All Aboard the Orient Express! Here’s an absolutely charming little map found on the inside of a French model train set box lid. I don’t have a definitive date for this, but it does have a lovely retro feel to it. The map itself isn’t much help, as it’s pretty much a work of fiction: a weird combination of different parts of the Orient Express’s historical routes (see this diagram on Wikipedia) and a branch to Warsaw via Prague that was never part of the train’s itinerary. Maybe, as simple artwork intended for a children’s toy, the designers were simply thinking that no one would notice any inaccuracies. Looks great, though! (Source: japanese forms/Flickr)

All Aboard the Orient Express!

Here’s an absolutely charming little map found on the inside of a French model train set box lid. I don’t have a definitive date for this, but it does have a lovely retro feel to it.

The map itself isn’t much help, as it’s pretty much a work of fiction: a weird combination of different parts of the Orient Express’s historical routes (see this diagram on Wikipedia) and a branch to Warsaw via Prague that was never part of the train’s itinerary.

Maybe, as simple artwork intended for a children’s toy, the designers were simply thinking that no one would notice any inaccuracies. Looks great, though!

(Source: japanese forms/Flickr)

  1. 25th March 2013
  2. Notes: 24
    3. #rail map #map #Europe #Orient Express #historical #unofficial #London #Paris #Strasbourg #Stuttgart #Munich #Vienna #Budapest #Bucharest #Belgrade #Sofia #Athens #Istanbul #France #Germany #England #Austria #Poland #Prague #Warsaw #Romania #Bulgaria #Greece #Yugoslavia #Czechoslovakia
Transit Maps Top 10 Most Viewed Lists - December 2012

It’s that time once again, where I recap the top ten most-viewed posts for the last four months, as well as an all-time list from Transit Maps’ inception back in October 2011. Without further ado, here’s the list for posts viewed between September 1st — December 31st, 2012:

10. Official Map: Key Bus Routes in Central London (link)
9. Official Map: TransLink Bus and Rail Network, Brisbane, Australia (link)
8. Historical Map: West Berlin U-Bahn Map, 1977 (link)
7. Historical Map: Old Metropolitan Line Map (link)
6. Unofficial Map: New York Regional Rail by Carter Green (link)
5. Official Map: Boston MBTA Rapid Transit/Key Bus Routes Map (link)
4. My Unofficial Boston MBTA Map Green Line Preview (link)
3. Official Map: Copenhagen S-Tog Map (link)
2. Official Map: Rail and Tram Network, Budapest, Hungary (link)
1. Unofficial Map: Transportation of Walt Disney World Resort, Florida (link)

And now the all-time list, dating back to October 2011. Change in position from the last all-time list is shown in [square brackets].

10. Official Map: Key Bus Routes in Central London (link) [NEW]
9. Official Map: Washington D.C. Metro “Rush+” System Map (link) [4]
8. Historical Maps: Berlin S- and U-Bahn Maps, 1910-1936 (link) [5]
7. Fantasy Map: Chicago El Overlaid On New York City (link) [3]
6. My Unofficial Boston MBTA Map Green Line Preview (link) [NEW]
5. Official Map: Rail and Tram Network, Budapest, Hungary (link) [NEW]
4. Official Map: Copenhagen S-Tog Map (link) [10]
3. Unofficial Map: Transportation of Walt Disney World Resort, Florida (link) [NEW]
2. Official Map: Boston MBTA Rapid Transit/Key Bus Routes Map (link) [2]
1. Historical Maps: Man-Made Philadelphia, 1972 (link) [1]

  1. 2nd January 2013
  2. Notes: 1
    3. #transit maps #top 10 #all time #December 2012 #London #Washington DC #Berlin #Chicago #Boston #Budapest #Copenhagen #Philadelphia #Brisbane #New York #Florida
Transit Maps Top 10 Most Viewed Lists - August 2012

Welcome to the second installment of the top ten most-viewed posts (as determined by Google Analytics) on the Transit Maps blog. I try and do these every four months (three times a year) to highlight some great content that may now be hiding in the deep, dark depths of the blog. Enjoy!

First off, here’s the top ten posts for the four-month period of May 1 to August 31, 2012.

10. Miami-Dade Metrorail System (link)
9. Man-Made Philadelphia, 1972 (link)
8. Rail and Tram Network, Budapest, Hungary (link)
7. Copenhagen S-Tog Map (link)
6. Freshwater Railway, Detroit and Southeast Michigan (link)
5. Chicago El Overlaid On New York City (link)
4. Berlin S- and U-Bahn Maps, 1910-1936 (link)
3. National Parks Transit Authority Map (link)
2. Transportation of Walt Disney World Resort, Florida (link)
1. How the WMATA Rush+ Maps Are Printed (link)

Now the top 10 of all time list, from the start of the site back in October 2011. The previous position from the last all-time top ten is noted in [square brackets].

10. Copenhagen S-Tog Map (link) [NEW]
9. London Underground Tube Map Bathroom Tiles (link) [6]
8. New Jersey Transit Rail System (link) [8]
7. How the WMATA Rush+ Maps Are Printed (link) [NEW]
6. Vignelli-Style New York Subway Ampersand (link) [5]
5. Berlin S- and U-Bahn Maps, 1910-1936 (link) [10]
4. Washington D.C. Metro “Rush+” System Map (link) [3]
3. Chicago El Overlaid On New York City (link) [4]
2. Official Boston MBTA Rapid Transit/Key Bus Routes Map (link) [2]
1. Man-Made Philadelphia, 1972 (link) [1]

  1. 5th September 2012
  2. Notes: 9
    3. #transit map #all time #top 10 #august 2012 #Copenhagen #London #New Jersey #Washington DC #New York #Berlin #Chicago #Boston #Philadelphia #Miami #Budapest #Detroit #Orlando
Official Map: Rail and Tram Network, Budapest, Hungary Budapest boasts the second oldest underground metro line in the world: its Line 1 (Yellow Line) dates from 1896 and was added the the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2002. Only the London Underground predates it. Wikipedia also claims (without attribution, unfortunately) that Budapest’s comprehensive tram service has the busiest “traditional city tram line” in the world where tram lines 4 and 6 combine, with the world’s longest passenger trams (54-metre long Siemens Combino units) running at 60 to 90 second intervals at peak time. Impressive stuff, but does the system map measure up? Yes and no. Have we been there? No. What we like: Comprehensive overview of services provided. The “interchange zone” boxes around complex modal interchanges work really well. Budapest’s Metro logo is a favourite of mine. What we don’t like: Strangely muted and pastel-heavy colour palette reduces contrast between the multitude of lines. I feel like there’s a definite Paris Metro map vibe to this map, but the colour choices aren’t as appropriate. Mode differentiation is poor - the Metro, suburban rail and passenger rail all use the same line weight for their route lines, as do trams and “selected bus routes”. Yet tram line 60, a cog-wheel tram (cool!), gets its own distinct route line style, with boxes for stations instead of dots. I feel this style could have been better used to differentiate between buses and trams. Our rating: Comprehensive, but hard work to actually use. 2.5 stars. (Source: Official BKV website)

Official Map: Rail and Tram Network, Budapest, Hungary

Budapest boasts the second oldest underground metro line in the world: its Line 1 (Yellow Line) dates from 1896 and was added the the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2002. Only the London Underground predates it. Wikipedia also claims (without attribution, unfortunately) that Budapest’s comprehensive tram service has the busiest “traditional city tram line” in the world where tram lines 4 and 6 combine, with the world’s longest passenger trams (54-metre long Siemens Combino units) running at 60 to 90 second intervals at peak time. Impressive stuff, but does the system map measure up? Yes and no.

Have we been there? No.

What we like: Comprehensive overview of services provided. The “interchange zone” boxes around complex modal interchanges work really well. Budapest’s Metro logo is a favourite of mine.

What we don’t like: Strangely muted and pastel-heavy colour palette reduces contrast between the multitude of lines. I feel like there’s a definite Paris Metro map vibe to this map, but the colour choices aren’t as appropriate.

Mode differentiation is poor - the Metro, suburban rail and passenger rail all use the same line weight for their route lines, as do trams and “selected bus routes”. Yet tram line 60, a cog-wheel tram (cool!), gets its own distinct route line style, with boxes for stations instead of dots. I feel this style could have been better used to differentiate between buses and trams.

Our rating: Comprehensive, but hard work to actually use. 2.5 stars.

2.5 Stars

(Source: Official BKV website)

  1. 9th July 2012
  2. Notes: 8
    3. #transit map #subway #subway map #commuter rail #tram #bus #Budapest #Hungary #Europe #official #2012 #2.5 Stars #funicular #cartography