AUG 9 WHICH SUBWAY SYSTEM IS THE MOST EXPENSIVE?

AUG 9  WHICH SUBWAY SYSTEM IS THE MOST EXPENSIVE?

While on summer holiday, Duner staffers used the Mexico City Metro. We were surprised to discover the price is still just 5 pesos per trip. That's only twenty-five cents! Here's how the ten largest subway systems worldwide compare:

MEXICO CITY. Cost: .25¢ 171 Stations. Constructed with funds from the petroleum-driven Mexican Miracle in the 1960's, the system opened just after the Olympics. Today, twelve busy lines carry over 4 million people daily. Given the fact that many riders are illiterate, it's the only subway that has an official symbol for every station.

BEIJING. Cost: .44¢ 391 Stations. Under Mao, a secret subway ferried government officials between a dozen stops around the capital. After Mao's death, it opened to the public. Since then, the population of Beijing has soared, and the subway has kept pace.

MOSCOW. Cost: .87¢  172 Stations. When the first line of the Moscow Metro opened in 1935, passengers were stunned. Designed to outshine the glamour of the Paris Metro, stations resemble mansions and cathedrals. Corinthian marble columns tower over sparking marble floors. Crystal chandeliers light the way for 7 million daily riders...still the most of any subway on earth.

SEOUL. Cost $1.20 232 Stations. The youngest subway on the list opened in 1977. Like K-Pop Music, it has expanded at a mind-numbing pace. Forty years later, it has expanded into nine lines and the Seoul Metro shows no signs of slowing up. Within the next five years, three new lines with dozens of new stations will open to the public. 

PARIS. Cost: $2.12. 381 Stations. The Fin de Siecle made Paris the world's most elegant city. When the Metropolitan opened in 1900, architect Hector Guimard took Art Nouveau to a new level. Even the entrances were grand: Ornate wrought iron gates beckon a traveler below. The Paris Metro is the world's most dense: It has the most stations per square kilometer.

CHICAGO. Cost: $2.25. 151 Stations. Also a pioneer in urban rail, Chicago's Urban Rail System opened eight years before Paris. Yet it wasn't until 1943 when Chicago opened its first line underground. Many of the Elevated Lines are still operable today. 

TOKYO. Cost: $2.46. 202 Stations. Perhaps the most intimidating of all subway systems, the Tokyo Subway has the most individual lines. They crisscross in a spider's web of color, right angles and Japanese characters. Yet once you venture into the stations, you'll find simple signage in English. Piece of cake!

NEW YORK CITY. Cost: $2.75. 472 Stations. Yep, you read that right: 472 stations make NYC the largest subway system in the world. This includes the recently-opened four stations on the Second Street Line in Manhattan...the most expensive subway line ever built. What separates NYC from the other systems is the Express Lines. Only a helicopter is faster!

BERLIN. Cost: $3.00. 170 Stations. When it first opened in 1902, Berlin was already the world's largest railway center. To differentiate between Street Cars, two names were used. The U-Bahn is underground and S-Bahn on the streets. Today, the two intertwine and often share the same tracks. Bring your wallet: German and Scandinavian cities average over $3 per subway system.

LONDON. Cost: $3.70. 306 Stations. The world's first subway ran under New Road and opened in 1863. Using the cut and cover method, it ferried passengers from Paddington to the Thames River banks. It set the standard and how subways should be built, and continues to innovate. Yet despite the changes, the Underground maintains the old-school feel of the Victorian Era. Check out the couches on the Bakerloo Line!