Tips for building successful metro system...

[bailalobos]

...here's what I've learned by trial/error over several hours of game play:

1. have all your lines end in the same general area. This works great for Vienna; I ended up with 8 lines, all the terminal stations either in the cathedral square or w/in a few blocks of it. Takes a bit of planning so that you can build lines that don't cross each other. I didn't need any trams/busses for the city centre because the passengers just automatically walk the block or so between stations to connect between lines (so Herr X rides in on the line from his apartment block in Ottakring and walks to the line heading to the airport). Eventually I built a circular loop line following the Ringstrasse; with that there was absolutely no need for trams/busses.

2. build each line for only one purpose (e.g., to connect housing to city centre, to connect workplaces to city centre, to connect airport/rail terminals to city centre). This isn't really required; I just found it easier to manage the system doing it this way (for example, it's a huge help in deciding when to add more trains to keep up w/passenger demand).

3. DO NOT have more than one line use any one station. I made the mistake of doing this, and found the trains got gridlocked; only way to clear it was to delete the trains and buy new ones.

4. because metros are expensive to build, I started by building a residential line...looked for a housing area w/high occupancy (e.g., tenements), built a station, then another station in the city centre, and created the line. Next, I built a line w/first station in city centre and built more stations at areas w/high concentration of workplaces.

Hope these tips help...feel free to post more.

Cheers

 

[unmerged(128965)]

So what do you usually set ticket prices at? And how much did you take for a loan?

 

[Ominous_Penguin]

3. DO NOT have more than one line use any one station. I made the mistake of doing this, and found the trains got gridlocked; only way to clear it was to delete the trains and buy new ones.

You know you can transfer vehicles betwen lines and the depot?

 

[unmerged(272700)]

Good tips Bailalobos. I have one minor tip that may help you in the future. When your metro trains gridlocked, you mentioned that you had to sell a train and buy it to resolve the problem. You can actually move the train off the line without selling it. You move it to your depot pool. Its the empty area underneath the buy / sell area. You can use it to swap vehicles between lines without rebuying. Its also helpful if you want to destroy a line, but save the vehicles. You can park them in your depot, and then repurpose them later on another line without having to buy and sell again.
So in the case where your metro trains were snarled, you can just move the train to your depot, wait one second, and then move it back to the line. This way you do not incur much cost.

 

[unmerged(272700)]

So what do you usually set ticket prices at? And how much did you take for a loan?

You will want to adjust ticket prices with the economy. You may also consider adjusting ticket prices to control demand of your stops. For example, if you have a hundred people backed up at your tram stops and you cannot possibly keep up with it.. you cannot transport everyone... then you could raise your ticket prices. As you clear out the current queue of people (meaning it will take awhile for you to notice the affect of your changing ticket prices) you will see your lines shorten. With higher prices, less people will want to ride. This is true the other way around. You can lower ticket prices to try to encourage more people to ride your vehicles.

Don't be afraid of setting ticket prices in the red. The red just indicates that your prices are high enough to affect customer satisfaction. But you may need to do it to get a profit on your lines.

 

[unmerged(273319)]

I'm satisfied with having 2 lines per station. The queue system works much better underground than it does upstairs.

 

[unmerged(276373)]

It all depends on how many train you assigned for each line. On my ring line(counter clock wise) for berlin I got 23 stations and 23 trains. No Way I could slip in another train without making gridlock. I found out for the clock wise ring I couldn't have 23 trains. 22 at max and 21 is preferred.

 

[JCFast]

Was just coming to the same conclusions. My metro-networks started to be too large and using one stop as a hub for even two lines started create a lot of jams underground. Much wiser to use very simple lines connected by different stations like in real life, shame that we can't build stations that are only connected to each other underground and let there be just one station above ground.

 

[Zarine]

Strangely, I agree only with your point 3.
Imo, the best is to make a line going on 2 different part of the city (like north/south) and stoping every where possible without even taking care of what is there (when there are room, there are nice building to link)
Why make then end at the same place ? People can change line anywhere. Having only one place to change might have serious consequences as it would be possible that too much people arrive to take the same line leading to mass people at the station.

 

[unmerged(243766)]

Another thing to mention is to use the metro to hit the key points for a stable profit each month. You have to remember that Mr Smith might be a blue collar worker and might live next to a factory, but the chances are he'll actually work at one miles away. There are hundreds of different work places and houses, but very few leisure places. When i start a new level i make sure that my metro is hitting all train stations, airports, stadiums and shopping centres as soon as possible. There might be hundreds of houses and hundreds of work places, but there are only maybe 2 stations and 3 shopping centres which EVERYONE goes to.

Just finished Scenario 4 Berlin with a total of 23 Metro lines also i didn't cheat and join them up in east/west.

 

[unmerged(128965)]

So how exactly should i go about getting started on a level? Should i take a ton of loans? When I've done that in the past I always go heavily into debt no matter how many metros i have running.

 

[Illanair]

Using Vienna as an example, I disagree with #3.

What you can do is make a network of lines that go for 4-5 stops, with two lines sharing one station like a necklace growing longer and longer. (3 trains on each on average worked wonders for me, without draining waiting passengers too low at the intermediate stops)

 

[unmerged(272700)]

bluescreen,

When you take out huge loans at the beginning and start a large metro network, you can greatly increase your chances for success. Maybe you could go ahead and try it once to see how you like it. But, once you do it successfully once or twice, you may come to realize that it will be very easy to beat any map when you do that. Then it becomes kind of a boring thing. But... maybe fun to do once or twice while you're still learning the other little things.
Then as you get better, maybe take a different approach.

Some of you guys are describing huge "ring" metros that run around the city with many, many metro trains. Thats cool, I haven't had more than 8-9 on a line, but I've never done a huge loop like that. I might try that sometime in the next week.

Also, rather than a "ring" some people try the "hub and spoke" method.... meaning that they have a central point where many of their lines converge. This means placing several "end" stops in a centralized location... maybe around a square or near an airport or train station. The obvious difficulty with that is you have many stops converging in close proximity and you get a lot of foot traffic. People that embrace the "hub and spoke" type metros are usually the ones asking the developers for multi-level and multi-track metro stations... because they realize that with current stations available in the game, their design has an inherent flaw that emerges once the lines really get going with many riders.

I tend to do a mix. I usually have an area where only two or three lines converge in a central area. Then I build a lot of lines that are "nose to tail".

A1
||
B2
||
C3
||
D4
||
E5
||
F6
||
G7

I might have a line that goes
A-B-C-2-A

Then I'll have another line that goes 3-4-5-D-3

That leaves E open and I can terminate another line there.
These lines are relatively short... usually 3-5 stops. I put two trains on them and rarely need to put 3 trains.

In the OP you mentioned #3 that you never have two lines use the same side of a metro station. While in general this is good advice to follow, there are cases where I successfully have two different lines using a stop. Sometimes it is actually the best choice given certain conditions. If those lines only have two trains, and there are 5 stops on each line, then there is not much competition for the stop and I get good efficiency out of the line. But you're right, as a general rule you may want to avoid that sharing like that. If you've got more than a few trains then you will have a backup.

Each of the three above core design strategies have their advantages and disadvantages. None of them are perfect in each case.
But now you've got me wanting to build huge rings around Berlin going in opposite directions. Would be fun to watch it go.

 

[unmerged(273319)]

In Berlin Sandbox, I have 4 metro lines right now and I have one point where 2 stations are very close to each other so that the passengers can easily walk it. This point is right in the small plaza right next to the central rail station and amusement park.

2 - 2 (2 lines per station) arrangement.

http://steamcommunity.com/id/Three60Mafia/screenshot/595804961246506173

 

[unmerged(128965)]

I have tried doing that but it doesnt seem to work for me. I always end up deep in debt. There aren't too many people who use my metro no matter how low i set my prices. I tried hitting all the leisure areas but they still don't come in the droves that some people are describing.

 

[unmerged(273319)]

I have tried doing that but it doesnt seem to work for me. I always end up deep in debt. There aren't too many people who use my metro no matter how low i set my prices. I tried hitting all the leisure areas but they still don't come in the droves that some people are describing.

i have most of my metro stations connect with surface lines. Line connections are a big deal. I'll post a map of my system soon. If you can see from screenshot the subway lines are very long and they overlap in certain key places.

 

[unmerged(243766)]

I have tried doing that but it doesnt seem to work for me. I always end up deep in debt. There aren't too many people who use my metro no matter how low i set my prices. I tried hitting all the leisure areas but they still don't come in the droves that some people are describing.

set your prices at like 8-10 per ticket. People wll still ride it and it should bring in enough money to keep running.

 

[unmerged(128965)]

What do you mean by surface connections? metro stations on the surface or do you mean bus and tram lines connecting to a metro station? Also heres a pic of my metro line for Amsterdam. its running through housing areas as well as leisure and work centers, but its still hemorrhaging money.

http://img717.imageshack.us/f/2011030200001.jpg/

 

[unmerged(273319)]

Very few stops over such a long line. They connect all the leisure places but they dont connect to places where people actually LIVE... so thats why they dont use them much. If you had surface connections like buses and streetcars that bring people from their homes to subway stops, you'd do much better. I suggest a restart of scenario.

 

[unmerged(272700)]

Your metro line to the airport might be a bit too much. You've spent a lot of money on trackage to that airport. If you click on the airport, you may notice that it doesn't have too many people in it... compared to a factory or department store. You would be better off if you ran a tram from the airport to a metro stop. Tram is perfect for that place because there are no roads for you to worry about in the outskirts of town. Just run your tram through the trees. Cheap and effective. The little villages, the small airport, etc, don't really do well to support a metro early on. The airport will grow later though to a larger building.

Use trams to feed the outlying areas and have them meet with a metro stop. Use the metro only downtown.

That of course is just advice, but maybe load an earlier save of the game and see if it works.
Tip: I save the game before I lay major metro lines in case it doesn't work out the way I like it (economy wise or tracklaying wise).

EDIT: Oh, is that a metro running to the area North of the river? I did much better there with a water taxi. More economical. I made a bus line with 2-3 stops and one bus that ran around the buildings up there and stopped at the water taxi dock. Then I used water taxi to connect to the train station across the river there. Then have the metro end at the train station near your water taxi. That connects it all up... and then you have people North of the river taking a bus to the water taxi, the water taxi to the metro, and paying for a metro ticket.
Spoiler: When placing the water taxi on the North side of the river, don't place it too far left, later you will get a task to connect one of the buildings in that cluster there and its one of the buildings on the right.