Subway Map

Transit Wayfinding Design System
R Schematic clarity
B Grid-snapped precision
G Wayfinding at any scale
01

Color Palette

Each transit line has a distinct, high-contrast color. These primaries must remain distinguishable at small sizes, on signage, and under harsh fluorescent lighting. Neutral backgrounds keep the routes legible.

Transit Lines
Red Line
#EE352E
Blue Line
#0039A6
Green Line
#00933C
Orange Line
#FF6319
Purple Line
#B933AD
Yellow Line
#FCCC0A
Brown Line
#996633
Grey Line
#808183
Backgrounds & Surfaces
White
#FFFFFF
Light Grey
#F7F7F7
Border
#D4D4D4
Black
#1A1A1A
02

Typography

Transit systems depend on typefaces that are legible at speed, at distance, and at any size. Overpass for display and wayfinding headings; Inter for body text and interface copy; Overpass Mono for data and codes.

D Display / Overpass 800
Next Train
Arriving
font-family: var(--font-display) · 4rem · weight 800 · tracking -2px · uppercase
H Heading / Overpass 700
Central Station
Platform B — Westbound
Service Advisory
font-family: var(--font-display) · 3rem / 1.75rem / 1.375rem · weight 700-600
B Body / Inter 400
Good transit maps distort geography to clarify topology. Harry Beck's 1931 London Underground diagram replaced street-level accuracy with 45-degree angles and equal station spacing, creating what would become the universal language of metro cartography. The map is not the territory — it is the interface.
font-family: var(--font-body) · 1rem · weight 400 · line-height 1.7
C Caption / Inter 400
Fig. 1 — Interchange diagram showing cross-platform transfer between Red and Blue lines at Union Square. Average transfer time: 2 min 45 sec.
font-family: var(--font-body) · 0.8125rem · weight 400 · color: tertiary
M Monospace / Overpass Mono 400
TRAIN-ID: RD-0472 · ETA: 03:22 · PLATFORM: 2B
STATUS: ON_TIME · CARS: 8 · CAPACITY: 74%
font-family: var(--font-mono) · 0.8125rem · weight 400 · line-height 1.6
03

Spacing

An 8px base grid keeps everything aligned, like stations snapped to a schematic diagram. Consistent spacing creates the visual rhythm that makes complex route maps scannable.

xs · 4px
var(--space-xs)
sm · 8px
var(--space-sm)
md · 16px
var(--space-md)
lg · 24px
var(--space-lg)
xl · 32px
var(--space-xl)
2xl · 48px
var(--space-2xl)
3xl · 64px
var(--space-3xl)
4xl · 96px
var(--space-4xl)
04

Buttons

Action buttons use transit line colors. Each button features a station-dot indicator before its label — a nod to the map's visual vocabulary of stops and destinations.

Primary Actions
Secondary Actions
Sizes
05

Forms

Form controls are clean and geometric. Labels are marked with station dots; inputs have crisp borders that highlight to line-blue on focus, like an active route on the map.

Enter the full station name as shown on platform signage.
06

Cards & Panels

Content cards are topped with a colored route line, like a train approaching a platform. Each card's line color signals its category, just as passengers learn to follow their line's color through the system.

R RED LINE
Service Update
Weekend track maintenance between Central Park and Times Square. Expect delays of 8-12 minutes on northbound service. Shuttle buses available.
B BLUE LINE
New Station Opening
The new Waterfront station opens Monday, adding interchange access to Green and Orange lines. Full elevator accessibility from day one.
G GREEN LINE
Ridership Record
Green Line surpassed 2.4 million daily riders this quarter, a 12% increase over last year. Express service expansion credited for growth.
O Orange Line — Crosstown Express
Harbor
Market St
Union Sq
Midtown
Park Ave
Riverside
07

Alerts & Notices

Service advisories use line colors as severity indicators. The thick left border references the colored bar on wayfinding signage that identifies each corridor in a station complex.

i
Planned Maintenance
Blue Line will run on a modified weekend schedule from April 5-7. Local stops between 14th St and Canal St will be bypassed. Use Green Line for local service.
Service Restored
Full service has resumed on all lines following this morning's signal disruption. Thank you for your patience.
!
Delays Expected
Orange Line experiencing 10-15 minute delays due to a medical emergency at Midtown station. Consider alternate routes via Red or Purple lines.
×
Service Suspended
Red Line service is suspended between Downtown and Harbor due to a track obstruction. Free shuttle buses are operating. Estimated restoration: 18:00.
09

Grid System

A 12-column grid snaps content to the same invisible rails that organize a transit map. Layouts align to predictable tracks, making complex information feel orderly and navigable.

12-Column Base Grid
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
2-Column — 50 / 50
6 col
6 col
3-Column — 33 / 33 / 33
4 col
4 col
4 col
Sidebar — 25 / 75
3 col
9 col
Asymmetric — 33 / 66
4 col
8 col
10

Design Principles

The principles that guide transit map design — and this system.

Principle 01
Topology Over Geography
Relationships matter more than literal positions. Simplify spatial complexity into clear connections, just as Beck's map traded geographic accuracy for diagrammatic clarity.
Principle 02
Color as Wayfinding
Each color carries meaning. Never use color as decoration alone — it should always signal a category, route, or status that users can learn and rely on.
Principle 03
Grid Discipline
Snap to the grid. 45-degree and 90-degree angles only. Consistent spacing. The regularity of the grid is what makes complex systems feel approachable.
Principle 04
Legibility at Every Scale
From pocket maps to platform signage, every element must read clearly. High contrast, generous counters, uppercase wayfinding labels. No ambiguity at speed.
Principle 05
Station-Level Consistency
Every stop on the line uses the same visual vocabulary. Markers, labels, badges, and borders are repeated with precision so users never have to re-learn the interface.
Principle 06
System in Motion
Transit is dynamic. Subtle transitions and hover states suggest movement along a route. Nothing is static — the system breathes, inviting exploration.