European subways are so much prettier than ours

[samhexum]

I went to Europe for three straight years 1989-1991 and was amazed at the look of some of their subway stations.  I remember the chandeliers(!) in Moscow.  Today I saw this:

UKRAINE WAR

A light in the dark Ukraine city takes holidays underground to avoid missile strikes

Kharkiv City Council posted a photo of its New Year’s tree, installed in the city’s central subway station rather than in its central square, on its Telegram channel.

[Marc in Calif]

37 minutes ago, samhexum said:

I went to Europe for three straight years 1989-1991 and was amazed at the look of some of their subway stations.  I remember the chandeliers(!) in Moscow. 

Public transportation is prized and taken very seriously (including government ownership or subsidies) in major cities around the world — but not in the United States. It's a pleasure to ride subways, monorails, and trams in Europe and Asia. The stations are often works of art themselves, as samhexum's photo above shows. 

Edited December 10, 2022 by Marc in Calif

[LostUpstate]

I absolutely cringe when I have to take the subway in NYC. Homeless people in the stations and sleeping on the seats on the trains, rats sometimes even on the platforms, open drug use, erratic behavior. It’s a horror show. Then when I’m in London on the Tube, it’s so civilized. Seats upholstered in fabric, and signs to keep your feet off the seats. Of course, it is more expensive than the NYC subway, but it’s worth it. I’m used to the Metro in Paris, but it sometimes does have its issues similar to those in New York with the homelessness and erratic behavior. Also love the Metro in Montréal and the subway in Tokyo, the one time I was in the Japanese capital. 

[+ BenjaminNicholas]

1 hour ago, LostUpstate said:

I absolutely cringe when I have to take the subway in NYC. Homeless people in the stations and sleeping on the seats on the trains, rats sometimes even on the platforms, open drug use, erratic behavior. It’s a horror show. Then when I’m in London on the Tube, it’s so civilized. Seats upholstered in fabric, and signs to keep your feet off the seats. Of course, it is more expensive than the NYC subway, but it’s worth it. I’m used to the Metro in Paris, but it sometimes does have its issues similar to those in New York with the homelessness and erratic behavior. Also love the Metro in Montréal and the subway in Tokyo, the one time I was in the Japanese capital. 

Eh. The NYC subway is a right of passage and a part of life in the city.

It ain't fancy, but it gets the job done and almost universally faster than trying to get an Uber from the LES to midtown in less than a half hour. 

I've never felt unsafe riding.

[spider]

Yes this may be true. But large parts of the subway in Berlin, Paris and certainly Frankfurt, for example, do nothing more than get the job done. Very utilitarian.

[keefer]

And then we have the (absolutely fabulous) cross-London Elizabeth line...   the trains are unbelievably long, internally joined seamlessly as one long tube without separation...   Canary Wharf to Soho in four stops (~15 minutes) and then on out to Heathrow...  (images picked from google)...

Edited December 12, 2022 by keefer

[+ BenjaminNicholas]

16 minutes ago, keefer said:

And then we have the (absolutely fabulous) cross-London Elizabeth line...   the trains are unbelievably long, internally joined seamlessly as one long tube without separation...   Canary Wharf to Soho in four stops (~15 minutes) and then on out to Heathrow... 

Agree.  They knocked it out of the park with this one.

She's a beaut.

[+ Italiano]

On 12/12/2022 at 12:00 AM, BenjaminNicholas said:

Eh. The NYC subway is a right of passage and a part of life in the city.

It ain't fancy, but it gets the job done and almost universally faster than trying to get an Uber from the LES to midtown in less than a half hour. 

I've never felt unsafe riding.

You've been very lucky. I think that every NYer has experienced something unsafe in the subway at least once.

[spider]

16 hours ago, keefer said:

And then we have the (absolutely fabulous) cross-London Elizabeth line...   the trains are unbelievably long, internally joined seamlessly as one long tube without separation...   Canary Wharf to Soho in four stops (~15 minutes) and then on out to Heathrow...  (images picked from google)...

London Transit does have a habit of picking our really ugly upholstery.

[+ BenjaminNicholas]

6 hours ago, Italiano said:

You've been very lucky. I think that every NYer has experienced something unsafe in the subway at least once.

I didn't say unsafe things aren't happening, but that I've never felt unsafe personally. 

I'm a big guy. People don't usually target me and tend to leave me alone in these sort of situations. 

[+ keroscenefire]

I was in Paris this spring and they have some beautiful Metro stations. I think my favorite was Arts et Metiers, which is clad in copper and designed to look like the Nautilus from 10,000 Leagues Under the Sea.

 

Beautiful!

[Jim_n_NYC]

I agree with the premise of this thread in general, but there's something else about them (most European ones, anyway).  It's great how you can usually find a train that will take you from the airport to downtown...unlike some in the US.  Here's looking at you JFK and LGA.

[keefer]

4 hours ago, spider said:

London Transit does have a habit of picking our really ugly upholstery.

I concede London Transports choice of fabrics is more 1950's than Rodeo Drive or 5th Avenue, and possibly chosen by someone who has less fashion sense than I (as if that's possible)...

But as a consumer I tend to applaud their use of fluid resistant (or highly absorbent) seating  --  at the very least to prevent finding any surprises left behind by users travelling home after a night of heavy drinking  

[RadioRob]

I was in Paris for the last week...  some stations looked decent...  others reminded me of home.  I loved a lot of the street entrances to the stations though.

Others were the more classic entrances.

[+ keroscenefire]

2 hours ago, RadioRob said:

I was in Paris for the last week...  some stations looked decent...  others reminded me of home.  I loved a lot of the street entrances to the stations though.

Others were the more classic entrances.

I love the art-nouveau metro entrances. Truly one of the most beautiful and distinct metros in the world.

[Guest]

2% of americans ruin it for everyone else.

And, we tend to not budget maintenance expense on public assets to the economic diminution of value in use.

[+ BenjaminNicholas]

16 hours ago, BnaC said:

2% of americans ruin it for everyone else.

And, we tend to not budget maintenance expense on public assets to the economic diminution of value in use.

Unless you're in another country and then it's a much bigger percentage of American tourists who act like animals. 

It shouldn't be that easy to spot an American... But it is. 

When in Rome remains my steadfast rule. 

Edited December 14, 2022 by BenjaminNicholas

[Lazarus]

23 hours ago, Jim_n_NYC said:

I agree with the premise of this thread in general, but there's something else about them (most European ones, anyway).  It's great how you can usually find a train that will take you from the airport to downtown...unlike some in the US.  Here's looking at you JFK and LGA.

You can take the train from JFK to downtown. A few transfers but it can be done. 

[Jim_n_NYC]

1 hour ago, Lazarus said:

You can take the train from JFK to downtown. A few transfers but it can be done. 

THAT'S my point. Most major cities in Europe that I've traveled to have a train that goes from the airport terminals to downtown...no transfers...and one ticket. 

[+ Lucky]

On 12/13/2022 at 12:07 PM, RadioRob said:

I was in Paris for the last week... 

 

Are we going to get a trip report? What did you do for fun? Where did you eat? What was your general impression? How were the men?

et cetera et cetera et cetera!!!

(new thread okay!)

[RadioRob]

I’m just literally landed at DCA to head home. Spent the last few days with friends near MSP.  I’ll create a thread and share some pictures once I get home and settled. This will be my first time home since Thanksgiving!  (I hope I still remember the place!)

[Lazarus]

3 hours ago, Jim_n_NYC said:

THAT'S my point. Most major cities in Europe that I've traveled to have a train that goes from the airport terminals to downtown...no transfers...and one ticket. 

Thank you for clarifying. 

[Guest]

7 hours ago, BenjaminNicholas said:

Unless you're in another country and then it's a much bigger percentage of American tourists who act like animals. 

It shouldn't be that easy to spot an American... But it is. 

When in Rome remains my steadfast rule. 

I wish I could refute your observation. 

[Rudynate]

On 12/13/2022 at 9:21 AM, BenjaminNicholas said:

 

I'm a big guy.

And getting bigger all the time.

[+ WilliamM]

1986

Zurich to Venice with stop inMilan

Over night Venice to  Paris

1974

Montreal to Vancouver

 

Edited December 15, 2022 by WilliamM