Top 5 Public Metros in Europe

Public transportation is a necessary part of most trips. During my travels through Europe I, like many others, have experienced the good, bad and ugly of public transportation. Here are my votes for the top 5 public transportation systems in European cities. My judging criteria included ease of use, cleanliness, and general cultural gestalt.

Captions courtesy of OneTravel.

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Paris' Metro

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Though it doesn't win many points for cleanliness, Paris' Metro has charm and cultural appeal galore (cue the street musicians nestled in the stations' corners). Thematic stations (I've finally started reading the historical plaques as I wait for my train), regular trains and easy navigation make le metro an easy favorite.

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Though it doesn't win many points for cleanliness, Paris' Metro has charm and cultural appeal galore (cue the street musicians nestled in the stations' corners). Thematic stations (I've finally started reading the historical plaques as I wait for my train), regular trains and easy navigation make le metro an easy favorite.

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Comments

[ah123]

12:46 PM on 01/11/2011

I just returned from Bilbao and their metro is small (for a city of 350,000) but compact, efficient, post-modern looking and great. The stations were designed by British architect Norman Foster, which the locals have affectionately dubbed "Fosteritos." The entrances looks like a futuristic cocoon emerging from the ground.

Barcelona Metro's line 9 was recently inaugurated. When completed, it will be the longest automatic line in Europe.

[JRodrigues]

06:41 PM on 01/10/2011

The Metropolitano de Lisboa (Lisbon, Portugal) should be on any list of exemplary metros/subways. Affordable pricing, ventilated, air-conditioned, spacious, escalators, moving walkways, elevators, many modern spacious metro stations, a lot of interesting art, etc. The station at Alto dos Moinhos even has the Museum of Music. http://www.metrolisboa.pt/ http://www.museudamusica.imc-ip.pt/?lang=en

[GeoTor]

10:54 PM on 01/08/2011

Copenhagen has those suicide-prevention glass gates on their platforms. Those are expensive. But I guess by having driver-less trains, they save lots of money by not having ultra-expensive unionized drivers.

[GSR]

10:33 PM on 01/08/2011

The secret to Parisian's lack of body fat is all the walking they have to do between Metro platforms and between Metro street stairs and Metro platforms. Just catching the train guarantees at least a 1 Km hike each way.

[erikqj]

02:28 AM on 01/13/2011

Really? I always thought it was because they nearly lost their lunch and completely lost their appetite every time they entered "Le Metro". I certainly did. It has every bit the charm of a never maintained men's room at a truck stop, and if they only hired anti-social chimps, the quality of customer service would rise dramatically. If only it had been efficient!

People need to stop confusing "French" with "charming". Those aren't synonyms at all.

[GSR]

07:16 AM on 01/13/2011

Well I"ll have to bow to your experience in this matter. My experience of the Metro has always been positive but I do come from Sydney so maybe may expectations are low.

[Rheinbear]

12:49 PM on 01/08/2011

It's hard to describe how far down the London Underground goes. Like an upsidedown city. But surprisingly easy to navigate despite that. And it smells better than the Paris Metro. Both are fascinating.

[antaeus]

12:05 PM on 01/08/2011

The Budapest metro is the oldest line on the continent, second in Europe only to London's Tube.

[Dillinger13]

08:03 AM on 01/08/2011

The London Tube? hahah always late, always on strike.

[lenuk]

03:06 PM on 01/09/2011

Really? It never is when I use it. Just lucky, I guess.

[JRodrigues]

06:27 PM on 01/10/2011

London's "Tube" is a joke. Do the words, "Engineering works" ring a bell? Expensive, unreliable, unventilated. And then there's all the walking you have to do (none or too few/short escalators, no elevators, etc.) . It's also kind of ugly.

[FearlessFreep]

12:44 AM on 01/08/2011

Does the US HAVE five subway systems?

[skyharbor2]

03:37 PM on 01/07/2011

Paris's Metro is charming, just like the city itself, but don't kid yourself, it's a shithole. You could eat off of the floors on the Copenhagen rail, and wow was it ever efficient. Loved it! Brussels, Amsterdam and Stockholm have great transits as well.

[AirViceMarshalPark]

02:40 PM on 01/07/2011

I never could use the London Underground without thinking of the WWII Blitz.

[Makempay]

12:57 PM on 01/07/2011

U-Bahn, two thumbs up!

[KIVPossum]

12:22 PM on 01/07/2011

Left out Moscow? The best people mover on earth!