I first covered Igor’s vision for an improved rapid transit map for Kiev way back in 2011, and I was impressed with what I saw even back then. He’s continued to work on it and improve it since then, and it finally seems that his hard work is paying off. The latest version of his map is now being placed in some Metro trains as a pilot program, hopefully leading to full acceptance as the official map. 

Igor sent an earlier version of the map to me for a technical review, and I was very pleased to be able to offer my thoughts to him, although I only had a few minor issues with it. It’s a very accomplished piece, and certainly miles ahead of the old official map.

There are a lot more details about the design of this map, with comparisons against earlier versions and the old official map at the Agents of Change blog. It’s in Ukrainian, but Google Translate does a pretty decent job. Most importantly, the article shows the thought process, patience and attention to detail that’s required to make a top-notch transit map.