1. Metro an urban connection

2. Background information A metro or rapid transit is an underground train which transports passengers. It is undoubtedly the best way to transport large numbers of people over short distances quickly and with little land use within most cities. At first these systems used steam locomotives. Nowadays they generally use electric systems.

3. Cross section of a metro station elevator platform track bed escalator

4. A European comparison ParisAthensRomeNuremberg blue sheet Warsaw Istanbul Bucharest Madrid

5. Métro Paris The Métro in Paris was founded in 1900 The network's sixteen lines are mostly underground and run to 214 km in length. There are 301 stations. The average distance between stations is only 562 m. There is a driverless system on line 17. back >>

6. Metro Athens The metro in Athens opened in 1869. It is the second oldest metro throughout the world. It concludes three lines. Line two and three were built in 2000, especially for the Olympic Games in 2004. There are five more lines planned in the future. Nowadays it is the most modern metro worldwide. back >>

7. Metropolitana di Roma The Metropolitana di Roma opened in 1954. It consists of two crossing lines and 52 stations. Seven stations are not below ground. The Metroplitana is a relatively small rapid transit in comparison to other European major cities. back >>

8. U-Bahn Nürnberg The metro in Nuremberg was opened in 1972. Since 2008 it is the first driverless metro system in Germany. It includes three main lines and two further supporting lines. There are 46 stations. back >>

9. Warsaw Metro Firstly opened in 1995 Contains one line with 21 stations (plus seven under constructions) The Warsaw Metro has transported more than 600 million people The total length is 21,7 km back >>

10. Bucharest Metro The Metro Bucharest (Metrou Bucureti)was opened in 1979. It contains four lines and 50 stations. The whole railway network is about 69 km long. The average number of passengers is 485.000 a day. back >>

11. Metro Madrid The Metro Madrid (Metro de Madrid) was opened in 1919. It is the fifth longest railway system (293 km) all over the world. Just New York has more stations than Madrid (288). The Metro transports around 2.5 million passengers daily. back >>

12. Metro Istanbul The Metro Istanbul (İstanbul Metrosu) was opened in 1989. It contains four lines (three more are in construction) and 58 stations (28 more are in construction). The full length of the railway system is 83 km. About 230.000 passengers use it daily. back >>

13. Statistics ParisAthensRomeNurembe rg WarsawBuchare st MadridIstanbul length 218,45541,53621,769,2529383 stations 302515246215028858 lines 1632314134 Passeng ers a day 4,5 mio605.000850.000322.000466.000485.0002,5 mio450.000 People using the metro in compariso n to city inhabitans (%) 2009231632728833

14. Comparable fact Istanbul is the biggest city in Europe. But its metro is not quite used as often as the metro in Paris (2.3 million inhabitants), which has a population of roughly just one sixth of Istanbul (13.7 million). Paris, however has 16 lines while Istanbul has only four subway lines!