The World's Best and Worst Subways: A Guide to Choosing the Best Transportation

They're convenient, time-saving, crowded, and often smelly. And if you're heading out to a large metropolis, they're the fastest, cheapest way to get around, though some of them are noticeably nicer than others. Ranked from worst to best, below is some information to help you decide if you should take the subway, or just fork over the cash for a cab.

Paris
Though it might be one of the most romantic and elegant cities in the world, when it comes to the subway system, all the glitz and glamour literally goes underground. Of course, where you are matters. Some of the bigger subway stations are kept relatively clean and even boast shopping to amuse you while you wait for your train. Nevertheless, all of the trains inevitably smelled like urine. In the deep hours of the night, I would venture to say they're not safe to ride alone. The subway stations were most always dirty, smelly, and packed with merchants selling illegal wares. My advice when in Paris: stay above ground.

Chicago
Sweet home Chicago. Just because I only live thirty miles outside the city doesn't mean it's off my radar. In fact, after taking the commuter trains from Northwest Indiana, which are generally clean and well-staffed, the subway is abysmal. I've never seen a city's subways be more crowded than Chicago's! Maybe everybody just knows the best hot spots and we're all heading there together, but regardless, it will be a miracle if you get a seat traveling anytime before 11 p.m. Chicago subway lines also seem to experience quite a few delays; stations seem to be closed more than others; I've never had to switch train more than when I ride in Chicago. Still, the subway has some perks: stations are generally close to major destinations and methods of out-of-city transportation such as train stations and airports. Stations and trains are safe and often manned with CTA authorities or policemen and women. And the city offers free Trolley service to its major museums and attractions during parts of the year. (These are also very crowded.)

Berlin
Potentially, you could ride for free. But if you get caught, you've got to pay the fine. This sort of Subway system makes me pause in wide-eyed wonder. It seems a little bit like the bored game Don't Wake Daddy that I used to play when I was a kid. Except for this time, the name of the game is, don't get near the transit authority. Berlin subways issue tickets for either single rides or for five people at a time. It's cheaper, if you have five people in your group, to ride with one of the group tickets, but here's the catch: there are no machines through which to slide your tickets. You have to hang on to them, and be able to produce them if an officer stops you. Now, this might seem innovative. Sure, they save on the cost of the machines, but the problem is-say you loose your group of five. Say you're like me and simply can't manage to hang on to anything for more than five minutes without loosing it. This could be a problem, and if you're stopped, the fee is much more than a cab ride. Other than the odd system, the Berlin subway is generally comfortable and not too hazardous to your health. Electronic sign boards count down to the next train in most stations, so your impatient anxieties won't suffer too much.

Washington D.C.
The US capitol offers many opportunities: reputable museums like the Smithsonian, the chance to see government in action, monuments and historical sighs, and the chance to see some of the most impoverished areas and crime ridden neighborhoods in the United States. But I like the subways-for the most part. They're just cool. Some of them are so far underground you have to take two very, very long escalators to get to them. But it's murder if the escalators are broken. (It happens more often than you'd think.) The domes that rise above the train stations are pretty cool, too. Lets just face it-Washington D.C., your subways look awesome. Other than that my biggest complaint are the seats, which are usually not padded and are sometimes sticky. These subways are also usually very crowded, and trains tend to be late.

London
If you just wanted to ride a subway all day, or if you really wanted to try the bohemian thing and live in a subway, you should go for London. Of course, in the UK it's not called the subway, but the underground, and tourists everywhere love the delightfully English recording that requests "please mind the gap" when the train rolls into the station. (Some even buy t-shirts featuring the phrase.) The London subways and stations are so clean, it's unbelievable that millions use them every day. The stations are so modern and architecturally interesting that they're one of the cities greatest attractions. Besides being clean and cool to look at, London transit officials have taken the time to place helpful boards in the stations that direct you to points of interest. Yes, this is probably because they are sick of directionally challenged Americans asking them for assistance, but still, I appreciated the gesture. On a more serious note, the London subway system was bombed during WWII, and a plaque commemorating the event stands in the affected station. When I was in London, it was on a WWII tour, and I found this plaque, stumbled upon by accident, poignant, and one of the things I will always remember from my trip there. As for under-achievements of the underground, crowding was a major issue, and the crowds push you on the trains. Also, jumpers are fairly common on this particular subway, which is something that none of us want to think of.

So, from Paris to London, from Chicago to D.C., Subways are only similar in their differences. Some are classy as well as convenient, while others are smelly and messy, but still cheap and safe. Regardless of what you choose to do when traveling in the city, if you're going to take the train take a camera, and take your street smarts.