Inside the MTR Hong Kong - History, Stats and Daily Reality
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The MTR Hong Kong - The World's Best Subway System?
Foreword by Jamie
Inside the MTR Hong Kong - History, Stats and Daily Reality
I have lived in Hong Kong since 2nd January 1972. For more than half a century I have watched the city grow, change and keep moving. When I arrived the roads were already feeling the strain of a population that was expanding fast and a car ownership rate that was starting to climb. By the mid 1970s it was obvious that buses, ferries and taxis alone would not be enough. The MTR (Subway) is one of the things that makes daily life here possible. You can live in Tuen Mun, work on Hong Kong Island and still get home at a sensible hour. Guests on my private tours often ask about it. Some have read the international rankings that put it near the top of the world's best systems. Others have simply used it and want to know how something this dense and this busy stays as reliable as it does. This is the long version of the story, from the first idea through to the system we have now, with the numbers, the decisions and the everyday reality that sit behind the clean stations and the on time trains.
When the first section of the MTR opened on 1st October 1979 (Shek Kip Mei to Kwun Tong), the Hong Kong Telephone Company was the sole provider of local telephone service in Hong Kong. It held the franchise for the public telephone network. So any ordinary telephone lines into the stations, staff telephones, and public payphones on the platforms and concourses would have been supplied and connected by the Hong Kong Telephone Company. That was the normal arrangement at the time.
The MTR’s own operational telecoms, however, were a different matter. The signalling, train control, track circuits, and internal radio systems on the original Modified Initial System were specialist railway equipment. These were part of the electrical and mechanical contracts let by the Mass Transit Railway Corporation and were supplied by railway signalling contractors, not by the public telephone company. The early system used speed code automatic train control with conventional track circuits and relay interlocking.
In short, Hong Kong Telephone Company provided the public telephone connections for the stations in 1979, but it was not the provider of the MTR’s internal signalling and operational communications systems. Those came from the railway industry contractors working on the projec
Why is this important, well on 30th September 1979 I was one of the 1,000 guests on the first train courtesy of my father who worked for the Hong Kong Telephone Company, the first “public ride “ was on October 1st 1979
Kilometers to Miles: Multiply by 0.621371 (or roughly 0.62)
The MTR idea that became the Modified Initial System
By the late 1960s the roads were already struggling. British consultants Freeman Fox and Wilbur Smith were brought in. Their 1967 Hong Kong Mass Transport Study recommended a substantial underground network of roughly 64 km. A later report in 1970 refined the idea into four main corridors that roughly match today's Kwun Tong, Tsuen Wan, Island and a line that was later deferred. The government approved a scaled down Initial System in 1972. Cost, politics and the sheer difficulty of building under an already dense city reduced it further. By early 1975 it had become the Modified Initial System, roughly 15.6 km, of which 12.8 km was underground and 2.8 km elevated near Kowloon Bay. It linked Kowloon East with the harbour and eventually Central.
The Mass Transit Railway Corporation was created by ordinance on 7th May 1975. Construction started on 11th November that year. Engineers used pipe pile cofferdams and ground treatment because diaphragm walling was not yet common here. Groundwater was a constant issue. The immersed tube under the harbour was one of the more ambitious pieces of civil engineering of its day. The first section, from Shek Kip Mei to Kwun Tong, opened on 1st October 1979. Governor Murray MacLehose pressed the button that sent the first train. The full Modified Initial System, including the harbour crossing to Central, opened on 12th February 1980. Princess Alexandra rode the inaugural train. There were 15 stations. Trains started as four car sets and grew to six and then eight as numbers rose. The first day of public service carried about 285,000 people. Fares began at HK$1. The system was clean, fast and, by the standards of the time, modern. It set the pattern for everything that followed.
How the MTR network grew
The Tsuen Wan Line opened in May 1982, taking the system out towards the New Territories. The Island Line followed in May 1985, initially from Chai Wan to Admiralty, then extended to Sheung Wan in 1986. That extension was delayed a year because government offices sat on top of the station site and had to be moved. The Eastern Harbour Crossing arrived in 1989 and gave a second rail route under the water. The Airport Railway (Tung Chung Line and Airport Express) opened in 1998 with the new airport at Chek Lap Kok on Lantau Island. Tseung Kwan O Line opened in 2002. Disneyland Resort Line in 2005. South Island Line in 2016. The merger with the Kowloon Canton Railway in December 2007 brought the East Rail, West Rail and Ma On Shan lines under one operator. Those former KCR lines were later reconfigured into the Tuen Ma Line, which opened fully in 2021. The East Rail Line was extended under the harbour to Admiralty in 2022, completing a fourth cross harbour heavy rail route.
The 2007 merger was more than a change of ownership. Before it, passengers changing between the MTR and the old KCR lines often needed a separate ticket or had to exit and re enter. After the merger the network became a single system with through ticketing on one Octopus or single journey ticket, one map, and one set of operating rules. Journey times between Kowloon and the New Territories improved and interchanges became simpler. The East Rail, West Rail and Ma On Shan lines were gradually rebuilt and joined to form the Tuen Ma Line. For regular users the difference was immediate. You no longer thought of two separate railways. It was one network.
Today the MTR network (excluding Light Rail and High Speed Rail) has 99 stations and around 237 to 271 km of route depending on exactly what is counted. The main lines are Kwun Tong, Tsuen Wan, Island, South Island, Tseung Kwan O, Tung Chung, Disneyland Resort, East Rail and Tuen Ma, plus the Airport Express. Cross boundary services run on the East Rail to Lo Wu and Lok Ma Chau. The High Speed Rail Hong Kong Section connects West Kowloon Station to the national network in Mainland China.
Light Rail is a separate above ground system in the northwest New Territories in Hong Kong. It runs on its own tracks between the towns of Tuen Mun and Yuen Long (with branches into Tin Shui Wai), covering about 36 km and 68 stops. The trains are much smaller than the heavy rail (the MTR Subway system) sets. Most run as single carriages, though some routes use two carriages coupled together. Each carriage carries roughly 240 to 255 passengers. The system links with the Tuen Ma Line at Tuen Mun, Siu Hong, Tin Shui Wai and Yuen Long, so passengers can change between the local Light Rail and the main network. The system as a whole is the backbone of public transport in Hong Kong.
The MTR - current lines
The network is made up of the following heavy rail lines (the MTR Subway system):
Kwun Tong Line: 17 stations
Tsuen Wan Line: 16 stations
Island Line: 17 stations
South Island Line: 5 stations
Tseung Kwan O Line: 8 stations
Tung Chung Line: 8 stations
Disneyland Resort Line: 2 stations
East Rail Line: 16 stations
Tuen Ma Line: 27 stations
Airport Express: 5 stations
Station names appear in both English and Chinese on signs, maps and announcements. Most English names are straightforward translations or established place names. A few are longer or carry more than one common name because the area has changed or because the Chinese name is more widely used locally. The bilingual approach is consistent across the system. You see the Chinese characters first or equally prominent on platform signs, with the English name directly underneath or beside them. For visitors this is usually clear. For residents it is simply how the city works. Train announcements are made in Cantonese, Mandarin and English in that order
Looking ahead - the next 10 years
The network is still growing. Several projects are already under construction or in advanced planning and are expected to open between 2027 and 2035. Kwu Tung Station on the East Rail Line, between Sheung Shui and Lok Ma Chau, is targeted for 2027. The Tung Chung Line Extension is adding Tung Chung West and a new station at Oyster Bay (formerly Siu Ho Wan), with service expected around 2029 to 2030. Tuen Mun South Extension and Hung Shui Kiu Station on the Tuen Ma Line are both aiming for around 2030. The biggest single project is the Northern Link. Its Main Line will connect Kam Sheung Road on the Tuen Ma Line to Kwu Tung on the East Rail Line, with intermediate stations at Au Tau, Ngau Tam Mei and San Tin. A Spur Line will run from San Tin to Huanggang Port in Shenzhen. Both sections are targeted to open together by 2034 or earlier. Further out, the Hong Kong Shenzhen Western Rail Link is planned to open around 2035, linking Hung Shui Kiu and Lau Fau Shan across to Qianhai. South Island Line West and a new station at Pak Shek Kok are in detailed planning. Other ideas, including a revised East Kowloon line and a North Island Line, remain on the longer term list. These additions will serve the Northern Metropolis and new housing areas while keeping the same model of building railway and property together.
Current MTR numbers
September 2026 daily averages (approximate):
Domestic heavy rail services (the MTR Subway system): about 4.89 million
Airport Express: about 35,400 passengers
Cross boundary: about 318,000 passengers
Light Rail and feeder bus: about 639,000 passengers
High Speed Rail: about 85,100 passengers
The system accounts for roughly 44% of all public transport journeys in Hong Kong. Peak frequencies on the busiest urban lines drop to around two minutes. Punctuality is routinely reported above 99.9%. Most urban trains are eight cars long. A typical urban carriage holds roughly 300 to 350 people under normal loading (about 45 seats and the rest standing). An eight car train therefore carries in the region of 2,500 passengers. Airport Express trains are also eight cars, with one dedicated to luggage. South Island Line uses shorter three car driverless trains. East Rail uses nine car sets with a first class compartment. The Corporation runs more than 7,500 train trips every day on the heavy rail network (the MTR Subway system) alone.
Peak hour on the MTR
he capacity numbers are accurate, but the main practical difficulty at peak times is not simply the number of people. It is the luggage and the shopping trolleys, oh and did I mention that just about every one has a large bag and strollers are a nightmare? This is a system wide problem on pretty much every line. Visitors from Mainland China and tourists often travel with two large suitcases. Local passengers bring big shopping trolleys that take up the same floor space as a suitcase. The MTR does have rules. On the urban lines each passenger is allowed only one piece of luggage, the total of length plus width plus height must not exceed 170 cm, and no single side may exceed 130 cm. Bicycles are permitted if you remove the front wheel so the bike fits within those limits. In practice the rules are widely ignored. No one is measuring shopping trolleys at the gates, and there is almost no enforcement except at the boundary stations. I have seen people boarding with large boxes containing domestic appliances that clearly break the size rules.
The good news is that most people who are seated will still stand and offer their seat to an elderly passenger without being asked. It is one of the quieter courtesies that still holds on the system
I would also like to add a personal comment, it you play music or talk in a loud voice or generally misbehave (including drinking) you will get hundreds of people videoing you on their smartphones and you will be uploaded to social media! you have been warned
Octopus and contactless payments on the MTR
Octopus launched in September 1997, just before the handover. It is a contactless stored value card that replaced the old magnetic tickets for most regular users. You tap in and tap out. The system calculates the fare and deducts it. It removed the need to buy a paper ticket for every journey and sped up boarding at busy stations. Within a few years it expanded beyond the MTR to buses, minibuses, ferries, convenience stores, supermarkets and many other places. For residents it is simply how you pay for everyday transport and small purchases. For visitors it is one of the more practical things they encounter. You can buy one at the airport or at most stations, load it with cash or a credit card, and use it across the city. The card itself has become part of the visual language of Hong Kong, just like the MTR logo.
More recently the Corporation has added contactless bank card payment at designated entry and exit gates on the heavy rail network, including the Airport Express. Visa, Mastercard and UnionPay contactless cards (or a phone or watch linked to one) can be tapped directly at the gate in place of an Octopus or single journey ticket. The service is not available on Light Rail. It is useful for visitors who do not want to buy an Octopus, though Octopus remains the most widely used and flexible option for regular travel.
Fares, Octopus cards and the main concessions
There is no single official average fare on the MTR because charges are distance based. Adult Octopus fares on the domestic heavy rail network (the MTR Subway system) typically run from about HK$4 to HK$6 (US$0.50 to US$0.80) for a short urban hop, around HK$10 to HK$13 (US$1.30 to US$1.70) for a medium cross harbour trip such as Central to Tsim Sha Tsui, and higher for longer journeys. A practical everyday average for a typical adult domestic trip sits in the region of HK$10 to HK$12 (about US$1.30 to US$1.55). Single journey tickets cost a little more than the Octopus fare for the same trip. Airport Express is priced separately and is much higher.
Octopus cards come in different versions with different fares:
Adult Octopus: full adult fare. This is the standard card for most people aged 12 and over.
Child Octopus: concessionary fare (roughly half the adult fare) for children aged 3 to 11.
Elder / Senior Octopus: concessionary fare (roughly half the adult fare) for people aged 65 and over. Anonymous Elder Octopus and Personalised Elder Octopus both give this half fare on domestic services.
Personally I think it is outrageous that kids are charged an adult fare when they are 12, it should be changed to 16 or 17 as many kids are in school until they turn 18
The main government concession is the JoyYou Card. This is a personalised Octopus for Hong Kong residents aged 60 or above. From 3rd April 2026 the old flat HK$2 fare was changed to a “$2 flat rate or 80% off” scheme. On eligible domestic MTR services
(including Light Rail and MTR buses), if the adult fare is HK$10 or below the JoyYou holder pays HK$2. If the adult fare is above HK$10 they pay 20% of the adult fare. The scheme does not apply to Airport Express, East Rail First Class, or journeys to and from Lo Wu and Lok Ma Chau. Eligible persons with disabilities under 60 use a Personalised Octopus with “Persons with Disabilities Status” for the same concession.
Student status can also be loaded onto a personalised Octopus for a reduced fare on the MTR. Contactless bank cards at the gates charge the adult fare only and do not give child, elder or JoyYou concessions.
From British trains to Chinese trains
The original trains were built by Metro Cammell in Britain. They entered service in 1979 and were refurbished in the late 1990s. After more than 40 years they were simply worn out. Reliability was still high, but the cost of keeping them going was rising and spare parts were becoming harder to find. In 2015 the Corporation ordered 93 new Q Trains from CRRC Qingdao Sifang in Mainland China at a cost of around HK$6 billion (about US$770 million). The first entered service on the Kwun Tong Line in late 2022. The programme aims to replace the remaining British built sets on the urban lines by around 2029. The decision was practical: age, cost, manufacturing capacity, and compatibility with the new signalling systems being installed. Earlier Chinese built C Trains had already appeared on the Kwun Tong Line from 2011. The shift was gradual rather than sudden. The new trains have more handrails, LED lighting and dynamic route maps. They are designed to work with the communication based train control system that is being rolled out line by line.
Platform screen doors on the MTR
Platform screen doors were first fitted as standard on the Airport Railway when it opened in 1998. A trial retrofit at Choi Hung Station showed it was feasible on older underground stations without major disruption. Between 1999 and 2006 the Corporation fitted full height screen doors at 30 underground stations on the Kwun Tong, Tsuen Wan and Island Lines. The capital cost was about HK$2 billion. A small levy on Octopus fares helped pay for part of it and was later dropped once the cost had been recovered. The main reasons were safety (fewer people falling or jumping onto the tracks) and better climate control on the platforms. Before the doors, platform suicides were a regular, if grim, feature of the system. Numbers fell sharply once the doors were in place. New lines have had them from the start. Above ground stations received lower automatic platform gates where full doors were not practical because of ventilation and structural constraints. The doors have reduced serious platform accidents, though occasional glass breakages still occur, usually from impact by a hard object. The glass is toughened safety glass and is heat soak tested before installation.
Steps, escalators and older MTR stations
Many of the original stations were designed for speed and cost. Some still require 30 to 60 steps between street and concourse, or between concourse and platform. Full barrier free access was not a priority in the 1970s and 1980s. Barrier free means a route that a person in a wheelchair, or someone who cannot manage steps, can use without assistance. That usually means a lift (elevator) from street level to the concourse and another from the concourse to the platform, or a properly graded ramp. An escalator is not barrier free on its own because it still requires the ability to step on and off and to stand while it moves. The Corporation has spent hundreds of millions of Hong Kong dollars retrofitting lifts, ramps and wide gates. Almost every station now has at least one barrier free route, but many individual entrances still rely on stairs or a single escalator. Geography, building structure and the need to keep passenger flow moving make full lifts at every exit impractical. Fortress Hill, Tin Hau and a few others remain more difficult.
Newer stations are better. The older ones still show their age. On a busy day you notice the difference when you change from a modern interchange to one of the original deep stations. The steps are manageable for most people, but they are a real obstacle for anyone with mobility issues, heavy luggage or a pram. This is a genuine issue and should not be understated, particularly as Hong Kong’s population ages. At Tsim Sha Tsui Station a few years ago they added a new exit at Kowloon Park next to the mosque with escalators and a lift. It shows that older stations can be improved when the will is there. On the Tsuen Wan Line and other early lines you often find escalators that only go halfway and then leave you with a flight of steps. As a tour guide I know which exit to use and can usually find a full set of escalators at one entrance. Visitors do not have that local knowledge. They simply follow the signs and end up climbing. With an aging population these partial solutions make less sense every year. Full retrofitting of escalators or lifts at more exits is both possible and overdue.
Beyond the lifts and escalators, most stations now have tactile paving along the platform edge and on the main walking routes, raised dots and bars that can be felt underfoot or with a cane. In all the years I have been on the system I have never once seen a blind person actually using the tactile paving. The paths are there, but I have no personal observation of them being used. Audio announcements in Cantonese, Mandarin and English tell you the next station and which side the doors will open. Platform screen doors on underground stations also reduce the risk of someone stepping or falling onto the tracks. These features help, but they do not remove the basic problem of steps at many older exits. A station can have excellent announcements and tactile paving and still be difficult if the only route from the street involves 40+ steps.
Toilets in MTR stations
Public toilets were not part of the original station design in the 1970s and 1980s. Journeys were shorter then and there were usually toilets in nearby buildings or shopping centres. Retrofitting deep underground stations later proved technically difficult because of high voltage cables under the concourse floors, limited space and the need for proper drainage and ventilation. For years the Corporation resisted adding them, arguing that staff toilets could be made available on request and that public toilets might create hygiene or security problems. Public and Legislative Council pressure eventually changed the position. From the 2010s onwards the Corporation began adding toilets at interchange stations and during major refurbishments. Newer lines and extensions were built with toilets as standard. Today most stations on the Tuen Ma Line, East Rail Line and newer sections have them, often inside the paid area. Many of the original deep stations on the Island Line and early Tsuen Wan Line still have none or only limited facilities. The improvement has been real, but it took a long time and is still incomplete on the oldest parts of the network.
The MTR logo
The original logo was designed in the mid 1970s by Misha Black of the British firm Design Research Unit. The story inside the firm was that he sketched it on the back of a cigarette packet. It is abstract. One common reading is that the upper curve represents Kowloon, the lower curve Hong Kong Island, and the vertical stroke the link between them. It has a deliberately Chinese visual flavour without being a literal character. Black died in 1977, before the system opened. The logo was updated in 1996 with a more solid red and an oval background. It remains one of the most recognisable marks in Hong Kong. You see it on trains, station entrances, Octopus readers and property developments. It has become part of the visual language of the city.
The Airport Express Service
Opened on 6th July 1998 with the new airport, the Airport Express runs from Hong Kong Station in Central to the airport in about 24 minutes. It offers in town check in at some city stations, dedicated seating and a more spacious feel than the ordinary lines. It has never carried the same volumes as the urban network, but it has been commercially successful and is widely regarded as one of the better airport rail links in the world. Trains were later lengthened to eight cars. The Tung Chung Line shares the same corridor and serves the residential and commercial development at Tung Chung. For visitors the Airport Express is often the first and last impression of Hong Kong public transport. For residents it is the reliable way to reach the airport without sitting in traffic on the Lantau Road Link.
Safety, crime and policing on the MTR
There is no separate MTR Police Force. Policing is handled by the Railway District of the Hong Kong Police Force. The district has existed in various forms since the system opened and has grown as the network expanded. Crime on the system is low by international standards for a network of this density. Design (clear sight lines, few hiding places, good lighting, platform screen doors) helps. The overall low crime rate in Hong Kong also helps. Major incidents are rare. One that stands out is the 2017 case in which a man set himself on fire inside a crowded train between Admiralty and Tsim Sha Tsui. Several people were injured and the station was evacuated. Such events are exceptional. The more common problems are men groping women in packed carriages or taking photographs of them from behind on escalators. These incidents happen but remain a very small part of overall travel. There are no regular police patrols at platform level. You will sometimes see officers inside the station conducting identity checks. The system is not 100% crime free, but serious crime is uncommon and most passengers travel without concern for personal safety. That low level of everyday risk is one of the quieter achievements of the network.
Pets and women only carriages on the MTR
There have been no permanent women only carriages. The Corporation and government have repeatedly said the open design of the trains and the need to manage passenger flow make the idea impractical. Sexual offences on public transport exist, but the numbers are a tiny percentage of total crime and the operational arguments against dedicated carriages have prevailed. I have never supported the idea. It creates more problems than it solves in a high capacity system that already runs near capacity at peak times. Dedicated carriages would slow boarding, complicate interchanges and still leave the platforms and concourses mixed.
Pets are more recent. A Cat/Dog Carrying Scheme on the Light Rail became permanent in September 2025. It is limited to weekends and public holidays, one cat or dog per person, fully enclosed in a carrier of restricted size, and requires a HK$99 monthly pass bought through the MTR Mobile app. There is no permanent pet carriage on the heavy rail lines. Occasional special events have allowed dogs on designated carriages for a single day. I am not in favour of either permanent pet or women only arrangements on the ordinary network. The system is already crowded enough. Hygiene, space and the sheer volume of people make permanent special carriages a poor fit for Hong Kong.
MTR Property Holdings
The Rail + Property model is central to how the Corporation works. The government grants development rights above or beside stations. The Corporation partners with private developers, builds the railway and shares in the property profits. This has funded expansion without heavy direct government subsidy. The Corporation owns or manages 16 shopping malls in Hong Kong (including Elements, IFC Mall, Maritime Square, Telford Plaza, Paradise Mall, PopCorn, The LOHAS and others). It manages well over 130,000 residential units and substantial office space, including floors in Two IFC. At the end of 2025 its attributable investment property portfolio in Hong Kong was roughly 316,000 square metres of retail space and about 39,000 square metres of office space. The model has been studied by other cities. It is one reason the railway side can remain profitable while fares stay relatively modest by international standards. You see the results above almost every major station: residential towers, shopping centres and offices that feed passengers into the system and revenue into the Corporation.
Corporate structure of the MTR
MTR Corporation Limited is listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (stock code 0066). The Hong Kong SAR Government holds approximately 74.45% of the shares. The rest is held by institutions and the public. It is a major Hang Seng Index constituent and one of the larger listed companies in Hong Kong by market capitalisation. It is not a pure government department, nor is it a fully private operator. The government remains the controlling shareholder and sets the overall policy framework. The listing in October 2000 brought private capital and market discipline while keeping strategic control in government hands. Dividends are paid regularly. The dual role of railway operator and property developer is what makes the financial model work.
The MTR Corporation in Hong Kong is financially self sustaining and has stayed consistently profitable without the kind of direct government operating subsidies that most mass transit systems around the world rely on. It is listed on the stock exchange and funds its own operations, maintenance and network expansion through fares and, far more importantly, through the property development it controls above and around the stations. That Rail + Property model is what keeps the books in the black.
To me it is a public company in all but name. The Hong Kong SAR Government is the majority shareholder, appoints the chairman and most of the board, and decides the franchise terms under which the whole system runs. On paper it is a commercial listed company. In practice the public hand is never far from the controls. It has worked for Hong Kong, but it is not the arms length private operator some people like to claim.
MTR Operations outside Hong Kong and world ranking
The Corporation operates or has operated railway systems beyond Hong Kong. These include lines in Shenzhen, Beijing, Hangzhou and other Mainland cities, Melbourne’s metropolitan rail network in Australia, and Sydney Metro lines. It previously operated the Elizabeth Line in London until the contract ended. The “rail plus property” approach has been exported in limited form. In rankings of the world’s best metro systems the Hong Kong MTR consistently appears near the top for punctuality, cleanliness, efficiency and the way it shapes the city. One recent assessment placed it second overall behind Tokyo for daily usability, with the highest reported on time performance at 99.9%. It is frequently cited as a model of what a dense, high capacity urban railway can achieve
Official operating hours (as of the latest MTR timetable):
Airport Express
From Hong Kong Station to the airport: first train 05:50, last train 00:48
From Kowloon Station to the airport: first train 05:53, last train 00:52
From Tsing Yi Station to the airport: first train 06:00, last train 00:59
From the airport to the city: first train 05:54, last train 00:48
From the airport to AsiaWorld-Expo: first train 06:15, last train 01:13
From AsiaWorld-Expo to the city: first train 06:00, last train 00:45
Domestic heavy rail lines (the MTR Subway system)
First trains generally start between about 05:30 and 06:10 depending on the line and direction. Last trains run until roughly 00:30 to 01:00. Exact times vary by station and direction. There is no overnight service on any line. Entry gates close about five minutes before the last train departs.
The system does not run 24 hours. After the last train, passengers need to use other transport (buses, taxis or overnight coaches).
All times are Hong Kong time and can change on public holidays or for special events, so the MTR app or station displays are the final word on the day.
The Last Word
Is it the world’s best subway system? That depends on what you measure. For sheer reliability and the way it has been woven into the fabric of a very dense city, it is hard to beat. For scale it is smaller than Beijing or Shanghai. For historical character it is not London. For late night coverage it is not New York. But for the combination of frequency, cleanliness, integration with property and everyday usefulness, it is in a very small group at the top. After 50+ years here I still use it pretty much on a daily basis. It is not perfect. Some older stations still have those long flights of steps. Peak hour trains are full. But it works, day after day, for millions of people. That is the real measure.
So there you go
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© Copyright Acknowledged | All rights reserved | images taken by Jamie
