NYC Subway Tour: Hidden Stations & History

Uncover the hidden secrets of the New York City subway system on this shared tour. Explore abandoned stations, learn about the history and operations, and discover the future of mass transit in the region.

Duration: 2 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Lower Manhattan - This is my Downtown Manhattan tour. Highlights on this tour include many famous abandoned stations, Brooklyn Bridge secrets, and a lot more, including the PATH subway! The tour will end at the WTC / Fulton Center (not the start location).
What's Included
  • Subway secrets revealed by a local expert
Additional Information

[PRIVATE TOUR]
We will be exploring the busiest rapid transit system in the Western world!
Highlights:
• Uncover abandoned stations hidden in plain sight, including the famous 1904 City Hall Station.
• Explore a deep station where you would have needed scuba equipment only 10 years ago during catastrophic subway flooding.
• Remember the 9/11 terror…

Location
One Battery Park Plaza
Battery Place
Please meet outside the Starbucks located at One Battery Park Plaza on State Street
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
5.0
(31 Ratings)
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Jessica_f
Mar 18, 2025
Great tour! We had the best time!! - We've never ridden the subway in NYC and we were very nervous about trying it on our own. We had the best time on this tour! We learned so many fun facts and feel like we could confidently explore on our own now! Great tour for families!
Review provided by Viator
K4820ildavidr
Jan 16, 2025
Exceptional tour guide - Rayn was an exceptional tour guide and we truly enjoyed this informative and unique tour. It was a definite highlight of our trip to NYC and my kids ( ages 14, 12, and 9) are still talking about all the things they learned ! Rayn is so kind and patient and has a wonderful sense of humor. This tour is a real hidden treasure. Book today for a unique experience !
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Seaside13797257684
Jan 2, 2025
Chicken nuggets lol 😆 😋 😂 - Rayn is a true drooler 🤤 , lol 🤣 (take tour to get explanation) lol 😂 seen more than I expected 🐀, chicken nuggets,red box messages... 🤣 ... we felt safe we laughed, we now have more respect for the subway system❤️
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Nygcirl
Dec 28, 2024
Interesting Subway Tour- Fun for Teens and Adults - This was a fascinating tour through part of the NY subway. We live in NYC and loved learning the history and current uses behind things we see every time we ride. Rayn was very knowledgeable and funny.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Vanessagb7949qx
Oct 7, 2024
Subway Enthusiast! - My brother and I took this wonderful private tour with our mother for her 75th birthday! We wanted to something different than just another Broadway show. I have lived in the city for 24 years and am a subway / train enthusiast who held my son’s 5th bday at the NY Transit Museum! He’s obsessed with the subway and together we have been on all 26 subway lines! So I thought I knew a lot, and that this subway tour sounded intriguing. Our tour guide Rayn was excellent and had so many interesting facts and private sights to share with us! (Watch out for the drip pans!) We were able to see the abandoned City Hall and South Ferry stations, which was super cool! I wish we could have seen the bathrooms but we didn’t have Key 9B! ;) And the hidden wine cellar would have required an MTA jacket- next time! lol. All around a super fun evening and a “NY Moment” for sure! Thanks Rayn for a really special experience for my Mom’s birthday, and for taking care in the amount of steps she could do! Looking forward to another tour!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Elaine_g
Oct 6, 2024
Mom’s birthday trip! - Our tour guide was wonderful! He was so knowledgeable about the subway and shared so many historical facts with us. We were most excited to see the abandoned stations of South Ferry and City Hall!
Review provided by Viator
E7741mnkevinb
Sep 22, 2024
A Born and Raised New Yorker's Take on the Subway Tour - As a born-and-raised New Yorker and a self-proclaimed NYC snob, I tend to be skeptical about anyone trying to teach me something about my city. Naturally, I’ve learned and know a lot about NYC's history, especially the subway system, so when my friend asked me to join her on this tour, I was hesitant. But, to my surprise, I had a great time! We kicked off the tour at St. Paul's Chapel, with a view of the World Trade Center, then headed into the Fulton Center before hopping on trains to start the real adventure. While most of the information was spot on (with only a few minor differences from what I thought I knew), the guide made it fun and engaging, balancing wit with a great sense of humor that wasn’t too dark, but definitely sharp. Even as a lifelong local, I walked away learning a couple of new facts—like the significance of the tile colors in the stations and the state insignias on the old train models. The highlight for me was finally getting to see the legendary City Hall station loop. I'd heard about it for years, but seeing it up close was an entirely different experience. Overall, this was a fun afternoon. Our guide (I regret forgetting his name) mentioned he does other tours, including ones of Penn Station and even Brooklyn. I’d definitely recommend this tour, especially if you're looking for a unique, knowledgeable perspective on the subway system, with a side of humor and local flavor.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sunshine171986
Sep 21, 2024
Highly recommended tour with Ryan! - We took the tour with Ryan, that was SUPER knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the subway system. Two hours of pure fun for anyone who wishes to know more about the system and how it works, and especially to everyone who wants to have tons of fun subway facts. I lived in NYC for several years and it's hard to get me excited- but Ryan enthusiasm was contagious!!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Gregnu2691om
Jul 15, 2024
A powerful, insightful and comprehensive experience into a city's underground infrastructure. - Rayn was incredibly insightful, knowledgeable, and his information was immensely comprehensive about NYC at large. I was born in NYC and had no idea about the incredible history of the subway system. It was beautiful journey, I now have a new perspective and appreciation for city infrastructure. Thank you Rayn. I would sign up for this again and highly recommend to others.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
I4271ckdianar
Jul 15, 2024
NY Subway-so much to learn! - I didn't exactly know what to expect but it was great. Ryan knows his stuff and it was fun to be guided and explore the Subway a little with him. I felt like he could do an 8-how tour easily with his knowledge level. It's great to be with passionate people and Rayn certainly is that. My only regret is not taking him up on his paper subway system map.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
From $200 (Per Group)
up to 15 guests
1 - Traveler
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).