Contents
The metro is called a sign of a big city. Indeed, this type of transport is only in large metropolitan areas. Speed and convenience are its main advantages. The average speed at which trains move is 80 km/h, the carrying capacity is about 60 passengers per hour.
Like any thing in the world, the metro has its own history. The first subway structures bear little resemblance to modern ones, but they are still very popular, as they are of great historical value. These are the most popular places for tourists to visit.
In Moscow, the construction of the subway began in 1932, but our country did not become a pioneer. At that time, the subway already existed in many states. If you are interested in history or love to learn something new, pay attention to our rating of the oldest subway in the world.
10 Paris, France (1900)
The decision to build a subway in Paris was made in March 1898. The initiator, Fulgens Bienvenue, faced great difficulties in obtaining permission from the authorities and finding investors. In October, they began to dig pits. Two years later, the first line was opened, which connected the Porte Maillot and the Porte de Vincennes. The number of passengers was overwhelming. 17 million people in a few months – a record figure (at the time).
This trend still exists today. It is worth noting that it is the busiest in France. Up to 150 people use the line daily. However, you won’t be able to touch the history, the Paris metro looks ordinary, the atmosphere is modern, the trains are too.
An interesting fact. The first talks about the construction of a subway in Paris were conducted as early as 1945, but most of the townspeople did not support the proposal. People were afraid that being underground would have a negative impact on their health.
9. Boston, USA (1897)
The construction of the subway in Boston was a necessary measure – tram congestion on Tremont Street. Part of the underground tunnels were built along the line of this street, they were laid in an open way. In June 1897, residents of Boston could already use the subway, and a year later 11 more fragments of the railway were completed.
The modern Boston subway consists of four lines. In the central part of the city they are underground, in remote areas they come to the surface. The oldest line is Green. At the Bolyston station there is a functioning museum where everyone can get acquainted with the history of the Boston subway.
8. Glasgow, UK (1896)
The underground line in Glasgow is the oldest in the world and the only one in the city. This is due to complex engineering and geological conditions – water-saturated sandy soils. The pace of work was very slow. It took 15 years to complete what he started. The metro line is an oval 10,5 km long and has remained unchanged since 1896. But inside the metro is not at all like what it was 100 years ago. The first cars served until 1977, now they are no longer used. The daily passenger traffic is 36 thousand people.
7. Budapest, Austro-Hungarian Empire (1896)
The first metro line to have electric trains. The decision to build was made by the authorities in 1870, as the population of the city gradually increased, and the existing transport system could no longer cope with such a number of passengers. The first line was founded in just two years. The metro was regularly modernized, in 1950 they began to build a second line. At the moment there are 4 lines, 52 stations.
The Budapest metro is one of the most convenient in the world. Everything is simple and clear, the system covers the whole city. In the future, it is planned to extend the fourth line and lay the fifth. Although already now the passenger traffic is breaking all records. About 1,2 million people use the metro every day.
6. Liverpool, UK (1893)
The year 1893 was remembered by the inhabitants of Liverpool for the opening of an elevated railway with electric trains. This is not a subway, but it got into our rating for one simple reason – part of the tracks ran underground (Dangle station).
The road was badly damaged during World War II. In addition, this structure became very vulnerable to corrosion, in 1956 the railway was closed. One of the trains was sent to the Liverpool Museum, it has survived to this day. Part of the tunnel collapsed back in 2012, it is not possible to get there now.
5. Chicago, US (1892)
The second oldest subway in the US. At the end of the XNUMXth century, the transport system was heavily loaded. Surprisingly, the owners of wine warehouses decided to solve the problem, because they experienced great difficulties in transporting goods. They created a joint-stock company and started building the subway.
In 1892, the first passenger train was launched. Now the Chicago subway is the real pride of the city’s residents. The network is considered one of the oldest in the world. In addition, it has a record length (360,7 km). Eight lines, 144 stations, huge passenger traffic. The old sections are still preserved, but reconstruction is required. The problem is not solved due to lack of funds.
4. Istanbul, Ottoman Empire (1875)
Istanbul has more than one metro line. The modern one was built in 2000, but lovers of antiquity are not interested in it. The funicular (cable-drawn vehicle) Tunel attracts the attention of tourists. The length of the network is 573 meters, in 1875 two stations were founded. The metro consisted of two lines, on which two trains ran, each of them had a pair of wagons with wooden cases.
This railroad is still in operation today. In 1971, a reconstruction was carried out. The line was converted into a single-track line, and electric traction was also used.
3. Athens, Greece (1869)
The Athens metro was not really such. It was a land railway, along which an ordinary steam locomotive ran. After 20 years, the first underground tunnel was built. Since then, the road has been called the subway.
In 2000, the network was upgraded. The second and third lines were built, and the metro got a modern look. The total length is 84,5 km. metro stations in Athens are of great interest to travelers, because they are decorated in a very unusual way. During construction, a lot of antiques were found. All of them are presented in “museums” – glass showcases that are built into the walls. While waiting for the train, passengers can see a lot of interesting things.
2. New York, USA (1868)
The New York City Subway also began operations with an elevated urban transit line. The Ninth Avenue trestle line existed until 1940 and was subsequently demolished. The first underground sections were opened in 1904. Over the entire period of its existence, the subway has changed dramatically, it has become the largest in the world in terms of the number of stations. The length of the tracks is 1370 km. Another plus of the New York subway is that it works around the clock.
1. London, UK (1863)
The oldest underground in the world is the London Underground. Although the idea of the invention belonged to the French engineer Mark Brunel. In 1818 he showed that it was possible to tunnel underground. Initially, it was used exclusively by pedestrians, but after the rapid development of the railway, it was decided to move it underground. Thus, the problem of traffic jams could be solved. The construction was approved in 1855, but due to lack of funding, it was delayed for several years. In 1863, the line was opened, at that time its length was 6 km, the number of stations was 7.
The London Underground is now one of the largest in the world. 14 lines (402 km), 270 stations. The annual passenger traffic is 1384 million people.