I’m on da E train. Where da Hell are You?

by Iva Skoch on

As if the New York subway system isn’t loud enough. Now, the city is planning to get all the 277 stations wired for cell phones and Wi-Fi in the next six years. I know other cities in Europe and Asia with subway cell phone coverage, but New York?

On one hand, this could be good. The NYC subway is not the most reliable piece of public transportation known to man. It is not uncommon for trains to just not show for 30+ minutes. Calling to say you are running late might be convenient.

At the same time, the subway is about the only place in NYC where one is not exposed to people’s private conversations. The subway is also about the only place people don’t work. The 6 train will be a trip — all the Blackberry-thumb-typists trying to catch up on email even before they get to their downtown office. What happens to the time they save by working on the subway, you ask? They go on vacation to places without cell phone coverage…

Party in the Subway, Russian Style

by Neil Woodburn on

The subway, like most modes of transport, is designed to get people from point A to point B. And that’s about it.

For the most part, the subway is the most anti-social place on our planet; commuters disappear into their own little world when they sit down and almost never talk to anyone. It’s the unwritten law.

Some partygoers in Moscow, however, recently decided to deviate from the norm and turn their subway train into a party train. As you can see from the above photo, they’ve managed to set up a bunch of tables and even prepare a feast to commemorate the passing of a favorite local poet.

Can you imagine stepping into the subway and coming across this party? Hilarious. I’ll bet no one even bothered to come up with a law preventing such an activity.

Thanks go out to English Russia for spotlighting such a great idea. Let’s spread the word and make subway parties a regular part of commuting around the world.

Best Underground Transit In the World Is…

by Iva Skoch on

…apparently London’s, but this is a list compiled by Virgin, a British company, so go figure. Anyone who has ever spent more than two seconds in London’s tube during rush hour must question their sanity.

Don’t get me wrong, I think London has a great and extensive subway system but during rush hour it is a nightmare – packed and no air-con. Plus, it costs 4GBP (about $8) for a single ride, unless you buy an Oyster Card, their version of a pass which is well-worth it but still very expensive.

Anyway, here is Virgin’s Top 11 Underground Transit Systems in the World:

  1. London
  2. Paris
  3. Moscow
  4. Madrid
  5. Tokyo
  6. Seoul
  7. New York
  8. Montreal
  9. Beijing
  10. Hong-Kong
  11. Sao Paulo, Brazil

Out of all of these, my vote goes to the Paris and Hong-Kong subway systems. New York’s is relatively cheap ($2) and easy to navigate, but geez, it looks, smells and operates like something from a third world country!

Tubemap Wallets Are A Wallet AND A Map

by Willy Volk on

When you first see the Tubemap wallet, you’ll nod your head and mutter, “Of course! Why didn’t I think of that?” So simple it’s brilliant, a Tubemap wallet is an “ordinary” black leather wallet that folds open to reveal a printed London Underground map inside. Not heading to London? Tubemap also makes wallets for the New York subway.

At £35 ($69), the Tubemap seems a little pricey, but if you’re the kind of person who like traveling light, you’ll gladly pay for dual-purpose gear. With space for loads of cash and 8 cards, this will be one wallet you’ll really cry over if it gets snatched.

Subway Maps of the World

by Willy Volk on

If you’re heading to an unfamiliar city, and you anticipate using their subway system, you should check out Amadeus’ Subway Maps. Organized by continent, and further subdivided by cities, Subway Maps has printable PDFs of each of the dozens of subways featured — perfect for appending into your Moleskine City Guide. Each map is accompanied by images and basic information about each subway, including history and prices.

Larger than most travel guide’s subway maps, these maps have the added benefit of being free.