[Al-Khwarizmi]

I have used a good number of metro systems in Europe and Asia and practically never smelled piss or shit, or encountered crazy people.

Madrid, Barcelona, Berlin, Prague, Paris, Stockholm, Beijing, Singapore, Hong Kong, Seoul... not a single negative experience in these cities, and I have seen plenty of people with kids in the metro.

Edit: OK, in Madrid they tried to take my old iPod from my coat pocket once, in a very crowded car. But that was once in a lot of times using that metro and it's not the kind of bad experience for kids that you are referring to.

In Rome I did find some stations somewhat shabby, as in New York. In Los Angeles I had a good experience, but I only took the metro once there so it may have been just luck.

[isostatic]

I was in central Paris last week, I saw crazies and people pissing. Reminded me how bad the shadier parts of London was 20 years ago. That was just one of the metro lines though, the other 10 trips on bus, 2 or 3 other metros and a couple of RERs were fine, although metros were always crowded.

I agree with London, Berlin, Beijing, Singapore, Hong Kong etc.

(The reason we took the metro late at night with 2 young kids and a large suitcase was because uber/taxis is a right pain with kids - trying to get one with 2 car seats)

[balazsbela]

You have clearly not spent enough time in Berlin.