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Having been to 175 countries, I’ve seen all types of metro systems. From rickety old wagons to state-of-the-art levitating trains, from the dodgiest of stations to ones that can be confused for museums. So how does the MTA compare?
The best parts about the New York's subway is that it runs around the clock and gets you almost anywhere.
There are less than half a dozen other systems in the world that run non-stop (more run 24 hours on the weekends) and with over 470 stations the NYC subway beats the next closest city (Shanghai with 364) by more than 100 stations! Though we’ve all had the confusion of, "How do I get across the avenues?" we can’t deny that you’re never too far from a stop. Compare this with Dubai where the main lines goes East to West and you must walk half a mile between the Dubai Mall Station and the actual mall!
Though, rationally, we approve of the MTA constantly trying to improve, it’s still always a bit anxiety-inducing to see the infamous printed warning signs: “Weekend [Service] Update.” Sure, the MTA app is consistently updated regarding delays, but that hardly compares with the Tokyo Metro which runs late so rarely that when it does, it gives out apology slips.
Another area where the NYC subway falls behind is with screens displaying wait times. These may by slowly expanding to more stations, but they're already standard for much of the world. The lack of these in some stations is a big surprise to visiting foreigners!
The component where the subway falls furthest behind globally is aesthetics. Moscow, especially, stands out with stunning stations full of murals, statues and tiled floors. In Naples, Italy there are designated “art stations” devoted to being spaces of breathtaking beauty. Sweden also has a handful of modern stations with vibrant colors and contemporary design.
The 1 train stop at 191st street goes 180 feet deep underground, but that’s nothing compared to the 350 feet at Arsenalna stop in Kiev, Ukraine. The deepest overall systems are St. Petersburg, Russia and Pyongyang, North Korea, which are claimed to double as bomb shelters. One thing's for sure, the escalator rides are quite the experience!
In terms of cleanliness, the MTA is somewhere between Singapore where most stations have maintained toilets and Mumbai, India where heat and huge crowds make for a sweaty, smelly experience.
The slow creep-up of subway costs places it right on par with most major cities, but I doubt NYC will ever be like Berlin, Germany or Oslo, Norway where they don’t even have turnstyles. There, it’s partly a trust-based system, but there are ticket agents who occasionally give out steep penalties to those without tickets.
Overall, the MTA system is great and I’m happy to be off the road and settled here in New York for the next few months. Though I do love the subway, I sometimes miss the more exciting transport options around the world: herds of motorbike drivers in East Africa, water taxis of Southeast Asia, India’s rickshaws and high-rising cable cars in the Alps.