One of the biggest disappointment for tourists traveling here from South East Asia is that they expect to see clean, comfortable, air-conditioned subway stations like Singapore's MRT, Hong Kong's MTR, Malaysia's LTR, etc.. I don't blame them because they probably didn't know that the NY Subway System is more than a 100 years old - second to London. So don't expect any modern structure & comfortable amenities here.
NY Subway has the most extensive system of rails in the world; hence making any future upgrades an unimaginable effort; costly and time consuming. To describe it less glamorously, it is a complicated, mishmash network of tracks. The subway lines are like colorful threads coming out of a half-done tapestry work (see MTA map below).
A bit about the subway:
Who operates it? Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA).
How many stations are there? About 468 stations.
How many miles/kms of tracks? 842 miles or 1,355 kms covering Manhattan, Staten Island, Queens, Brooklyn, Long Island and the Bronx areas; with some limited lines to Connecticut and upstate NY.
[P.S. For my fellow Sarawakians, the track distance is like driving from Kuching to Sabah. More or less.]
This is my handy MTA map. It's almost as big as my floor rug but when folded up, it fits in my handbag very conveniently :)
The subway is the most uncomfortable place to be in summer. It is hot, humid and smelly. Smelly, can be 365 days depending on which line you're on. If there's a major power outage like the one last August 2003, you're DOOMED! Yet, it is the fastest and easiest way to get from one place to another in the City. No traffic-jams & simply time-efficient. We like that!
Therefore, an average of 4.8 million people ride on it everyday because New Yorkers are always in a hurry. They walk like they're running. Oh yes, I forgot to mention that the subway is extremely crowded during rush hours. Like packed sardines in the carriages. If your fellow rider has bad B.O. (arggh!). Say no more, say no more.
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