The 5 oldest subways in the world: from London to Budapest, a UNESCO heritage site

Subways today are not just means of transport, but true urban icons that have marked the history of cities: from London to Chicago, from Budapest to Boston, these underground or elevated systems have revolutionized urban mobility, allowing millions of people to move every day. The first lines, born between the mid and late nineteenth century, introduced extraordinary technological and architectural innovations, some of which have become cultural and UNESCO heritage sites, such as the “Földalatti” in Budapest. The oldest is the London Underground in the United Kingdomopened in 1863. Today, stations and trains continue to be symbols of modernity and references in mass culture, from films to social media.

London Underground (1863)

With a notable time gap compared to its rivals in the ranking, the oldest subway in the world is London. Known as “The Tube”, the London tube is not only the oldest, but also one of the most famous and recognizable in the world. Its inauguration took place in 1863, almost thirty years before that of Chicago, when the line between Paddington and Farringdon came into operation.

The very first locomotives were powered by steam, the exhaust of which represented a significant problem inside the underground tunnels, and partial electrification of the line had to wait until the early twentieth century.
The expansion of the metro during the 20th century was truly remarkable and today the route extends over 400 kilometres. A truly impressive length, beaten in the world only by the colossal metropolitan routes of the Chinese megacities, which are well over 800 kilometers in the agglomerations of Beijing and Shanghai.

Chicago “L” (1892)

In second position we find the “L” of Chicago, the first in the United States. This subway deserves a mention in its own right, so much so that it is usually not even listed among the oldest in the world. The reason is quite simple: although it began operation in 1892, the Chicago subway, at least originally, ran along an elevated road between the central and suburban neighborhoods. In fact, it is impossible not to have seen at least once in your life, even if only in a film or series, the famous viaducts that overlook the intricate streets of Chicago.
Only later were some sections expanded with the addition of underground tunnels (for a total length of 170 kilometres), which however did not change the perception of transport as an elevated system rather than a real “subway”. “L” is, in fact, an abbreviation of elevated (EL-evated), i.e. elevated.

Budapest Metro (1896)

Opened in 1896, the Budapest Metro is the oldest in continental Europe. Built on the occasion of the celebrations of the thousand years of the foundation of the Hungarian state, it was built to connect the city center with the Városliget park, via a 3.7 kilometer route.

Over the course of the following century, the metro developed to a length of just over 39 kilometers divided into 4 lines: M1 – yellow; M2 – red; M3 – blue; M4 – green.
The M1 line, also called “Földalatti”, which connects 11 stations for a total length of just over 4 kilometres, was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2002, together with Andrássy Avenue and Heroes’ Square.

Glasgow Underground (1896)

In fourth position we find the Glasgow metro, inaugurated in 1896, and therefore among the oldest in the world and, certainly, the oldest in Scotland. What makes it truly a singular case is the fact that, unlike almost all the others, it has never been extended beyond its original route, which therefore includes a single ring line of 15 stations, just over 10 kilometers long around the city centre.
Initially, the cars were moved by a system of tow cables, very similar to what happens with funiculars, and only in 1935 was the entire network electrified. After a period of service stagnation, at the end of the Seventies the metropolitan line was redeveloped with a major modernization project, which introduced the characteristic orange color of the trains.

Boston T (1897)

In fifth position we find the Boston subway, the first underground route to be built in the United States. Inaugurated in 1897 with the first section of the GreenLinewas built with the aim of overcoming the problem of increasingly intense traffic in the city centre, thus allowing trams to pass beneath the road network. The Boston subway was born as an electric line, which allowed it to avoid the smoke and ventilation problems that characterized many transports of the time.
Operated today by the MBTA (Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority), the so-called “T” includes a 64 kilometer route made up of four main lines identified by colours: red, orange, green and blue. The original stretch still connects Government Center, Park Street and Boylston stations. The name “T” was born with the introduction of the logo of the same name by the MBTA, a black T enclosed in a white circle: the letter indicated “transit” (i.e. transportation).