New York, beneath the surface
NYC subway in 2000: The MetroCard changes the journey
MetroCard testing began in 1993; the public rollout began in January 1994. Free bus–subway transfers followed in 1997 and unlimited-ride cards in 1998. These changes affected how people traveled without adding stations to the map.
Explore the 2000 interactive map →
What this map represents
This year-end reconstruction contains 471 modeled stops across 4 boroughs and about 226 mapped miles. These are counts from this project’s model, not official historical station or track-mile totals. Modern route colors identify corridors, not the services running in 2000.
Selected events, 1990–2000
1994: MetroCard arrives
The public rollout began in January, introducing magnetic fare cards alongside tokens.
Source: Wikipedia: MetroCard
1997: Free bus–subway transfers
MetroCard made transfers between local buses and the subway free.
Source: Wikipedia: MetroCard
1998: Unlimited rides
Unlimited-ride MetroCards changed the cost of making frequent journeys.
Source: Wikipedia: MetroCard
Sources and interpretation
Historical coverage and geometry are incomplete. Read the reconstruction method and limitations before interpreting station counts or route alignments.