Submitted by Dmitry, who says:

It all started when in Moscow was initiated a public tender for creation of a new, modern metro map. I was really excited and made an imaginary metro map for Florence (IRL there’s no metro).

But then I thought that I can do something really useful. A map for a real transport system that would be helpful, beautiful and clean.

I have completely redesigned the Milan Metro Map. I have added the latest updates with line M5, a grid with alphabetic list of stations, airports, I have created a new set of pictograms and packed them into a symbol font. I have created a completely new style that does not copy any other transport map in the world.

This map now has its own character, just like the city. The emphasis is put on the M lines however you can clearly understand how to use both M and S lines, how to get from point A to point B. The current official map just shows the S stations, it does not show to which line a station belongs.

I have excluded the regular railways (RFI) because they’re not a metropolitan transport.

Full project information and a PDF is here, free for download.

Transit Maps says:

Wow. This is absolutely beautiful work, and quite superior to the somewhat stuffy official map (March 2012, 3.5 stars).

Dmitry hits the nail on the head when he says this map now has a character that’s unique to the city, and its a look that feels appropriate for fashion-conscious, forward-looking Milan. Everything here is created especially for this map: the lovely custom icons, the square-yet-round station markers, and the stunning ribbon-like effect used for the suburban rail lines, which has a lovely rhythmical flow to it. Even the slight checkerboarding pattern used for the grid (alternating squares are tinted a little darker) – which could look clumsy if not handled well – is handled deftly and subtly.

Our rating: Hand-crafted excellence that suits its target city perfectly. 5 stars.

P.S. Seriously, are Russians the best transit map designers at the moment or what? This beautiful piece, Michael Kvrivishvili’s contest-winning MBTA map and Lebedev Studio’s Moscow Metro redesign. All such beautiful work and something for other designers to aspire to.