I’ve lived in several cities with a subway - Stockholm, London, Boston, and NYC. I agree with Tim; the NYC map, though imperfect, is far ahead of London’s and Boston’s in usability.
The purpose of a map is to help people trying to reach a location, not just a subway stop. Knowing how the stations relate to the above-ground geography is very important. The London map answers the wrong question.
The London map answers the question: “How to I get to a specific station from the one I’m already in?” It answers that question beautifully.
What people actually want to know is “What are the nearest stations to where I am now, and what are the stations nearest to my destination? Which choices will best serve my purpose in terms of time, fare, and how far I have to walk?”
Subway stations are almost never people’s origin or destination; they are just stepping stones to and from other places.
pgt
