Animated GIFs Reveal Differences Between Subway Maps and Their Actual Geography

Animated Subway Map Metro Map New York

New York City (Photo: playhouse_animation)

Have you ever wondered just how true-to-life the world's many metro maps actually are? If so, you're in luck! Recently, Reddit users have started to create animations that compare stylized subway maps with accurate geographical representations. Now, this transit-inspired trend has taken off, with several cities starring as its subjects.

The phenomenon began when vinnivinnivinni, a contributor on the Data is Beautiful subreddit, created and shared a unique map based on Berlin. Rendered as an animated gif, the image shows the well-known, line drawing-like map as it morphs into a more realistic portrayal of the city's subway system. To create her moving masterpiece, vinnivinnivinni used data from Google Maps, Wikipedia, and the official subway map of Berlin.

Other users on the Data is Beautiful board were so impressed and inspired by vinnivinnivinni's work that many opted to create their own animated studies. Thanks to these ambitious animators, most major cities around the world now have their own moving maps. The London Underground, the Paris Metro, and the New York Subway are just a few systems whose iconic, illustrated maps have been realistically reimagined as mesmerizing gifs.

If you're interested in exploring more creative projects rooted in figures and statistics, stop by Data is Beautiful on Reddit.

In a series of animated subway maps, well-known transit maps from cities around the world are cleverly compared to their real-life geography.

Berlin

Paris

Animated Subway Map Metro Map Paris

Photo: hlake

London

Vienna

Animated Subway Map Metro Map Vienna

Photo: p6788

Oslo

Rotterdam

Rotterdam

Photo: Ghorich

Montreal

Washington DC

Animated Subway Map Metro Map Washington Dc

Photo: stupidgit

Austin

Animated Subway Map Metro Map Austin

Photo: MrMason007

Shanghai

Animated Subway Map Metro Map Shanghai

Photo: KailoB6

Singapore

Animated Subway Map Metro Map Singapore

Photo: wrcyn

Tokyo

Animated Subway Map Metro Map Barcelona

Photo: -Ninja-

São Paulo

Barcelona

h/t: [Colossal, Twisted Sifter]

Related Articles:

Redesigned Metro Maps Offer Consistency Around the World

Minimalist “Mini Metros” Simplify Worldwide Public Transit Maps

Ingeniously Redesigned World Map Looks Unusual, But Is Highly Accurate

Kelly Richman-Abdou

Kelly Richman-Abdou is a Contributing Writer at My Modern Met. An art historian living in Paris, Kelly was born and raised in San Francisco and holds a BA in Art History from the University of San Francisco and an MA in Art and Museum Studies from Georgetown University. When she’s not writing, you can find Kelly wandering around Paris, whether she’s leading a tour (as a guide, she has been interviewed by BBC World News America and France 24) or simply taking a stroll with her husband and two tiny daughters.
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