"Richard J." wrote in message
k...
Morton wrote:

1. The Metro trains are better than London Underground. All I saw
were wider (holding more people) and much cleaner.

There are no small-sized tube trains in Paris, but I would guess that
the trains are no wider than, say, D-stock.

They were Metropolitan-style.

2. Signs on the Metro are much inferior to the Underground. I've
been in London for 4 years now so perhaps am used to the
Underground but I felt the Metro's signage was really confusing and
incomplete.

In what way did you feel the signage was incomplete?

I may be wrong but I think London Underground is extremely fool proof. As
long as people can distinguish North from South, East from West. LUL make
the signage 'really ****ing obvious'. The line colours, North V South, East
v West means I could jump onto an unfamiliar station and flow through it
without much brain power. At various stations in Paris, signs would point to
different lines, I'd walk via the directions then come to an intersection
but less obvious pointers. I'd wander around for a few minutes until I catch
sight of a poor sign then move on. The Underground has flow. The Metro
doesnt.

3. Further to that, the Metro map was shown in different formats
opposed to the famous Harry Beck Tube map. Different maps confused
the hell out of me.

Yes, IIRC there are three basic designs

I've a DK guide on Paris. Very good and with a 'proper' Beck-like map on the
back. My Insight plastic map was excellent for walking around but the Metro
map was rubbish. The lines were superimposed on a blank map but even worse,
the colours of the lines didnt correspond to the official Beck-like map. The
number 1 line, hitting FDR, Clemenceau, Concord etc was blue but it's yellow
in the Beck-like map.

4. I did like the cross-city trains (RER) in Paris. Double-decker
trains were impressive. I do hope that cross-rail does this.

It's not planned. Since Crossrail will run on existing lines outside
Central London, the loading gauge is to small for a true double-decker.

Shame. I've seen double-decker trains in Paris and Amsterdam now and it's
obviously much better than what we have in London. Why cant we bite the
bullet and make a transport system that thinks ahead?