How's it even possible someone could know this off handedly?!

It is in the introduction section of the Metro system article of Wikipedia

Oh. :( I'm having one of those FT days where everything I ask or post really makes me look completely incompetent. *sigh*

Hey, I appreciate that you thought I knew it off the top of my head...

Wasnt surprised about Vienna's omission from the responses (with only a few passing mentions). It's the best but also most underrated system in the world:

1. Extremely good value. Basically 1$/day for annual pass covering all modes of transport in main zone (which is basically all the residents)

2. Frictionless use - no barriers or turnstiles anywhere. A huge consideration IMO

3. Very high general standards (modern, clean, etc) for the stations and the equipment. With a few (clean!!) historic trams mixed in

4. Some station with good historic and artistic value

5. High punctuality, coverage, and capacity - rarely a sardine situation, and definitely nothing like the London/NY/Paris rushhour situation

6. Virtually no beggars or buskers, despite #2

7. Also extremely safe - no risk of theft like the Barcelona of the world

8. Easy access to airport. Additional $2 on top of standard fare

I could go on and on but for me it's a runaway victor

I have used that transport many times, even though I think it is mostly above ground, no? At least most of my stations were above ground. It is nice and easy, but not so large and not without controversy. :) https://qz.com/1684752/viennas-subwa...apy-on-trains/

But I think you are mainly noticing how obedient and relaxed the city and population of Vienna is. :)

Don't know the actual total mix, but most of the old town sections are underground, suburbs are above street level, and the (green) line running along the canal and creek is neither!!

I really detest the full height turnstiles in NY that feels like prison, or the barriers elsewhere with finnicky ticket readers that causes a traffic jam

I have only personally travelled on about 30-40 major subway systems so I might not have the greatest experience but I find it staggering that a city like London does so well on many counts (signage, maps, payment methods) but completely fails compared to other cities on others (e.g. air conditioned carriages and evaporative platform cooling compared to Buenos Aires, only just introducing night tube in the fricking 21st century, etc.)

Myth:

• https://www.npr.org/local/305/2019/1...d-n-i-m-b-yism
• https://www.washingtonpost.com/opini...d2b_story.html

Favoriate: HONG KONG by far! To me, nothing comes close (mind you, there's a lot of subway systems I'm not familiar with and I've yet to have been to China or Russia). Routes/coverage are perfect, stroller-friendly, clean. Transfers are always very short and easy (note that HK station and Central are 2 different stations!). Octopus is very easy to handle. Admiralty gets crazy during rush hours, but it's surprisingly manageable because trains come every minute and commuters are way more laidback and yielding than in Tokyo, for example.

Worst: Bart. So expensive. Confusing (my experience below)
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/29638863-post38.html

Honorable mention: Although I don't like Boston's subways (I don't like subways in general), I'd like to express my appreciation for Boston's D-line. I love that it's an above-ground trolley that zips through the woods without being stopped by traffic lights, love the neighborhoods it runs through, its mature and diverse ridership.

Many thanks for these links. I learn something new every week from you guys.:)

I have never been to Taipei but I’m going to now ! You said all of the magic words. I’m here for the weather of course and the setting.

It's true about Moscow.
Now the metro is much bigger.
There are some modern style stations.

Now there are more modern trains in Moscow Metro with air conditioning and the phone chargers.

However some of them still from 80's-90's.

I guess the reason is the bigger the city the more people who will try to ride for free. Paris is a big city too, but the turnstiles can be easily bypassed by agile cheaters. The authorities in Paris seem to regard it as a socialistic measure to not block people who exert the effort required to jump over the turnstiles. It is the same in Marseille.