationships reported over 30 years and at least a dozen more that lasted over a 10 years.
– Three people conducted relationships from Antarctica.
– Of the 595 total relationships we counted, only 117 said that they had broken up.
– Longest distance: 12,371 miles (Santiago, Chile<–>Xi’an, China). At least 17 people were separated by over 10,000 miles.
– Shortest distance: 41 miles (Hempstead, NY<–>Haskell, NJ). At least 6 relationships were clocked at under 100 miles apart.
– Work was the most common reason given for being apart.
– Planes were the most common mode of transit.
– Many of you were kept apart for long periods by visas.
– A significant number of respondents kept the flame alive without meeting in person for many years, and in 17 cases, not ever.

Via atlasobscura.com

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Related posts:
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– New York City boroughs journey to work-driving ca alone vs. walk/public transportation
– New York City transit frequency
– Transit Time NYC
– Yellow Taxi Trips (2015)
– New York Citi Bike Rebalancing Study
– New York City bikeshare activity map (June 22, 2016)
– New York Citi bike most popular roads (Sep – Nov 2015)
– New York City Subway (December 2016)
– Every elevator and escalator in NYC
– How commuters get to Manhattan

… New York City Maps

The post The subway of New York City as a Voronoi tessellation appeared first on Vivid Maps.

The post Map of geo-social division appeared first on Vivid Maps.