For the first time in nearly half a century, the MTA has introduced a completely reimagined version of the New York City subway map — but not everyone is impressed. Despite being touted as “easily readable,” many commuters dismissed the overhaul as needlessly complex and a poor use of funds by an already embattled agency.
The new map replaces Michael Hertz’s iconic 1979 design — often compared to a tangled web of spaghetti — with crisp, vivid lines on a white background. It clearly distinguishes each subway line, while also noting accessible stations and places where passengers can transfer between stations without paying an additional fare.
In a significant stylistic shift, the familiar outlines of the city’s boroughs have been swapped for abstract, graphic representations, rather than the geographically accurate shapes seen on previous versions.
“The new MTA is focused on a quality, 21st-century customer experience, and it’s about time our map caught up,” MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber said in a statement.
“The new version is much easier to read while also reflecting all the enhancements we’ve made over the years.”
But on the ground, many riders said they had no idea the map had even changed — until they were informed by The NY Post — and reactions ranged from indifferent to outraged.
“I would prefer to see more working elevators or less homeless on the trains, or even bring some of those newer trains to all the lines,” Allison Graham, 40, said at the Astoria-Ditmars N station in Queens.
“The map update could’ve waited. There are other things that need to be prioritized.”
Michelle, another commuter at the same stop, offered a dry take on the new look: “really nice … if you’re a tourist. I don’t hate it but I probably won’t ever look at it again.”
A.J., hurrying through Canal Street in Manhattan, didn’t hold back either.
“Seems like a waste of money. It’s not even for New Yorkers, New Yorkers don’t need that,” he said.
“I hope this is not why they are raising the fare again. Is this where it goes?” rider David R., 45, asked while waiting at the Broadway stop in Astoria.
Transit enthusiasts quickly drew comparisons to Massimo Vignelli’s minimalist 1972 map, which was scrapped after just seven years due to complaints that it confused riders and bore little resemblance to the city’s actual geography.
“It’s always funny that the MTA has been desperately trying to implement this exact map for like 50 years and nobody has ever liked it,” one user wrote on X, responding to the debut.
Longtime riders accustomed to the familiar street grid were critical of the shift, arguing that the new look makes it harder to orient oneself and navigate transfers between lines.
“Oh dear! That’s much more complicated than it needed to be!” one person lamented on X. “Looking at the benefits of other metro/subway maps across the world would have been helpful.”
“The city looks distorted. This is not an improvement,” someone else added.
Another user compared the design to a “video game” interface.
A recurring complaint among commenters focused on the expense of the redesign, which the MTA has yet to publicly reveal. Many are calling for the return of the old map, which the agency says will still be accessible online.
“This map sucks,” another person posted on X. “It uses way too much space for lines instead of making use of the redundancy of lines on shared tracks. This leads to crazy distortion of distances above ground.”
The updated graphic, created by the MTA’s Creative Services Mapping Department, also includes nearby rail systems such as Amtrak, Metro North, the Long Island Rail Road, and PATH.
Commuters can expect to see the new design rolled out across train cars and stations over the coming weeks and months.
“This map rollout is utilizing the dedicated space in every subway car and the thousands of digital screens in the transit system to provide customers with detailed and up-to-date service information,” said MTA Chief Customer Officer Shanifah Rieara.
“I want to thank our customers for their input and the creative team for their years of work to update this iconic piece of the New York City Subway system.”
{Matzav.com}