Showing the direction of travel (north, south, east, west, [anti]clockwise, etc) on metro platforms instead of the final station(s) on the line could do wonders for usability. Compass points are universal; I wouldn't need to consult a map while navigating underground corridors.
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Trains can wind toward their final destination so globally south might be locally west.
Yes, that's true. London Underground (at least) uses "southbound"/"westbound"/etc, instead of "south"/"west", which implies (to me, anyway) the general direction of travel rather then the immediate. I don't know if there are equivalent words in other languages.