About CartoMaps
Bridging schematic diagram design, urban history, and rail transit cartography
CartoMaps is an interactive web platform designed for cartographers, transit enthusiasts, urban planners, and designers who share a passion for schematic transit diagrams and metropolitan railway history. Founded by cartography designer João Santos (creator of @mapeandocomjoao), the platform empowers users to explore, analyze, and build professional-grade subway diagrams.
Our Vision
Transit maps are more than utilitarian navigation guides; they are cultural landmarks that shape our perception of metropolitan geography. Ever since Harry Beck revolutionized transit diagramming with the 1933 London Tube Map, aligning transit networks to strict 45°/90° octolinear geometries has remained one of the most elegant intersections of graphic design and engineering.
Key Platform Capabilities
- Historical Time-Travel Engine: Explore network expansions year by year from early 1970s inaugurations to 2030 projected extensions with contextual historical milestones.
- Strict Octolinear Routing: Smart geometric routing algorithm that produces smooth concentric curves, parallel alignments, and clean chamfers without manual vertex struggle.
- Full-Featured Visual Editor: Build stations, branches, multimodal interchange capsules, bus terminals, and hydrography (rivers and lakes) with real-time SVG rendering.
- High-Resolution Vector Export: Generate clean vector SVGs and ultra HD 8K / 600 DPI raster renders suitable for large-format fine art prints, research, and publications.
Educational & Independent Commitment
CartoMaps is an independent cartography initiative. Our data is curated from official historical archives, transit master plans, and public cartographic datasets to preserve and celebrate transit history.
Connect With Us
Follow our design journey and transit maps on Instagram at @mapeandocomjoao or get in touch via our Contact Page.