Wow. Just wow. These amazing transit maps of early 20th Century Berlin are just a few samples of the maps that can be found at the BerlinerVerkehr website – an absolute treasure trove that transit geeks like me can easily lose hours to. Five stars for this collection, obviously!
All of these maps are of interest, but there’s a few things that really stand out:
Nicely done — even if some of the letters are a bit of a stretch — but Animals on the Underground is more fun.
Source: Tim Fishlock
Porto, Portugal’s Metro light rail system is only ten years old, but is already a comprehensive and far-reaching network. With such a modern transit system, it’s important to have a map to match, and in most respects, this one certainly fits the bill. But does everything have to be so small?
Have we been there? No.
What we like: Some beautifully crafted elements, especially the bespoke icons for connecting services (bus, train, airport, etc.) Too many maps use the standard and dated ESRI icons for these, but these match the light, airy feel of the map perfectly.
The curves in the route lines are also beautifully executed, being wide and flowing throughout. I especially like the little s-curve from the Aeroporto station at the north end of the “E” (purple) line through to Verdes station.
What we don’t like: While beautifully designed, at anything but the actual poster size of 48×68 cm (around 19×27 inches), many of the elements are just too small. The route lines become very lightweight and spindly, while the “superscripted” parking symbol becomes almost invisible. As the map is downloadable as a PDF from the agency’s website, I feel better thought has to be given as to how the map displays on screen.
Our rating: A stylish and modern map to match a stylish and modern light rail system. Let down slightly by the smallness of some elements. Three-and-a-half stars.
Source: Metro de Porto website
The clearest photo I’ve seen yet of this subway map-themed mural in Brooklyn, New York. Aesthetically, it seems to have more in common with the London Tube Map than the subway map of its own city.
It’s coming! WMATA’s Rush Plus map and service changes are almost here, and ads are appearing on Metro trains around D.C.
Source: tracktwentynine/Flickr
Here’s a question I received from Tumblr user pw3n:
“TransLink (in Vancouver) just released their first official Frequent Transit Network map. A lot could be said about the design (in particular, the apparent lack of craftsmanship), but that’s not what I want to ask you about. The first thing I noticed was a lack of route numbers. At first I was annoyed. But then I thought: do I care what bus is coming by, as long as there’s a bus coming? Basically: is the corridor or the route more important? What are your thoughts on frequent transit maps?”
In general, I think showing service frequency on a map is a good thing and it’s something that’s not done enough by transit agencies. I feel that you can get away without showing frequency on a map that concentrates on one mode with a known service frequency – everyone expects trains to come frequently on the New York subway, for example – but it’s definitely needed on mixed-mode maps like this.
That said, I’m not sure that this FTN map is particularly useful for travellers. My problem is mainly with the bus corridors (as per pw3n’s initial thoughts): there’s no indication of which routes serve the corridors or where any buses actually go. As a transit user, I would say that’s the most important thing for a transit map to show: If I get on a bus here, can I go there? This map doesn’t show that information at all, and I actually feel that TransLink’s previous Transit Connections map did a much better job that this map as the bus routes shown are clearly labelled.
Another problem with this map is that it creates the idea that infrequent service (those routes which exist but don’t meet the criteria for inclusion on this map) equals no service. Out of sight, out of mind, so to speak. I far prefer to see frequency information incorporated into a full system map, like the previously-reviewed and quite excellent Spokane Transit map.
One thing this map does do well is show gaps in the frequent service network, so it may actually be quite useful for future planning. But as a tool for travellers, I don’t think it’s actually that useful.
Source: TransLink Buzzer Blog
These are nice! Anyone got better photos of each installation?
You can see what they’re trying to do with this art: look at all the great transit systems of the world portrayed here: Frankfurt! London! Moscow! … and (by association) … Phoenix. Yeah, right.
Source: crume/Flickr
Hardly the most original idea in the world, but nicely executed.
More details:
Advertising Agency: Park&Co, Phoenix Arizona, USA
Creative Director: Luis Medina
Senior Art Director: Shawn Hardy
Copywriter: Dan Oboyle
Published: June 2011
Source: helloyoucreatives
It’s been a while since Transit Maps featured an historical map, so here’s one from my city of Portland, Oregon. This charming map was produced by the Portland Traction Company in 1943: check out their nifty monogram in the photo set.
While it’s labelled as a “trolley map” of Portland, it actually marks a point in time where streetcars and trolley buses were being replaced with cheaper to operate buses, and transit as a whole was on the decline, being replaced by the all-powerful automobile. In the early 20th Century, almost all of the routes shown on this map were streetcars, and many of them now correspond directly to TriMet bus routes. And now streetcar is on the rise again, with the east side loop almost completed and a network extending into the suburbs in the planning stage.
I’ve used this map as a basis for this poster, which overlays rail transit in Portland in the years 1912, 1943 and in 2015 (when the PMLRT is finished) – a fascinating view of the changing attitudes towards transit in the Rose City.
Have we been there? Home sweet home!
What we like: A comprehensive overview of services. The use of different symbols for each transit mode allows routes to be overlaid on each other quite clearly. Amusing and delightful little illustrations dot the map. Great fun to be had spotting changes to the city over the years: Union Avenue on the map is now MLK Avenue, the Morrison Bridge shown here is the predecessor to the current one, there’s an ironworks where the lower OHSU campus is now… and more!
What we don’t like: Downtown is a confusing jumble of crosses, dots, lines and numbers all crammed into a very small space with no idea given of route termini.
Our rating: Charming and breezy. Historically interesting. 4 stars.
Source: Vintage Portland
