News Release June 6, 2011

D.C. Station Named

Most Romantic Subway/Metro Station in U.S. In craigslist Study of Love on the Line

DCs Vienna/Fairfax-GMU Station Tops National Train Romance Table But Chicago Boasts Most Romantic Subway System in U.S.
It Contributes Five of the 10 Most Romantic Stations in the U.S., While New York Boasts Two

Vienna/Fairfax-GMU, a station on the Washington, DC Metro system, is today named the Most Romantic Subway/Metro Station in the U.S. by the compilers of a year-long study of chance encounters on the countrys five largest subway, metro or rapid transit systems. The same study names the Chicago L system as the Most Romantic Subway/Metro System, on the basis of contributing no less than five stations to the national top 10. The study was conducted by craigslist where researchers analyzed the number of ads mentioning individual subway, metro or rapid transit stations and posted in the Missed Connections sections of craigslist in five American cities. The ads studied were placed by those who had fallen for a fellow passenger but failed to get their contact details and so turned to Missed Connections in the hope of making contact. The craigslist researchers studied such ads in the cities with the five largest systems (measured by the number of stations): New York, Chicago, Washington, Philadelphia and Boston. The study took in over 750 stations.

Is It The Waltz Or The Students? So, what explains the romantic success of Washingtons Vienna/Fairfax-GMU station, a busy terminal on the Orange Line of the Washington Metro System, that is still better known by its original name of just Vienna? Maybe its the name Vienna , speculates Peter Freedman, who led the Missed Connections study in his role as craigslists Director of Improbable Research. It conjures images of attending the Imperial Ball the swirling gowns, Strauss filling the night air and your partner whispering, Save the last waltz for me. Then again, maybe its because Vienna is located in Fairfax County, Virginia, home to federal intelligence agencies, including the CIA. The most likely explanation, however, might be that Vienna is also the station that serves the main campus of George Mason University. What lends this theory weight is that Philadelphias Cecil B. Moore station, the second most romantic subway station, also serves a university: in its case, Temple University. By coincidence, this month marks the 25th anniversary of the stations official opening on June 7, 1986.
TRIST ROMANCE SCORE

Vienna-Fairfax-GMU does not top the Train Romance Table, however, simply because it is a busy station even in Washington some other stations attract over twice as many riders but because it emerges as the station with the most Missed Connections mentions per passenger; or, what the craigslist study calls the highest TRIST [short for Train Romance Index Score Total] Romance Score.* Vienna/Fairfax-GMU notches a TRIST Romance Score of 34.89. This places it just ahead of Philadelphias Cecil B. Moore station in second place on a score of 33.66 but comfortably ahead of Chicagos Belmont Station in third place, with a score of 29.03. [In fact, Chicago boasts two Belmont Stations. The most romantic one is on the CTA Red/Brown Main Line.] New Yorks Morgan Avenue Station places fourth, with a score of just 24.03, followed by Chicagos Addison station in fifth, on 23.92. Is The Windy City also the Flirty City? The Chicago L, the rapid transit system serving the city of Chicago and some of its suburbs, is officially named North Americas Most Romantic Subway, Metro or Rapid Transit System.

The L boasts eight rapid transit lines and 144 stations, with a daily weekday ridership of some 650,000. It is only Americas second largest subway/rapid transit system in terms of either track mileage or number of stations New York boasts three times as many stations and its third busiest mass transit system, after New York City and Washington DC. Yet the L somehow boasts five of the nations top 10 most romantic stations, while New York the only other city with more than one station in the top 10 boasts only two. No wonder Chicago Tribune readers voted it one of the seven wonders of Chicago. In fact, five Chicago stations make up not just five Americas 10 most romantic subway stations but five of its top eight. They are, respectively, Belmont, Addison, California, Linden and Fullerton. There must be something in the air in the Chicago subway system, says Freedman. And its turning the Windy City into the Flirty City. Giving Love A Second Chance Subway and rapid transit systems account for a conspicuous share of the ads posted in the Missed Connections section of craigslist. Why? "A subway throws together so many people who would not normally come into contact," says Freedman. "This makes it a sort of a factory for chance encounters and fresh romantic possibilities." But arent the odds of actually finding anyone through a Missed Connections posting pretty slim? Yes, concedes Jim Buckmaster, craigslist CEO and the man who added the Missed Connections category to the site. But the success rate is still higher than you might think. "Maybe in most cases, its the friends and associates of the person sought that see the posting and bring it to their attention. What Craigslist really offers, says Buckmaster, is hope. "People really do value long-shots. The idea of getting a second chance, however small, is very powerful.

"Most Romantic" Stations in the U.S.

10MOSTROMANTICSUBWAYSTATIONS Rank Station City 1. Vienna/FairfaxGMU WashingtonDC 2. CecilB.Moore Philadelphia 3. Belmont[Red/Brownline] Chicago 4. MorganAvenue NewYork 5. Addison Chicago 6. California Chicago 7. Linden Chicago 8. Fullerton Chicago 9. ParkStreet Boston 10. Broadway NewYork THESINGLEMOSTROMANTICSTATIONBYCITY City MostRomanticStation WashingtonDC Philadelphia Chicago NewYork Boston Vienna/FairfaxGMU CecilB.Moore Belmont[Red/BrownLine] MorganAvenue ParkStreet

TRISTRomance Score 34.89 33.66 29.03 24.03 23.92 23.04 22.17 20.75 20.67 19.37

TRISTRomance Score 34.89 33.66 24.03 24.03 20.67

* Methodology For Calculating The TRIST Romance Score The TRIST [short for Train Romance Index Score Total] Romance Score is calculated by dividing the total number of Missed Connections mentions for a particular station by the average ridership figures for that station and then multiplying by 10,000 and rounding to two decimal places.

Examples of Postings Mentioning DCs Vienna/Fairfax-GMU Station Most Romantic Subway Station in U.S.
Orange line to Vienna last Tues/Wed - w4m - 22 (Dc/Nova) We were on the same metro train (Orange line to Vienna), in almost the exact same seats two nights in a row (9-ish on Tuesday 10/5, around 8:30 on Wednesday 10/6) . Not sure you noticed it though. You wore khaki-colored corduroy pants and a gray jacket with red/white sneakers the first night. And you were very into reading/editing the packet of papers/articles you had. I kept sneaking peaks at you because you seemed to be my type. If you're interested: What stop did I get off at and what was I wearing? W&M(tribe) girl vienna metro from CAPS! game - m4w (Vienna, VA) hey, you know I'm really kicking myself for not getting your name, and asking you to coffee. But i was with my dad who's good at being old a creepy :-/ (getting of train at the vienna station) so if you see this shoot me a reply email :-) saw you again! gorgeous, buxom blonde at Vienna station - m4w - 40 (Vienna Metro, near the shuttle bus stops) I see you occasionally, always around 8am. I am waiting for the Fair Lakes Shuttle, you are headed into catch a train. you're voluptuous, blonde, and breathtakingly beautiful. except you always look stressed. I'd love to do something to alleviate that... I'd love to see you smile. if you see this, smile as you pass me some morning to let me know. Smiling Girl with Roses on Orange MD-to-VA - m4w - 30 (DC to WFC) Thursday evening. You were riding the OL traint towards Vienna-Fairfax. You held red roses bouquet in your lap and smiled all the way, brightening the train from within despite the rainy weather outside. When you got up at the WFC I noticed that you were fighting with a runaway strand of your hair using the door as your mirror. Thank you for the homey feeling, cutie. Orange line to Vienna, 3 to 4 p.m. - m4m - 22 (Metro Center to Vienna) You got on the same car as I did at Metro Center today and got off at Vienna. You were wearing a white/black windbreaker, jeans, brown shoes, and a blue backpack.; I was wearing a white undershirt and green pants. We checked each other out throughout the ride, and I eventually sat beside you hoping you'd make a move. If you still want to make a move, what color was my bag? you were when I got off, so hopefully you see this. Id love to meet up and get a coffee. Orange line to Vienna this afternoon - 35 (NOVA) I enjoyed looking at your smile as our diver cracked jokes on the trains intercom today. You had on a green sweater and looked so cute..you also had a star tattoo on your foot! I wish I would have said hello.

Examples of Postings Mentioning Chicago Subway Stations Most Romantic Rapid Transit System
to asian guy red line southbound - m4m (red line) http://chicago.craigslist.org/chc/mis/1879958893.html We have eyed each other (or at least I have) occassionally on the red line. Today we definately had some stronger eye contact. You: cute asian guy in dark blue scrubs. You got on I think at Belmont around 7:00 AM, exited at Clark and Division. Me: dark haired white guy, white shirt, tie. Would love to descrub you sometime. :) The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (not the book) - m4w (Red Line Clark/Division) http://chicago.craigslist.org/chc/mis/1849833428.html Ah, my first missed connection, as opposed to a mist connection, which I think is just the same thing as rain. I may have picked a terrible posting title. We were riding south on the red line Saturday night around 7:30. You were standing to the right of me on a crowded train wearing a purple skirt (I'm colorblind) and had a dragon tattoo on your right foot going up to your ankle. I really dug your whole vibe and style and wanted to say something but you had headphones on. Instead we brushed arms a few times. You got on at Belmont or Fullerton, and off at Clark and Division. We caught eyes as you were getting off. I'd have stepped out too, but I was already late for work and life's not like a creepy AT&T ad (youtube[dot]com/watch?v=aiCq1ZMOa-w) If you see this, reply with a similarly vague description of myself, and let's grab coffee or a drink sometime. Chuck Norris Cubs T Shirt Redline Saturday evening - m4m (Addison to Belmont) http://chicago.craigslist.org/chc/mis/1912350042.html You were on the south bound red line this evening, wearing a blue t shirt that said Chuck Norris is a Cubs Fan You kept rubbing my hand YOu got off at Belmont. I had to go meet friends, was running late, so couldn't get off at Belmont but would have liked to follow you, maybe rub something besides your hand contact me

 You saved my wallet on the Red Line at Addison! - m4m - 24 (Addison Red Line) Hey! You were the handsome guy with dark hair and a blue tee shirt. Thank you so much for racing down after me to give me my wallet. You missed your train to do it, and I tried to talk to you afterward, but you had somewhere to go. I wanted to see if I could do something to make it up to you- like buy you a coffee or dinner or something. I hope you got where you needed to go! I wish I could make it up to you somehow. Dinner? I feel so guilty! Thank you again! Send me a message! Nurse with the purple purse - m4w (Redline) I usually see you a couple times a week. You get on the train at Addison and ride it past Jackson, which is my stop. You're always wearing scrubs and are an absolute beauty. Thanks for giving me a reason to look forward to the morning commute.

MEDIA CONTACT/ FURTHER INFORMATION: beth@bestpr.net ; susan@bestpr.net NOTES FOR EDITORS More Information, From Wikipedia, On: Vienna/Fairfax-GMU (Most Romantic Station in U.S.) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago_Transit_Authority http://www.transitchicago.com/
Note On Terminology: Subway, Metro or Rapid Transit Systems. The terminology used to describe both the subway/Metro/rapid transit system and individual stations varies between cities. So, Wikipedia explains: In Chicago, the term subway is applied to the sections of the 'L' that are actually underground and is not applied to the entire system as a whole, as in New York City where both elevated and underground portions are part of the subway network. In Washington DC, meanwhile, the transit system that in New York would be called the Subway is there called The Washington Metro. For the purposes of this study, the term Subway or Subway/Metro Station should be taken to refer to a subway, Metro or rapid transit station or system. Note On Methodology This craigslist study naming Most Romantic Subway System and Most Romantic Subway/Metro System, is based on separate, individual studies conducted in five different cities on a rolling basis over the course of approximately the last year. The methodology used to calculate the TRIST Romance Score for individual subway

stations varied slightly between cities in the original studies, initially making comparisons between cities difficult. However, for the purposes of this national study, we have sought to eliminate local methodological variations in order facilitate meaningful national comparisons.