giovedì 9 agosto 2007

on the roman Underground

Image: Flickr
Today I was surfing the english website of the Roman underground and on the Line A page, I noticed a paragraph that says:

"Just to let go on the works that will renew the Line, from the 10Th of January 2005 until the next three years, the last train is at 9:00pm from terminal Anagnina as like from terminal Battistini. So for the next 36 months, two new bus lines named MA1 and MA2 are added, and they will cover the entire Line A route. That two shuttles supplied by Trambus, are on duty from Monday to Friday including holidays from 9:00pm to 11:30pm, and on Saturday until 0:30am"

I think that it's a pretty bad translation from (a bad) Italian to (an even worse) English. I wonder why a big company like Metroroma, that handles the roman underground, cannot find a better qualified employee to do its translations...Italian mysteries!!

I am not a professional translator, but I believe that they meant:

The Line A is currently undergoing renovation works. Due to these, from January 10th 2005 and for the following three years, Line A trains will run every day from 5:30 a.m. to 9.00 p.m.(when the last train will depart from each of the two terminus A stations). Until January 2008, buses MA1 and MA2 will be available to replace underground transportation, from 9.00 pm, to 11.30 pm each day from Monday to Friday and from 9.00 pm to 0:30 am on Saturdays.

Also I noticed that a very important thing is missing: a map with the location of the bus stops where one can take the bus that replaces the underground after 9.00 pm.
I use the underground every day and I have no idea where these bus stops have been placed. I searched every underground station, websites, local newspapers, but I haven't found their location! I can imagine the problems that visitors from other countries can have, when in Rome, in finding out where these alleged bus stops are located! I bet at the end they are forced to take the taxi (if they can find one!).
I sent my suggestions to Metroroma's Customer Care. Let's see if they accept them.

By the way, have you ever seen, in other countries, an Underground closing at night as soon as 11:30 pm? Our does!
At what time does the underground (americans read: subway) close at night in your town?



3 commenti:

Smeerch ha detto...

Thanks for using one of my photos. Why don't you asked me for that?

Martina ha detto...

sorry, I don't remember why I didn't ask, usually I do. Apologies, if you want I can change it. Leave me your email and I'll write you. Ciao.

Smeerch ha detto...

I don't want you to change this photo. Keep it as it is and thanks for chosing it. ;)