Rather unusual but Madrid not only gets a mention but high praise from The City Journal a rather right wing paper

http://www.city-journal.org/2010/20_2_snd-subway-lessons.html

Should mention it's regards to the metro.

Flattering article for Madrid - and an article that should be mandatory reading for govt. officials of all major US cities that are in dire need of metro and train lines! Thanks for posting it

such an interesting article. Especially interesting as a native New Yorker who can relate to the specifics. thanks for posting this! I really enjoyed reading it.

Fantastic article , Rob .. and I totally agree with the author having travelled on Manhattan´s subway as well as the Metro here in Madrid . I have to say that the worst underground train system I´ve travelled on is London . I´m so ashamed that it´s my home city . One of the best ( Madrid is top of the list ) is Moscow ... A truly amazing metro network .. The stations are like palaces and the trains always on time and many of them .

great article, ridden in NYC a few times, as believe or not when lived next door went by car hehehehe! parked around 42nd st. no problems for 11 yrs!

Madrid got an overhaul, been riding the metro there since 1972, the UE infusion has been inmense and improvement to boot. Nothing in comparison to the old days. I still rode electric cars in madrid to Canillejas....

Now London, always there on business, by taxi company pays ::) However, this july will be there for my summer vacations with the family and will use the oyster card;so to be seen and talk.

Paris systems done it several times, but again go there by car too most of the time, dont like the idea of traveling 10 meters under ::) However, its recognise as a marvelous system.
cheers

I'm sure that the NYC transit officials and experts have meet with their counterparts in Madrid and other cities that have subways (Metro).

A short background to the NYC subway (Metro)
- It's the largest subway system in the world. It has 656 miles or 1,026 Km of main line track and has 468 stations.
- 5 million people a weekday and 2.5 million on weekends use the NYC subways.
- During the last 20 years NYC has upgraded and modernized its subway. They are clean and provide reliable service to the passengers.
- My wife and I never drive into the city. We use trains and buses. I have been riding the subway in NYC for over 60 years.hehehe

I like the Metro and have used it numerous times in the 12 years that I have been coming to Madrid.

I have a question for the people who live in Madrid regarding the Metro and the amount of car traffic.
Do you think that if the Metro opened at 5:00am instead of 6:00 am that it would reduce the amount of car traffic.

I'm an advocate of more trains and buses rather than cars in large cities.
Each person who chooses to travel by bus or train contributes to a cleaner environment. What's your opinion.

I totally agree with you Jim . I don´t drive .. I never have driven ... so I am a big supporter of public transport . And it´s important people use it ! I know some people in The States and the UK who use their cars for a 5 minute journey to the store . It would take them 15 minutes to walk there ! It makes me so angry .
As for the Metro opening at 5am instead of 6am : I don´t think it would make that much difference . The fact is that the Madrid Metro closes at 2am and opens again at 6am ... That´s pretty fantastic. If we go out to clubs , and we leave around 4 or 5 am we´ll either take a taxi or simply , as many younger guys do , wait outside the metro entrance until it opens at 6am .
Also bear in mind that Madrid provides buses while the metro is closed ( It´s called "búho" ) and they call at all the metro stations .

No I go for convenience and the fact that I am used to drive a car so much for many years . Being around Daytona Beach NASCAR helps enforce my liking for cars.Also, got my license in NJ first trip was to Yankee Stadium at 17, love it.

I only use the Metro/trains when I have to on business trips,or to move about once in the city from a fix position. Other than metro ,I rather walk and see the city ,sometimes 20 mins walk to get to my office in Paris.