New York City’s subway system is not just a way to get around; it’s a living museum, and there are multiple opportunities to experience a ride into the past. Throughout the year, the New York Transit Museum offers Nostalgia Rides, where you can travel on vintage trains.

Reliving the Past

120th Anniversary: In October 2024, the city celebrated the subway’s 120th birthday with rides on century-old Lo-V subway cars from 1917. These rides departed from the decommissioned Old South Ferry Station, traveling up the 1/2/3 line to the Bronx and looping back via the 4/5/6 line on Lexington Avenue. Riders got to see the original Old City Hall Station.

The vintage train rides commemorating the New York City subway’s 120th anniversary in October 2024, passed through the Old City Hall Station. These rides departed from the decommissioned Old South Ferry Station, traveled up the 1/2/3 lines to the Bronx, and returned via the 4/5/6 lines on Lexington Avenue1. The journey concluded at Brooklyn Bridge-City Hall Station.

Holiday Nostalgia Rides: Every Sunday in December, the New York Transit Museum’s 1930s R1/9 train cars transform the commute into a festive time warp. For the cost of a MetroCard swipe or OMNY tap, passengers can hop aboard these vintage trains, which run between 2nd Avenue – Houston Street on the uptown F line and 96th Street – 2nd Avenue on the Q line. The Holiday Nostalgia Train runs between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m..

What to Expect

These vintage Independent Subway System (IND) cars, once the pride of the first subway company operated by the City of New York, feature:
Rattan seats
Paddle ceiling fans
Incandescent light bulbs
Roll signs
Period advertisements

These are the cars that inspired Billy Strayhorn’s “Take the A Train”. They were in service on the Eighth Avenue line (now the A/C/E) from 1932 to 1977 and are now part of the New York Transit Museum’s collection.

Plan Your Trip

To catch a ride on the Holiday Nostalgia Train, make sure to be at the right place at the right time:

Departing from 2nd Avenue on the uptown F line: 10am, 12pm, 2pm, 4pm
Departing from 96th Street-2nd Avenue on the Q line: 11am, 1pm, 3pm, 5pm

Check the New York Transit Museum’s website for updates, as schedules can change. Masks are encouraged, but not required.