I wish we could have something like this in LA at some point during my lifetime. I live near a metro stop, and hardly use it for a couple big reasons:
- It’s slow - if I just barely miss a train during rush hour in the morning, I have to wait 10-15 minutes for the next one.
- Not connected. Yes, LA is terribly sprawled out, but that still doesn’t change the fact that there is NO line that goes to the westside (amongst other areas)
People are definitely getting fed up with the horrible mass transit options here, even before this recent massive jump in gas prices. Something has to change. To sum up: I’m envious of Tokyo!
The Tokyo subway system is so easy to use that an English speaking ten-year-old could figure it out in a few minutes. To summarize, it’s perfect.
The trains are clean, quiet, comfortable, clearly marked and scheduled. I haven’t waited more than three minutes for a train to come since I’ve been here.
In terms of cost, each ride seems to be a little over a dollar. Everybody keeps a magnetic card in his wallet and swipes it over the exit when they enter/leave.