Transit Tourism : The Iconic Art and Design of 22 Subway Systems around the World book cover
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Best for Urban Explorers

Travel Writing

Transit Tourism : The Iconic Art and Design of 22 Subway Systems around the World

by David Seltzer

An illustrated set of essays exploring 22 global subway systems, revealing how each reflects its city's character through architecture, art, and design.


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About the book

From the ornate elegance of Moscow's stations to the sleek minimalism of São Paulo's, this visual journey takes readers through the world's bustling metros, where each station tells a story of its city's soul. The book explores urban subway systems across Beijing, Boston, Brussels, Budapest, Buenos Aires, Chicago, Glasgow, Istanbul, London, Madrid, Mexico City, Montreal, Moscow, Munich, Naples, New York, Paris, Philadelphia, São Paulo, Stockholm, Tokyo, and Washington. Written from a tour guide's viewpoint for a passenger's perspective, these entertaining travel essays blend humor and observation to uncover the hidden narratives beneath our cities. The book itself is uniquely designed with each chapter mimicking a subway line through color-coded sections and Museo typeface inspired by transit graphics. Each chapter concludes with a distinctive token ranking system, evaluating subway systems on convenience, ease of use, design quality, and personality—perfect for urban explorers, design aficionados, and anyone planning their own transit adventures around the world.

Book details

Published by Schiffer Publishing Ltd

Hardback ISBN: 9780764369032 28 May 2025 236 x 186 x 31 (mm) 1146g