Every WORST Metro System in the World Explained

Have you ever stood on a platform waiting for a train that's already 10 minutes late, watching water drip from the ceiling and wondering how this is the best a major city can do??? You're not alone. These systems didn't break overnight. They were neglected, mismanaged, and argued into the ground for decades.. In this video, as a real urban planner, i'm breaking down the worst metro and subway systems in the world and exactly how they got this bad. From New York's 90 year old signal equipment to Rome's three metro lines stalled by ancient ruins, these are the transit systems that prove building a subway is the easy part. Keeping it working is something else entirely... #urbanplanning #publictransit #explained New York: The only major subway in America that never sleeps. Parts of it still run on signal technology older than color TV. The MTA pumps out 13 million gallons of water every single day. Rome: One of the most historic cities on Earth with just three metro lines. Every time crews dig, they hit 2,000 year old ruins and construction halts. Line C has been delayed for decades. Los Angeles: Billions spent on rail that skips the places people actually need to reach. For years you couldn't even ride the train straight to the airport. Yes, the airport. Brussels: The de facto capital of the European Union running a metro that looks barely touched since the 1970s. Lawmakers from 27 countries pass through stations Europe would rather not talk about. Washington DC: A subway babysat by federal safety regulators after fires in tunnels and trains slipping off tracks made national headlines. Deferred maintenance turned a model system into a scandal. Glasgow: One loop. That's it. The Clockwork Orange opened in 1896 and never expanded because the circular design locked the city into its own century-old plan. Sydney: A wealthy global city of 5 million people that spent decades underinvesting in rail and now faces some of the most expensive tunnel construction costs on the planet. Toronto: The biggest city in Canada with a shockingly small subway. Decades of politicians cancelling each other's plans created a graveyard of abandoned blueprints. Which of these have you actually suffered through? Drop it in the comments! -TIMESTAMPS- 00:00 New York 01:18 Rome 02:32 Los Angeles 03:39 Brussels 04:41 Washington DC 05:50 Glasgow 06:50 Sydney 07:53 Toronto 09:06 The End 𝗖𝗛𝗘𝗖𝗞 𝗢𝗨𝗧 𝗢𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗥 𝗣𝗢𝗣𝗨𝗟𝗔𝗥 𝗩𝗜𝗗𝗘𝗢𝗦; Urban Planning Lessons | Urban Design and City Planning Info ↪ https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLO5PaPVyUlAkfchYuUU2fV_3_9Z9_-_sR Every Insanely Well Designed Cities Explained in 8 Minutes ↪ https://youtu.be/ZJD-2vm0EPE Every Insanely Well Designed Cities PART 2 Explained in 9 Minutes ↪ https://youtu.be/Ibeszi8ov18 If you'd like to support this channel and its mission to make urban planning knowledge accessible for everyone, you can join our "Planning Office" via the 'Join' button! 🤝 You can also offer one-time support using the 'Super Thanks' feature below the video and be featured on the 'Thank You Board' at the end of the video, just like all our supporters. 🙏 📩 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗰𝘁 (𝗕𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀): [email protected] **** Welcome to Urban Planner Explained! I'm Umut, an urban planner currently pursuing my Master's degree. I'm passionate about decoding the complex world of cities, and I'm here to break down everything I've learned—from university lectures to my travels—into clear videos. My goal is to make the often technical subject of urban planning engaging and easy to understand for everyone. On this channel, we explain various topics like city models, principles of urbanism, some insanely-well designed cities, and American suburbs in a simple and clear way. Of course, topics like Megacity projects, future city models, street patterns, smart cities, walkability, urban design, zoning, public transportation and urban planners are also in our area of interest. If you want to better understand your environment, join a conscious conversation about cities, and explore these living organisms with me, you're in the right place. Subscribe to join the community and let's meet in the next video! © 2026 Urban Planner Explained