Subways are the circulatory system of modern cities, and in 2025, they’re a test of post-pandemic recovery, climate ambition, and urban design. From Tokyo’s precision to Madrid’s record highs and San Francisco’s stalled comeback, we explore which metros are thriving and why.
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Cities are heating up faster than the planet, and not evenly. In the U.S., lower-income and majority-minority neighbourhoods run hotter in nearly every big city. So the real question for mayors isn’t “Should we act?” It’s “What cools people fastest, at what cost, and who feels it first?”
Subways are the circulatory system of modern cities, and in 2025, they’re a test of post-pandemic recovery, climate ambition, and urban design. From Tokyo’s precision to Madrid’s record highs and San Francisco’s stalled comeback, we explore which metros are thriving and why.
