I've been riding the rails for many many years. However, I wasn't always the aficionado that I am today. It took a lot of practice and a lot of learning. Subways are something that need to be learned unless you grow up with them. It's kind of like learning a language. English I grew up with, the others took some work.
The truth is, I used to have a hard time getting around New York City on the subways. True, it's advanced subway riding, and it isn't always easy to make sense of all the different lines, the times, the switches from peak to weekend, the substitutions for work zones, and so on.
The one thing that I learned while traversing New York City for years was this. Give over your sense of direction. That's right. Most of us who grew up outside the city and its lifestyle, carefully honed our sense of direction as we aged, and we're proud of that sense of direction. Unfortunately, it has no place in subways.
The world of the subway is something completely different from the world above ground. When you're in the subway, you've become mole people. You see shops designed to help you make your way underground. You see ads for things that you must return to the surface to enjoy. You must follow signs and trust in your handlers to get you where you're going. It's a lot for any of us who have ever prided ourselves in knowing which way to go and how to get somewhere. It's a completely different world.
For example, I normally go into Grand Central Station in New York and transfer to the subway system. it's a perfectly normal way to travel in Manhattan. However, there are about a thousand ways to navigate through that terminal. It's huge. I've found myself in all kinds of places that I never knew existed. This is where handing over your sense of direction comes in handy.
I learned to just follow the signs. I know what train I need to catch. I know the color and the number or letter. I know the stop I need to arrive at for my activity. I used to worry about which way it was. Just follow the signs, people. Are you going the way you think you are? No. But that's all right. The subway is designed to get you to your final destination. Trust is what you need.
Believe me, you'll find passageways, stores, odd connections to other stops and different sites around the city. Your train might go right across the Manhattan Bridge. It might come up above ground in Brooklyn. It might go up and down. It can be unnerving if you're not used to the world from that perspective. I can't say it enough. Just follow the signs and trust the system. It will get you where you're going.
Another piece of advice I can give is to use the maps in the stations. It's great to have everything on your phone and I always do. But those maps in the stations are big and easy to look at. Sometimes, as old as the idea is; a big giant map can be helpful. Just make sure it's up to date. The one in the picture above isn't. That could really cause trouble and it has for me. By the same token; the maps on your phone might not be timely. Google can be wrong.
I've ridden public transportation in 7 countries and five major cities in the USA. I've learned a lot. First of all, I like it. I like not having to try to drive in Washington DC or Boston; and I will not drive in New York City ever. I like following signs and letting someone else take me where I want to go. It's very freeing. Try it and see.
Just remember, whether it's a subway, a train, a tram, a bus, funicular, elevator, cable car, or even the Staten Island Ferry; let them do the worrying. Follow the signs and let someone else do the work. It's way easier to get out of the rat race than to try and drive in a major metropolitan nightmare. And remember, some places you can't drive to anyway.
So, sit back, relax, don't worry about your sense of direction, follow the maps and the signs, and Enjoy!
https://www.mbta.com/schedules/subway
https://www.hel.fi/en/urban-environment-and-traffic/getting-around-helsinki-tips-for-newcomers
https://www.visittallinn.ee/eng/visitor/plan/transport/public-transport
https://www.visitstockholm.com/travel-info/public-transportation-in-stockholm/
https://visitreykjavik.is/public-transportation
https://www.transitchicago.com/
https://www.mtl.org/en/city/visitor-information/getting-around
https://www.introducingporto.com/metro
https://www.facebook.com/adventuresforanyone/
https://www.instagram.com/ninakindred1/
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