NYC Subway vs London Underground - Which is Better?
Boris Johnson bans alcohol on the London Underground. But have things improved for Londoners? I thought that a thread examining the differences between the two realities of taking these transport systems would be a good way to look it. Boring stats about length of track, size of cars aside, what really goes on on each of these systems?
In addition to mentioning the lack of rats, seat dividers, seat cushions (with the attendant bacteria and mites? no way!), better maps, signs (what, "Uptown" or "Downtown" you not understand?), these are some of the points this author says London Underground wins over the New York Subway.
8. Announcements.
It's like a revelation. Every announcement made is totally
understandable. A recorded voice declares the stop and next stop to
passengers in a crisp British accent, and there are no questions. Even
changes to service and other station announcements are easy to hear. In
New York, "Fourteenth Street, stand clear of the closing doors" often
sounds like "Fotinsti. Stankle."
9. Attractions.
The announcements aren't limited to just station names. The Tube makes
itself extra tourist-friendly by announcing major attractions at each
stop. NYC really only does this for Rockefeller Center and Ground Zero.
And, as I mentioned, you can't really understand them.
10. Fewer ads, more maps.
I hear you, Dr. Zizmor, I do, and I know you could do amazing things for
my skin, but I just want to verify my train's route. I can't deal with
you right now. Frankly, NYC's subway maps are usually old, damaged, or
not there. On the trains, display cases are packed with ads and the
one-per-car subway maps are often damaged or covered in graffiti. Not
helpful.
This trip was paid for by VisitBritain, but the ideas and opinions
expressed in the article above are 100% my own.
YEAH RIGHT ! If it were 100% your own, you would have paid for the trip yourself!
And for the infamous Tube incident about the "LITTLE MAN GETS ORF"
Awesome video. Check out the Coney Island Subway repair complex from around 1:15.
And for the infamous Tube incident about the "LITTLE MAN GETS ORF"
-mrmesser
You mean this one?
Compare with the etiquette here in NYC
There was an incident at Kings Cross - a man dressed as a lady was pushed under the train in London. There's a thread about it all in the London Transport Forum.
I love the fact how the Brits bang on about their underground which stops at midnight as being better than ours because ours is "too dirty". Well, take a look at any London street, and you will see strewn rubbish, filth and vomit - wet and dry.
It's too small to ride. The doorways are the size of an airplane toilet door, not much larger.
What kind of international city has a subway system that stops at midnight? If you miss the last one, you have to spend 5 pounds in a cab - and that's just to leave the block your on.
Wake me up when they actually build a decent subway over there.
There was an incident at Kings Cross - a man dressed as a lady was pushed under the train in London. There's a thread about it all in the London Transport Forum.
-bankertobe
This happens in NYC too - on Law and Order anyway.
London Underground is for gnomes, toadies and other animal folk.
It's just too small for modern man.
So if anyone is wondering what I meant by my preceding post it is this:
NYC Subway 1
London Underground Nil
The NYC subway is vastly superior to the London Underground. It runs 24 hours. It is cleaner. It is larger. It links to JFK with the Airtrain.
And most importantly, it takes you to places you actually want to go to. ie in Manhattan. Just by virtue of being on the NYC Subway, you know that you are in NYC. Which is another reason why it is better than the London Underground (and Overground).
Having the New York subway running 24 hours a day is not a valid reason for it to be better than the London Underground. In London the night buses (those big red double decker things) run throughout the night into every last corner of London so that the underground can stop running and be well maintained. It may be just me but given the choice of going home on a subway train at 3 in the morning out of sight of lots of people and underground or riding on a bus with driver/CCTV, I know where I would feel safer. London's transport system is fully integrated and it's a model that works well for London.
Your argument of the subway taking you exactly where you want to go rings even truer for the night buses and to be fair you could say that by virtue of being on the London Underground, you know your in London, or the Paris Metro you know you're in Paris, or the Tokyo Subway.. well you get my drift. I'm not saying that London is better, I just think to come out with a powerful statement that NYC subway is better than the London Underground, you have to back it up with unique selling points that London doesn't compete with, the airport link is not unique for example the London Underground goes to Heathrow terminals 1,2,3,4 & 5 with three different stations but you would know that if you had riden the London Underground - here's my commentary on them both -
http://www.londonandnyc.com/2010/08/new-york-subway-and-london-underground.html
Having the New York subway running 24 hours a day is not a valid reason for it to be better than the London Underground.
-turbosnail
It sure is a valid reason. The NYC Subway runs 5 or 6 hours a day more than the equivalent in London at times when people need to get home and not drive (ie after a drink) That makes the subway better and its makes the roads safer too.
In London the night buses (those big red double decker things) run throughout the night into every last corner of London so that the underground can stop running and be well maintained. It may be just me but given the choice of going home on a subway train at 3 in the morning out of sight of lots of people and underground or riding on a bus with driver/CCTV, I know where I would feel safer. London's transport system is fully integrated and it's a model that works well for London.
-turbosnail
Yes but those buses don\t come every 10 or 20 minutes do they? Besides, if using the roads is what you want, here in NYC people use buses too. There are night buses and there are taxis which most people can actually afford to use. New York MTA buses arent small buses designed from the early 20th Century - they are more like coaches.
Your argument of the subway taking you exactly where you want to go rings even truer for the night buses
-turbosnail
How exactly?
