The table compares the underground railway systems in six cities, focusing on their opening dates, route lengths, and annual passenger numbers.
Overall, London has the oldest and longest network, while Tokyo carries the highest number of passengers per year. In contrast, Kyoto and Los Angeles have the shortest routes and the lowest ridership.
London opened its underground system in 1863, making it the earliest among the six cities. Paris and Tokyo followed in the early 20th century, while Washington DC, Kyoto, and Los Angeles established theirs much later, with LA being the most recent in 2001. In terms of route length, London leads with 394 km, while Kyoto and Los Angeles have significantly smaller systems, with just 11 km and 28 km respectively.
Passenger numbers vary greatly. Tokyo has by far the highest usage, serving 1,927 million people annually. Paris and London follow with 1,191 million and 775 million respectively. In contrast, Kyoto has the fewest passengers at just 45 million per year.
In summary, older systems tend to have longer routes, while higher passenger numbers do not always align with system age, as seen in Tokyo’s case.