The metropolitan today they are not just means of transport, but true urban icons that have marked the history of cities: from London to Chicago, from Budapest to Boston, these underground or elevated systems have revolutionized urban mobility, allowing millions of people to move every day. The first lines, born between the mid and late nineteenth centuryhave introduced extraordinary technological and architectural innovations, some of which have become cultural heritage and UNESCOlike the “Földalatti” in Budapest. The oldest is the London Underground in the United Kingdomopened in 1863. Today, stations and trains continue to be symbols of modernity and references in mass culture, from films to social media.
Top 5 oldest built subways in the world
London Underground (1863)
With a notable time difference compared to its rivals in the ranking, the oldest subway in the world is that of London. Known as “The Tube“, the London underground is not only the oldest, but also one of the most famous and recognizable in the world. Its inauguration took place in 1863, almost thirty years before that of Chicago, when the line between Paddington And Farringdon.
The very first locomotives were fed to steamwhose discharges represented a significant problem inside the underground tunnels, and to have a partial electrification of the line we had to wait until at the beginning of the twentieth century.
The expansion of the subway during the 20th century was truly remarkable and today the route runs up 400 kilometres. A truly impressive length, beaten in the world only by the colossal metropolitan routes of megacities Chinesewhich well exceed 800 kilometers in the agglomerations of Beijing and Shanghai.
Chicago “L” (1892)
In second position we find the “THE” Of Chicagothe first in the United States. This subway deserves a mention in its own right, so much so that it is usually not even listed among the oldest in the world. The reason is quite simple: although it came into operation in 1892the Chicago subway, at least originally, ran along a elevated between the central and peripheral districts. In fact, it is impossible not to have seen at least once in your life, even if only in a film or series, the famous viaducts overlooking the intricate streets of Chicago.
Only later, some sections were expanded with the addition of underground tunnels (for a total length of 170 kilometres), which however did not change the perception of transport as an elevated system rather than as a real “subway”. “L” is, in fact, an abbreviation of elevated (EL-evated), i.e. elevated.
Budapest Metro (1896)
Inaugurated in 1896the subway of Budapest it is the oldest in continental Europe. Created on the occasion of the celebrations of the thousand years of the foundation of the Hungarian state, it was built to connect the center citizen with the park of Városligetusing a path of 3.7 kilometers.
Over the next century, the subway developed to a length of just over 39 kilometers articulated in 4 lines: M1 – yellow; M2 – red; M3 – blue; M4 – green.
The M1 line, also called “Földalatti“, which unites 11 stations for a total length of just over 4 kilometreswas declared World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2002, together with Andrássy Avenue and Heroes’ Square.
Glasgow Underground (1896)
In fourth position we find the subway Glasgowinaugurated in 1896and therefore among the oldest in the world and, certainly, the oldest in Scotland. What makes it truly a singular case is the fact that, unlike almost all the others, it has never been expanded beyond its original layout, which therefore includes only one loop line Of 15 stationsjust over long 10 kilometres around the city center.
Initially, the cars were moved by a system of tow cablesin a very similar way to what happens with funiculars, and only in 1935 was the entire network electrified. After a period of service stagnation, at the end of the Seventies the metropolitan line was redeveloped with a major modernization project, which introduced the characteristic orange color of the trains.
Boston T (1897)
In fifth position we find the subway Bostonthe first section underground to have been made in the United States. Inaugurated in 1897 with the first section of the Green Linewas created with the aim of remedying the traffic problem increasingly intense in the city centre, thus allowing trams to pass beneath the road network. The Boston subway began as line electricwhich made it possible to avoid the smoke and ventilation problems that characterized many transports of the time.
Managed today by MBTA (Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority), the so-called “T” includes a path of 64 kilometers composed of four lines main ones identified by colours: red, orange, green And blue. The original stretch still connects the stations of Government Center, Park Street And Boylston. The nickname “T” was born with the introduction of the logo of the same name by the MBTA, a Black T enclosed in a white circle: the letter stated “transit” (i.e. transportation).
