Carmelit in Haifa, Israel, is arguably the most bizarre underground transit system on Earth because it is essentially a subterranean funicular functioning as a subway.

A closer look

Carmelit in Haifa, Israel, is arguably the most bizarre underground transit system on Earth because it is essentially a subterranean funicular functioning as a subway. Built into the side of Mount Carmel, the system features a 12-degree incline, meaning the train cars are built with a stepped design so passengers do not violently tumble into each other. Since it uses cables to pull the trains up and down the mountain, there are only ever two trains on the single track, perfectly counterbalancing each other like a massive, subterranean seesaw. It only has six stations and is officially recognized by Guinness World Records as the shortest independent underground transit system, taking a grueling eight minutes to ride end-to-end. It is the perfect transit option for those who want the claustrophobia of a subway combined with the vertigo of a steep staircase