The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) has unveiled a reimagined subway map, its first new design since 1979. The new map, which draws from previous versions, simplifies riders’ primary wayfinding asset while providing the most essential travel information in an easily readable, bright, bold, and orderly manner.
As the MTA continues to modernize its 120-year-old transit system by building new stations, updating signals, making accessibility improvements, introducing new fare payment systems, and improving customer-facing technology, the new map reflects these enhancements.
“The subway map is both an iconic symbol of New York and a tool that everyday riders and first-time users of our system use to get around,” said New York City Transit President Demetrius Crichlow. “This modern redesign makes it easier to navigate the system – especially during service changes – and has a quintessential New York look that riders will appreciate for years to come.”
The new map was designed by the MTA’s Creative Services Mapping Department and, like many major subway systems around the world, utilizes a diagrammatic style, employing bold, straight lines making it much easier for the eye to follow and more suitable for digital users. The white background, bold colors, horizontal writing and use of black dots make the map more ADA-friendly and easier for people with low-vision or cognitive disabilities to read.
Designers also focused on text legibility, keeping text on one line wherever possible and making better use of open space to alleviate crowding and using a black subway bullet with a white character to provide maximum contrast for easier reading.
The legend on the map is now more detailed and includes accessibility, transfer and safety information, as well as a QR code that leads users to the MTA website. Although this map is a new design, the creative team drew inspiration from previous maps including preserving the official brand colors established by the 1979 and 1998 Hertz maps; and using a similar geometric and diagrammatic aesthetic introduced to the NYC Subway with the 1972 Vignelli diagram and revived by its successors, Waterhouse Cifuentes.
The new subway map for weekdays, late nights, and weekends is already displayed on station digital screens and soon will be onboard R211 cars. Replacing physical maps in the remaining subway cars will be done in phases over the coming weeks.
Customers are also seeing a software redesign of digital subway station screens that increase the frequency of real-time data, updating every five seconds, to better match countdown clocks to real-time train arrivals. These improvements, based on customer feedback, surveys, and analysis of all 472 station, prioritize arrival information, streamline the presentation of customer information, and consistently feature white text on a black background for improved clarity and visibility.
Massimo Vignelli 1972 Subway map is show below.
