5 transport networks that tell you how cities operate

Cities are complex and getting more and more so as they’re more populated. They are in fact multi-layered and develop mostly in an organic way, even though we (try to) plan more and more their evolution today. Knowing how to move around a city is just one way to start understanding how they operate and grow and it’s been the angle I’ve chosen to start my career.

What I love about public transportation is how looking at a map can tell you a lot about the history of its city and what makes each and every one of them special.

For instance, here are five metropolises that illustrate this concept quite well. Obviously, others could have easily qualified for the list, but those are cities that I know and have been to several times (except for the last one).

Paris

The first and obvious one is Paris, my home for the past 8 years. Greater Paris is equipped with a busy and dense network (RER A carries over 1.4 million people a day, making it the first line in Europe), where one is only a short walk away from a metro station; it is however structured around the centre of Paris, typical of French centralism. Consequently, it is not developed enough in the suburbs, therefore lacking resilience during a crisis. That’s why new connections are currently being built (Grand Paris Express), some mandated by 2024 for the Olympics. Also, connections between underground lines are mostly horizontal, which implies walking a lot in long corridors and might explain why Parisians are usually in pretty good shape…

London

Then, London, the oldest network of all, even if it’s still evolving. Pioneering is an obvious asset as one can set the trend, but it is also harder and in that case means that operating and maintaining that transit system is quite a challenge. Compared to Paris, metro stations are more spaced out and connections between underground lines are mostly vertical, which translates into riding long escalators. Also, it has one of the most expensive ticket prices but offers a wide range of options to pay for your journey (single or pay as you go with contactless or Oyster card) and different fares (peak and off-peak, day, week, month or annual travelcards).

Berlin

Berlin network holds most of the 20th century’s history as it’s been bombed and divided in two during almost 30 years. From 1990, it got reconnected, but different systems are still operating, e.g. you only find tramways in the eastern part of the city. The split is gradually getting erased though, but even if it claims to be poor, the city is rich with something of an inestimable value: space. Berlin is in fact twice less dense than Grand Paris (Paris and its inner ring of surrounding departments). Another notable fact: it’s one of the only networks running 24 hours a day during weekends.

New York

NYC offers a big and rather effective metro system, even if it’s been seriously damaged by the floodings during hurricane Sandy. The scale is proportionate to the size of the city, as subway stations are really spaced out, and people tolerate walking more: 30 minutes is in fact considered an acceptable walking time. As a consequence, hailing and getting a cab is also a popular local activity.

Tehran

The capital of Iran is a huge and hectic city with a metro network that has trouble developing due to international restrictions. As in Los Angeles, the subway system covers only a small area of the city, served by an extensive network of freeways and highways. But as it is still quite cheap and sometimes faster than driving a car due to traffic, most people hail (usually informal) cabs to get to a metro station. It also features women-only cars, which are usually less crowded and where hawkers sell various items: wooden boxes, clothes, hair acessories…