A recent ranking of Europe’s metro systems, compiled by travel and luggage storage company Bounce, has highlighted the continent’s best and worst underground networks. Passengers value factors such as cleanliness, ease of navigation, and impressive architecture, while broken facilities and a lack of safety can place a metro system firmly at the bottom of the list.
Bounce developed an index based on Google review ratings from individual stations, averaged across each metro system. They considered the percentage of stations with Google ratings of four stars or higher, the proportion with ratings below two, annual ridership statistics, and data from Buzzsumo, which analyzed “love” and “hate” reactions in news articles about the systems.
Europe’s Best Metro Systems
- Oslo, Norway | Index score: 8.06/10 Topping the list is Oslo’s metro system, with a score of 8.06 out of 10. Known locally as the “T-Bane,” it serves 101 stations over 85 km of track, covering all 15 city districts and the neighboring Baerum municipality. With five lines and one under construction, Oslo’s metro scored an impressive 4.13 out of 5 in Google reviews. Its busiest station, Jernbanetorget, is Norway’s largest transportation hub and is praised for being “easy to navigate,” “well-organized,” and “clean.”
- Sofia, Bulgaria | Index score: 7.64/10 The Sofia Metro, one of the youngest in Europe, ranks second with a score of 7.64. Established in 1998, the system includes 47 stations over 52 km of track, connecting to Sofia Airport. Reviewers commend its user-friendliness, clear English signage, and the cleanliness of Moesia/NBU station. The striking forest-themed artwork at Aleksandar Malinov station has also drawn attention, contributing to 95% of “love” reactions in news articles, with no “hate” reactions.
- Athens, Greece | Index score: 7.29/10 The Athens Metro takes third place, scoring 7.29. It is appreciated for its direct links to the airport and the bustling port area, providing access to Greece’s many islands. With 62 stations and 71 km of track, the network has an average Google review score of 4.10, but its busiest station, Syntagma, scores only 3.50 out of 5, criticized for its overwhelming crowds.
Other Top Performers
Madrid’s vast network, with 242 stations across 289 km, placed fourth with an average Google review score of 4.03. London’s famous Tube ranked sixth, despite its age and size, thanks to its overall accessibility. Even though it has 272 stations over 402 km, nearly 70% of its stations received four stars or more.
Sandwiched between these two giants is Warsaw, Poland, ranked fifth. Bucharest, Lisbon, Copenhagen, and Prague complete the top ten.
Europe’s Worst Metro Systems
- Budapest, Hungary | Index score: 3.13/10 The Budapest Metro ranks as the worst in Europe, despite an average station score of 4.05. While the system has 48 stations over 39 km of track, 75% of online reactions to news articles about it were negative. Határ út station, in particular, received poor reviews, described as “disgusting” due to its unappealing look and lack of cleanliness.
- Brussels, Belgium | Index score: 3.20/10 Brussels earned the second-lowest score. Despite its extensive network of 59 stations and 40 km of track, it is heavily criticized, with 26% of news article reactions expressing dislike. Gare du Midi, a major hub, is described as “unsafe” and “dirty,” contributing to the system’s poor reputation.
- Rome, Italy | Index score: 3.75/10 Rome’s metro system came in third worst, with passengers frustrated by its broken equipment, lack of security, and feeling of desolation at stations like Quintiliani, which scored just 2.40 out of 5.
Other Low-Ranked Networks
Helsinki and Stockholm, known for their design and cleanliness, surprisingly placed in the bottom ten, with concerns about their small size and safety issues. Amsterdam ranked fourth worst, while Paris, despite its iconic status, was fifth, with users complaining about the poor cleanliness and safety at busy stations like Gare du Nord.
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