If you’re going to use icons for each of your stations, as Mexico City does, then why not make them nice and big and simply arrange them in the correct order? More from Wikipedia on the iconography of the Mexico City Metro: Each station is identified by a minimalist logo related to the name of the station or the area around it. This is because, at the time of the first line’s opening, the illiteracy […]
Illustrating a problem with strip maps that only show stations in the direction of travel: the second-last stop on the line has a stupid-looking map. Source: jbbartram/Instagram
Submitted by Sam Gold, who says: “Taken last week on Line 2 of the Seoul Metro. I found these system maps to be close to unusable!” Transit Maps says: Hard to disagree with Sam here. You’d need some excellent vision or really good glasses to be able to make out all the detail on this map, which crams all of Seoul’s extensive system into an area often used to show just one line or far […]
Simple but effective use of an otherwise long and empty space on the station shelter. Could do with a bit of a clean, though. Source: Sweet One/Flickr
Submitted by David Daglish, who says: Rio De Janeiro’s metro system has only two lines, both cover the same stations through the business district to the tourist areas of the Zona Sul. The transit map also shows “metro bus” connections that don’t quite make geographic sense. Transit Maps says: A “straightened” linear version of the full Metro map (reviewed here, 2 stars), which enhances the legibility considerably. Strangely, this version also has information about weekend […]
Here’s an interesting in-car strip map from Rome. Firstly, the eye-searing orange background breaks away from the norm of plain white backgrounds: no one could ever say that they couldn’t find the map! Secondly, and perhaps more unusually, the map actually shows whether stations have side platforms or island platforms — very handy for knowing which side of the train to get off! Source: Ka Lung1/Flickr
A first look at the new in-car strip maps for Portland, Oregon’s streetcar system. With the opening of most of the eastside loop, there are now two lines: the original route is now the North/South (NS) line, and the new track is the Central (CL) line. Unfortunately, for a brand new service that the city desperately wants everyone to like and use, the design of this map is terribly dowdy and old fashioned. There’s some […]
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – the Los Angeles Metro system has one of the most coherent, unified transit agency corporate identities out there. It’s used intelligently and consistently across the entire system – from maps, station signage and onto their website and collateral. Distinctive without being extrovert, it displays information simply and effectively, and looks good while doing it. Source: tracktwentynine/Flickr
From the now sadly defunct “Stickers on the Central Line” Tumblr, are these hilarious and superbly executed “prank” stickers found on the London Underground. Matching the original strip map almost exactly, they instead insert something unexpected, pointed, or just plain funny. My favourite? Change at Tottenham Court Road for a submarine to Somalia, complete with a very plausible London Underground submarine icon. More here in this imgur album. Hat tip to Twitter user Ben Darfler.
Nice shallow depth of field, but was he holding the camera up way over his head to get this point of view? Source: Cormac Phelan/Flickr
