This paper examines the St. Petersburg, Russia metro system as a case study in the indispensable role of underground rail transit within major metropolitan areas. Drawing primarily on Philip Bennett's 1993 Boston Globe article and Irina Titova's 2004 St. Petersburg Times piece, the paper argues that the metro is not merely a convenient option but an absolute necessity for the city's daily functioning. Key evidence includes the fact that the system's 58 stations and 100 kilometers of tunnels serve only half the city's actual demand, and that new urban developments — such as a southwest waste treatment station — require corresponding metro expansion before they can be considered fully accessible.
Rail travel is of incredible importance in today's world. Having existed for roughly 200 years, developments throughout the twentieth century have only deepened that importance. In numerous metropolitan areas across the globe, travel on high-speed urban railways is critical to everyday functioning. Contributing greatly to urbanization and the continued growth of existing metropolitan areas, urban metro and subway systems have become the preferred means of transportation for millions. Recognized for their convenience, energy efficiency, safety, and low cost — and even financially self-sustaining at times — railways within metropolitan cities will continue to play a vital role in moving people (Japan Fact Sheet).
Daily life would be incredibly inefficient in countless cities throughout the world without the benefits of high-speed travel within a city, travel that is often routed underground for added convenience and practical effectiveness as a primary means of transportation. This is particularly evident in St. Petersburg, Russia, where the metro is continuously in use, cost- and time-efficient, yet still packed and often the primary means of travel for residents and visitors alike. According to a 2004 article by Irina Titova, the St. Petersburg Metro, despite its extraordinarily high rate of usage, still can — and needs to — expand. Because of this, a case study of the St. Petersburg Metro illustrates the importance and long-term viability of underground railway systems within metropolitan areas. The St. Petersburg Metro exemplifies the importance of rail travel within a metropolitan area: St. Petersburg, Russia would be unable to function properly without an adequate and extensive metro system of paramount importance in moving people throughout the city.
The St. Petersburg metro is an adequate system used extensively by most of the city's inhabitants because it offers numerous benefits. It is the easiest, most cost-friendly, and most effective way to get around the metropolitan area (Bennett 1993). Any guide to the city produced for foreign visitors makes this point clear, emphasizing that the metro is essential to seeing and navigating the city. In an August 8, 1993 article entitled "The Daily Drama of St. Petersburg," author Philip Bennett makes very clear the importance and necessity of traveling on the metro in a fast-paced and expansive city such as St. Petersburg.
Constructed in the 1950s and one of the deepest metro systems in the world, the St. Petersburg Metro is usually packed, as it is necessary for a large share of the city's residents. Rush hour on the metro, as busy as it may be, is vital to the movement of people; without it, there would be an incredible overabundance of travelers above ground — so much so that the city could not function properly. This trend shows no signs of declining, and the metro's availability and numerous benefits contribute to its status as an integral component of transportation in this 300-year-old city.
A more recent article from the St. Petersburg Times, dated May 11, 2004, by Irina Titova and entitled "City Subway Meets Only Half Demand," further illustrates the necessity of the St. Petersburg Metro in moving people around the city. According to the article, which quotes Vladimir Garyugin, head of the St. Petersburg metro system: "The current capacity of St. Petersburg metro — 100 kilometers of tunnels and 58 metro stations — is only half of what the city metro needs" (Titova 2004). This is a staggering statistical indication of the metro's importance. Extensive, practical, commonly used, and covering the entire city, the system is still only half of what is required.
This finding sheds light on the enormous dilemma St. Petersburg would face without the metro. If the system is critically important and crowded while serving 58 stations and over 100 kilometers of track — used as the primary means of travel by most residents and visitors alike — and it is still only half of what is necessary, its significance is immense. The city would be a transportation nightmare without the metro. As Bennett notes, the streets are crowded and congested even with the highly used metro system in operation.
"New developments require corresponding metro station additions"
"Consequences of removing metro from city's transit network"
Railways remain critical methods of travel today, and twentieth-century metropolitan high-speed systems are necessary for the movement of people and the continued growth of cities throughout the world. Nowhere is this more evident than in St. Petersburg, Russia, as demonstrated in Irina Titova's article. The St. Petersburg Metro is important as a primary means of transportation and is necessary not only to meet the city's current transportation demands, but to support future growth as well. Not even a waste treatment facility can open without being connected to the metro, since the metro is essential to every area of the city that residents and visitors need to reach.
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