All posts tagged: Europe

Official Map: Prague Integrated Transport, 2012

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Official Maps

Here’s the last entry in our short series on current transit maps in Prague, an integrated map. In my opinion, this map hits the sweet spot as far as information and presentation are concerned: it shows Metro and tram service better than the simple Metro Orientation map, but without the mind-numbing level of detail of the full service map. What we like: Retains the cute major landmark icons from the simpler map. The addition of […]

Official Map: Full Service Metro and Tram Map, Prague, 2012

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Official Maps

The second map in our short series of current transit maps in Prague. Whereas yesterday’s map was perhaps a little light in information, this one goes in completely the other direction and shows absolutely everything. I’m not saying this is necessarily a bad thing, but this is definitely a map for detailed analysis of transit in Prague, rather than a quick reference guide. What we like: Comprehensive and detailed overview of rail transit in Prague. […]

Official Map: Prague Metro Orientation Map, 2012

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Official Maps

This is the first of three posts regarding current transit maps in Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic. All are part of a unified set of maps (all of which use the interesting framing device of stylised buildings and trams, which I can’t decide if I think is playfully irreverent or just plain stupid) and provide interesting lessons on how much information is “just right” for a transit map to be really useful. This […]

Postcards from Paris – Métro Edition

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Official Maps, Unofficial Maps

Here’s an interesting comparison of three different postcards of the Paris Métro system – one of which uses the official RATP artwork, and two more which definitely don’t. All three are of similar vintage (from at least 2007, as they all show the southern end of Line 14 at Olympiades station, which opened in that year). So they’re all basically showing the same thing, but take different approaches towards it. The first postcard uses the […]

Unofficial Map: A Series of Twin Tubes – A Track Diagram of London

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Unofficial Maps

After my previous post about this old track layout diagram from Berlin, reader Rolando Peñate brought this awesome project to my attention – a beautiful track layout diagram of the London Underground, DLR and Overground, complete with platform layouts, disused platforms, yards and sidings. What’s really amazing about this diagram, however, is that its creator, Andrew Godwin, has essentially automated its production. He explains on his website: The map is created with an automated tool […]

Unofficial Map: Circular Map of Oslo’s T-Bane System by Francisco Dans

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Unofficial Maps

We’ve already covered the official Oslo T-Bane map, so it’s interesting to have a look at a completely different take on it; one that takes the “Circle Line” concept to its logical extreme. This piece is the work of Francisco Dans, a design student in London. Have we been there? No. What we like: Interesting experiment using arcs and circles, while still maintaining some level of relative placement. What we don’t like: Adobe Illustrator is […]

Time Lapse Video: the Creation of a Transit Map

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My Transit Maps

As promised, here’s the time lapse video I made while creating my International E-Road Network diagram (E-Roads are the rough European equivalent to America’s Interstate highways, although not all European countries signpost them, or even acknowledge their existence. It’s complicated!). Each frame of this video is a screenshot from Adobe Illustrator at the same zoom setting, taken roughly 30 minutes of working time apart. For me, the interesting thing is how organic the process looks […]