Comparison of Six Major International Underground Metro Systems

The table compares six international underground systems across five key metrics, including their opening dates, network size, and annual passenger usage. Overall, the systems vary significantly in age and scale, with the London Tube being the longest-established network, whereas the Tokyo Subway stands out for its exceptionally high passenger volume.

Regarding infrastructure, the New York City Subway is the most extensive in terms of stations (472) and lines (36), covering 394 km. In contrast, the London Tube, which opened in 1863, possesses the longest route length at 402 km, despite having only 11 lines and 270 stations. The Paris Metro and Mexico City Metro occupy the middle ground, with route lengths of 214 km and 202 km respectively.

In terms of usage, the Tokyo Subway is the busiest, facilitating 3,160 million passenger journeys annually, nearly double that of the New York City Subway at 1,758 million. The Mexico City Metro and Paris Metro also record high figures of 1,624 million and 1,527 million respectively. Conversely, the Beijing Subway, which opened in 1969, reports the lowest annual passenger count at 453 million, supported by only 2 lines and 172 stations.