Terrence Fradet of Fathom Information Design ponders whether metro maps suffer or benefit by leaving out geography. Geographic accuracy is good, but sometimes it can confuse your audience.
Just how important is it that metro maps represent geography? This piece came from an interest in how metro maps over the past century have tiptoed between geographic and topological representations—topological meaning to forgo all spatial integrity and instead represent the connectivity of a specific environment.
Boston?
For me, I love to see the geography, but I think for tourists and natives alike, the utility matters most, i.e. the connections and relative relation between stops. When they get above ground, then it’s nice to have an actual map posted in the train station.