Living in a big city has its perks — cool stuff to do,
interesting people to meet — but, given their usually congested roads,
getting around metropolises can be a bit of a drag. While we are
certainly appreciative that functioning public transit exists in these
cities, and they are not actually across-the-board terrible, we're just
saying that there are elements that could use some improvements.
1. New York City
If your main intercity railway station inspires the trending hashtag
#SummerofHell,
you may have problems. That's how train travelers are describing a $40
million Amtrak project to upgrade track switches at Penn Station. The
upgrade is set to
continue for the next eight weeks,
promising delays and packed train carriages as diverted passengers
swell the already huge number of daily passengers passing through the
station (almost 40,000).
While Penn Station's problems primarily impact on those commuting in
and out of NYC, those living in the city itself don't have it much
better.
"Every subway line is getting worse," according to
The New York Times. What the
NYT
calls "the aging equipment in its 112-year-old system" is pushing
signals and tracks along the subway system to their limits and, along
with overcrowding, making subway delays "a frustrating fact of life in
New York City." And, believe us, at this time of year, when the humidity
is at its peak, standing on an NYC subway track for even a minute too
long can feel like a very particular type of torture. It's also
really dirty, by the way.
2. Bogotá, Colombia
The Colombian capital is a wonderful city, rich in art, history and culture, but according to a
Thomson Reuters Foundation
survey conducted a few years ago, it's not such a wonderful city for
women to travel through. Bogotá came out worst in a poll about sexual
harassment on public transport, making its transit system the most
dangerous in the world for women, followed by Mexico City and Lima, Peru
(NYC redeems itself, here, by coming out best). Add this very
off-putting detail to the fact that the city of 8 million people has no
subway (although there is the effective bus raid system, TransMilenio), a
network of overcrowded private buses and taxi drivers with terrible
reputations for extortion and dangerous driving. Our advice? Use the
taxi hailing app Tappsi for peace of mind when traveling around.
3. Toronto, Canada
Efficient Canada may seem a surprise entry on this list. However, an investigation by the
National Post
last year found that "Between September and November 2015, there was a
total of 7,301 minutes of delays, caused by everything from missing
drivers, bomb threats, and an owl." The report also noted that fares had
actually increased during a period when service was getting worse
(though that does seem to be a universal trend, not specific to
Toronto). The problem, posited
Torontoist
in a reason editorial, is governance. "In contrast to virtually every
other jurisdiction in North America," they wrote, "transit planning in
Toronto is remarkably fractured, unresponsive, and undemocratic."
4. Guatemala City
Guatemala City's colorful "Chicken Buses" are pretty to look at — but
the fact that they are usually retired U.S. school buses might cause
pause for concern over their roadworthiness. That being said, your main
concerns are reckless drivers, price gouging and theft, particularly at
night. Some tourists have had their luggage stolen from the rooftop rack
where it is stored, so best to carry important items in the bag you
keep with you. Besides that, they're not so bad really.
5. Tokyo
Tokyo's smooth-running metro system is not really one of the worst.
In fact, it's clean and almost always on time — and it's difficult to
find many faults with it at all. So why does it make this list? Well,
that's a nod to claustrophobic riders among us. Shinjuku Station sees
more than 3.6 million passengers every day, and scenes of rail workers
pushing passengers onto already way overcrowded trains are some of the
most recognizable images of the city. Then there is the impossibly
complicated layout of some stations — Shinjuku and Ginza stations can
appear maze-like and inscrutable if you are not used to them — and it
can all add up to an exasperating experience. Still, if you find your
train, and can get on it, you can be fairly confident you'll get to your
destination on time.
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