These submerged subway innovations show how much public transportation has advanced over time.
Though perhaps not the most desirable means of getting around town, subways typically offer civilians an affordable way to get from point A to point B. With innovations in terms of marketing stunts, the design of the actual trains and the way in which these spaces have become somewhat of a showcase for art, there's no telling where the future of subways may lie. Many of these public transit systems exist throughout the world, and many variations exist, making them an interesting public service to contrast and compare.
Though perhaps not as reliable as some might expect, subways are an inevitable component to most large cities, and increasingly, are being used as hubs for innovation.
100 Submerged Subway Innovations
98
Living Paintings
Alexa Meade Brings Art Alive With Realistic Acrylic Body Paint
97
No Pants Subway Ride
900 Underground Underwear Enthusiasts in NYC
96
Subway Floodvertising
Brazilian Advertising Campaign for the Movie 2012 Fakes Subway Flood
95
Subway Art Museums
The Stockholm Metro Brings Culture to Public Transit Stations
94
Guerrilla Adbusting
Street Artists FTW-Crew Add Photoshop Toolbox to Subway Ads
93
Recycled Subway Spaces
Adam Kushner Uses Reclaimed Materials to Make an Epic Apartment
92
Naughty iPad Ads
Berlin iPad Adbusters Put Up a Scandalous Billboard in Rosenthaler Platz Subway
91
Subway Living Rooms
Paris Metro gets a Makeover, Courtesy of IKEA
90
Seductive Subway Spreads
The Vice Magazine 'Tubular Belles' Shoot is One Wild Ride
89
Awkward Transit Blogs
'Subway Douchery' Makes Taking the Subway Less Creepy
88
Submerged Subway Shoots
Stephen Mallon Documents the End of the Line in his Photography
87
Subway Courtesy Ads
The Japanese Etiquette Campaign Reminds You What Not to Do
86
Subway Cart Fashion Shoots
Alberta Ferretti Fall Campaign
85
Public Transit Furniture
'Subway Series' by 718 Made in Brooklyn Will Get You Places
84
Urban Subterranean Gardens
The LowLine Underground Park Hopes to Recapture the Past Futuristically
83
Suggestive Sizevertising
Burger King ‘Big Boner' Commercial
82
Sexist Subways
Women-Only Transit In Seoul
81
Deserted City Depictions
Roland Shainidze Captures Still Frames of Toronto Devoid of People
80
Interactive Transit Campaigns
Beer Can Subway Ads in Tehran Use Mugs as Safety Handles
79
Underground Ad Campaigns
Lay's Supports Local Potato Farming in Snack Food Production
78
Sassy Public Service Signs (UPDATE)
The Jay Shells 'Metropolitan Etiquette Authority' Hits NYC
77
Traveling Transit Captures
Appura Pai Uses Long-Exposure Photography While on the Subway
76
Transit Greenery
The Mobile Garden by Joe Baldwin Sweetens Chicago Air
75
Vintage Transit Prints
Flying Junction Brings Public Transportation to Your Home
74
iPhone Turnstiles
Tokyo Subway Entrance is Turned into a Gigantic iPhone Ad
73
Caped Crusader Commutes
Dean Gorissen Illustrates Superheroes Riding the Subway with Pedestrians
72
Space-Pod Taxis
The Vectus Personal Rapid Transit Takes You to Your Destination Comfortably
71
Surreal Subway Murals
Million Dollar Design Transforms Underground Transportation With Graffiti
70
Abandoned Subway Art
The Underbelly Project is a Secret NYC Gallery
69
Transport-Savvy Braille Watches
'Metro Dot' Helps the Visually Impaired Ride the Subway with Ease
68
Subway Station Name Changes
The Torontoist Pokes Fun at the Possible TTC Subway Stop Naming Rights
67
In-Store Farm Factories
Subway Japan Goes Fresh by Growing Lettuce On the Spot
66
Subway Slides
HIK Ontwerpers Gives City Commuters a Post-Transit Thrill
65
Viral Dutch Beauty Ad
Nivea Targets Metrosexuals
64
Track-Tweaking Apps
The triqtraq Jam Sequencer Enables Mixing Music Professionally on Your Mobile
63
Musical Subway Stairs
Piano Stairs Encourage People to Get Some Exercise
62
Wickedly Winding Transport Rails
The West Kowloon Terminus Connects Hong Kong and Beijing
61
Declarative Statement Posters
'Wish Want Need Do Die' by Eric Gorvin Gives Orders
60
Energy-Generating Subway Station Floors
East Japan Railway Harvests Power from Commuters
59
Mini Urban Sculptures
Alan Wolfson Recreates Canal ST. Cross-Section With Mind-Boggling Detail
58
Parisian Protest Posters
Activists Take Over Subway Billboards in Paris, France
57
Subway Hoedowns
The Xylopholks Entertain New Yorkers In Furry Animal Costumes
56
Spoiler Alert Subway Signs
Jason Eppink Preserves the Mystery of the NYC Subway System
55
Paper Subway Imitations
The Architectural Model Accessories Series Shrinks the NYC Metro
54
Retro Transit Makeovers
The 'Compliments of Nucky' Puts a '20s Twist on the NYC Subway System
53
Ceiling-Mounted Subway Maps
GPS System Pinpoints Location on Subway Car Ceilings
52
Banksy-Inspired Ads
This IKEA Street Art is Reminiscent of the Anonymous Artists
51
Cute Commuter Caricatures
The Toronto Subway Sketch Group Practises Illustration on Trains
50
Historic Ritzy Railcars
This 1935 NYC Subway Car is Up for Grabs for Someone With Deep Pockets
49
Public Urination Solutions
The Wheelie Bin Urinal Provides Designated Area to Relieve Oneself
48
Virtual Subway Supermarkets
Homeplus Uses Clever Marketing Campaign to Become Number One
47
Impromptu Playgrounds
San Franciso Pranksters Install Swings on BART Trains
46
Subway Cars as Art Studios
The Village Underground
45
Deadly Train Games
Teens Take Up "Metro Surfing" for Daredevil Thrills on Moscow Subway Line
44
Pedestrian Tripping Compilations
Dean Peterson Makes a Short Film About an Accident Prone Subway
43
Subway Street Art
The Take a Seat Project
42
Globe-Trotting Tarpaulins
The Izola Map Shower Curtain Will Make Your Bathroom Charted Territory
41
Recycled Transit Card Mosaics
The Nina Boesch Metro Card Project Reimagines New York
40
Metropolis Time-Lapse Shorts
Toronto Tempo by Ryan Emond Speeds up the City
39
Subway-Crashing Cows
'Join the MOOvement' Proves that Cows are People Too
38
Automobile-Inspired Trains
Warsaw Unveils Their New BMW Subway Cars
37
Subway Web Surfing
WiFi Rail Makes Deal with BART for Underground Internet Access
36
Foldable and Stackable City Car Concept
35
Wiener Subway Maps
Michael Hertz's Re-Designed Map Isn't Well Endowed
34
Subway Ticket Art
138,000 Tickets Converted Into Astro Boy Pixel Art
33
Stylish Subway Entrances
Toulouse, France Introduces Modern Art to Public Transit
32
Suctioning Subway Stations
The Quicksand-Like Monte St Angelo Station in Naples
31
Transit Map Jewelry
NYC Metro Cuffs Make Navigating the Big Apple Easy
30
Foldable Digital Newspapers
The Page E-Reader Will Make Paper Old News
29
Reading Urbanite Subway Riders
The Underground New York Public Library Is A Visual Catalog Of Comm
28
Public Transit Compasses
New York Subway Compasses Help Orient Confused Travelers
27
Levitating Bicycles
Remote-Controlled Wall Mounted Bike Locks Discourage Thieves
26
Subway Finder Apps
Acrossair Pinpoints the Location of the London Tube for iPhone
25
Suspended Model Spreads
The Vice Style ‘Hanging Around' Editorial is Alluring
24
Architectural Culture Hubs
Shenzhen Creative Centre Embraces Urbanity & Open Space
23
Anatomical Subway Maps
Sam Loman Reimagines the Human Body
22
Spooky Subway Rides
The Yokai Train is Part Public Transportation, Part Haunted House
21
Geometric Subway Ceilings
Hoshakuji Station in Japan Uses Plywood for Eye-Pleasing Details
20
Underground Art Galleries
The Platform at Degrave Street Subway Station
19
Mass Transit Gas Masks
'Sub-Resk' Turns Subway Handles into Life-Saving Oxygen Masks
18
Subway Stations Get Mobile Service
NYC Tunnel Talk
17
Rabbit Hole Navigation Gear
The Alice in Wonderland Subway Map is Inspired by the Classic Story
16
Star Wars Subway Attacks
Improv Everywhere Star Wars Video Stages a Galactic Takeover on the Metro
15
Subterranean Subway Art
Tracy Fitzpatrick's Virtual Tour of Art & Design in The NYC Subway
14
Literature Subway Illustrations
'Literary Journeys' by Owen Smith are Paintings of Stories
13
8-Bit Subway Adventures
'Ride the Better Way' Turns Toronto's Public Transit Into a Game
12
Metro Monsters
Alex Andreyev Shows the Life of Insects & Critters on the Subway
11
Spoof Pick-Up Strategies
Craigslist 'Missed Connections' Stars 30 Rock and The Office Characters
10
Kiddie Straphangers
The Cowacca Strap for the Child Who Can't Quite Reach
9
Subway Skirts
The NYC Map Dress is Fashionable and Direction-Friendly
8
Subway Stop Touchscreens
The MTA in New York Introduces the 'On the Go! Travel Station'
7
Railroad Musicals
Alexander Chen Turns the New York Subway System into an Instrument
6
Emergency Subway Lights
The Detachable Handle Light Makes for a Safer and Calmer Train Evacuation
5
Subway Ticket Portraits
Parisian Metro Artist Luc Grateau
4
Subaqueous Subway Art
Imaginary Creatures from Illustrated Thoughts Hits the TTC
3
Power-Generating Subway Stops
Energy from Train Brakes to Fuel Philadelphia Grid
2
Stitched Subway Systems
Tomofumi Yoshida Sews a Public Transit Map into an Arduino Mega Shield
1
Exposing Subway Projects
The Toronto ‘Confessions Underground’ Development is Liberati
Related Ideas
Boyfriend Clothing Photography
On & Beyond Shoots 'I Wish They Made This for Girls'
Word Mosaic Portraits
'Beautiful Words Beautiful Art' Turns Books into Masterpieces
100 Futuristic Eco Vehicles
From Green Sports Cars to Fuel-Efficient Airships
Interior Greenery Technology
The E Home Concept Connects People with Nature Using Digital Tech
Hidden Face Female Pictures
'Paper Bag Girls' By Gina Kiel Covers up Her Subjects' Visages
Asian Icon Artistry
Seung Eun Kim Draws a Series of Illustrations Depicting the Late Bruce Lee
Radiant Rainbow-Colored Renderings
Chris Newman is a Master of Illustrating Eclectic Concept Art
Retractable iPad Keypads
Levitatr iPad Keyboard Provides a Stylishly Elevating Accessory
Badass Hipster Babe Illustrations
Chris King Draws Chic City Women with an Edge
Game Crossover Brawls
Sebastian von Buchwald Has Mario Pummeling Other Playable Heroes
Statuesque Subway Shoots
The Moscow Metro by Alena Nikiforova Series is Portrayed as a Museum
Personified Primate Depictions
Lukas Brezak Illustrates Some Super Rad and Stylish Apes
Subway Tunnel Housing
'The Apartment' by IKEA is Located in a Parisian Metro
Digital Watercolor Dames
Johnson Ting Emulates Runny Paint in these Asian Women Portraits
15 Subterranean Subway Shoots
From Suspended Model Shoots to Subway Nudetography
Anatomical Origami Art
Horst Kiechle's Paper Torso Comes With Removable Organs
Luxury Video Game Fashion
The Eli Schmidt WWD S/S Preview is Playfully Posh
Protruding Paper Art
The Elod Beregszaszi 'Popupology' Collection Will Blow Your Mind
Quirky Myth-Like Photography
Polixeni Papapetrou Captures the Real and Unreal
Educational Grocery Apps
Niels van Hoof's 'Taggie' Teaches Kids Where Food Comes From
Smoggy Sakura Snapshots
Sakuramadelica by Takeshi Suga is a Dreamy World of Wonders
20 Creative Worker Cooperatives
From Opportunity-Generating Accessories to Upcycled Train Stations
Braille Burgers
Fast Food Chain Wimpy Passes a Message to Visually Impaired Customers
Illustrated Iconic Cities
The Owen Gatley Map Series is Beautifully Detailed
Futuristic Steampunk Cycles
The Electric Recumbent Bike is a Victorian Two-Wheeler
Urban Subterranean Gardens
The LowLine Underground Park Hopes to Recapture the Past Futuristically
City Park Pod Hotels
The Urban Hotel Encourages Travelers to Explore a City's Outdoor Attractions
Holographic Movie Rooms
Greatfilmsfillrooms.com Offers an Immersed Viewer Experience
Mirror Island Photography
Gustav Willeit Uses Parallels to Capture the Allure of Remote Locations
Haunting Horizon Photography
This Zoltan Bekefy Series is Ephemeral and Minimalist
Surprise Classical Performances
Copenhagen Philharmonic Orchestra Flashmobs Subwayers
Riveting Rock Terrain Photography
Riaad Algarei Captures Compelling Landscape Images
Mosaic-Inspired Sci-Fi Portraits
Stars Wars Identities Exhibition Gets to the Core of Characters
Hypnotically Hued Portraiture
Micah Ganske Paints his Subjects with Unique Color Schemes
Miniature City Exhibits
Andre Saraiva's 'Andrepolis' Display at the Hole Immitates NYC Life
Below-Ground Public Gardens
The Delancey Underground Turns Old Subway Tunnels into New Parks
Keypad Tablet Portfolios
The KeyFolio iPad 2 Case Protects & Converts the Device into a Laptop
Literal Literary Genre Posters
The Princehat Bookstore Signs are Chic and Beautiful
Skateboard Deck Statues (UPDATE)
These Haroshi Wooden Sculptures are Artful and Intricate
Subway-Themed Shops
CLVII Store in Berlin Features Eye-Catching Printed Walls
Gorgeously Powerful Sedans (UPDATE)
The Bugatti 16C Galibier Will Be Available Early 2013
H20-Friendly Tablet Sheaths
The '+Simplism' Waterproof iPad Case Keeps Gadgets Liquid-Free
Rocking NYC Billboards
Heineken Light's 'Occasionally Perfect' Billboard Literally Rocks
Shirtless Male Pop Covers
The Abercrombie & Fitch 'Call Me Maybe' Video is Eye-Catching
Flowing Field Photography
This Joerg Marx Series is Hypnotic and Undulating
Colossal Columnal Architecture
The Seoul International Train Station Defines Spaces with Posts
Sultry Celebrity Superheros
The Pop Star Power Rangers are Smoking Hot
Geometric Dome Structures
The King's Cross Train Station Redevelopment is Dynamically Designed
Space-Pod Taxis
The Vectus Personal Rapid Transit Takes You to Your Destination Comfortably
Sensitive Speech Signs
The NFS Stuttering Billboards Teach Compassion
Stark Symmetrical Shoots
Kai Ziehl Captures the Beauty of Architecture in Urban Landscapes
Wickedly Winding Transport Rails
The West Kowloon Terminus Connects Hong Kong and Beijing
Grande Gotham Art Projects
James Gulliver Hancock Draws Every Building in NYC
City Camping Covenants
Frank Bayh & Steff Rosenberger Capture Protestors' Tents and Messages
Bulging Braille Mobiles
The Floating Phone Has Been Designed for Both the Blind and Sighted
Villainous Celeb Videos
The New York Times Magazine's Touch of Evil Sends Shivers Down Spines
Locale-Loving Charms
The Vintage Map Necklace is a Great Hometown Reminder
Outdoor Regeneration Campaigns
'Transform Your Patch' from PepsiCo UK & Britvic Helps Communities
Domed Ceiling Bookshelves
The Wade Davis Writing Studio Boasts a Sky-High Library
Hardcore Tablet Protectors
The Padded G-Form Extreme Edge is Serious About Gadget Protection
Sci-Fi Pole Campaigns
The Star Wars 'Train Railings Lightsabers' Stunt is from Another Galaxy
Trippy Tribute Parks
Be Prepared for a Wild Ride at the Acid Park in North Carolina
Realist Box-Car Art
From Dust to Graffiti Adam Normandins Paints it All
8-Bit Hobby Kits
The Mario Model Kit Illustration Will Delight Nintendo Fans and DIYers
Fast Furious Freights
Auto Train by Marco Gallegos is Transporter That Acts like a Car Taxi
Virtual Culinary Transformations
'Gourmet Gaming' Turns Digital Treats and Meals into Reality
Paper Subway Imitations
The Architectural Model Accessories Series Shrinks the NYC Metro
Realistic 8-Bit Gaming
Jimiyo Draws Mario and Link Artfully But Constrained to Jagged Shapes
Rad Retro Gaming Art
'Title Scream' Features Graphics from Street Fighter and Super Mario
Virtual 3D Shopping Apps
The Zegna inSTORE Allows Luxury Browsing From Your iPad
Manually Marked Missed Connections
'I Wish I Said Hello' Flags Locations of Brief Interactions
Kaleidoscopic Water Towers
Tom Fruin Illuminates the NYC Skyline with a Colorful Structure
Cute Commuter Caricatures
The Toronto Subway Sketch Group Practises Illustration on Trains
Transit Tour Apps
The Tram Sightseeing App by Forsman & Bodenfors is an Integrated TourismSolution
Fleeting Encounter Artworks
The Missed Connections on the New York Subway is Tragic
Burger-Eating Train Schedules
The McDonald's Hamburger Timetable Shows 'Enough Time To Eat'
Convenient Commuter Carrels
The E-Spot Public Transport Working Place is an Open Office On the Go
Historic Ritzy Railcars
This 1935 NYC Subway Car is Up for Grabs for Someone With Deep Pockets
Virtual Subway Supermarkets
Homeplus Uses Clever Marketing Campaign to Become Number One
Rewards-Based Fitness Apps
Nexercise Motivates You to Work Out With Medals & Merchandise
Creepy Angel Photography
The Hunger 'Be Still My Beating Heart' Editorial is Beautifully Dark
Pedestrian Tripping Compilations
Dean Peterson Makes a Short Film About an Accident Prone Subway
Famous Landmark Lodging
The Tazu Rous Hotel Gent is Built Around a Famous Belgian Train Station
Supercar-Inspired Bikes
The Bastiaan Kok Porsche Bicycle is Sleek like Its Original
Recorded Planetary Phenomenons
Tom Lowe's TimeScapes Will Amaze You
Chic Canine Campaigns
The Diesel Spring Summer 2012 Ad is Unexpected
Check-In Popularity Charts
The Facebook Social Landmarks Infographic is Worldly
Designer Digi-Games
The Dior Video Game Ad Brings Geek to Chic
Time Visualization Tools
Nooka App Offers New Way to Tell Time Through Graphics & Color
Recyled Can Mosaics
Jeff Ivanhoe Makes Art from Trash
Simplistic Subway Maps
The Lineposters Take Transportation Back to the Basics
Calendar Cropped Captures
‘B ALBUM' by Tomek Jankowski is a Journey Through Time
Web-Connected Infant Weighers
The Withings Smart Baby Scale Communicates with Your Computer
Bookworm Rap Battles
‘B*tches in Bookshops' Parody Based on Jay Z and Kanye West's Hit
Sly Subway Station Menus
McDonald's Train Timetable Stunt is a Hit in Poland
Braille-Transcribing Scanners
The Money Identifier Makes Blind Bill-Paying Descrete
8-Bit Rapper Video Games
'Kreayshawn: The Game' Turns the Hip Hop Princess into Heroine
Affordable Braille Displays
David Pankhurst's 'Audrey' Gives Blind People a Low-Cost Alternative
Typography Movie Mosaics
The 'Men in Black 3' Posters are All About the Fine Print
Unusual Legal Campaigns
The 'Injury Auction' Aims to Demonstrate the Injustices in Insurance
Angled Public Perches
The Atis Bench Makes Sitting on the Grassy Knoll Clean and Comfortable
Intergalatic Time Lapse Clips
The Earth Time Lapse Video is made with Space Station Photos
Simple Staircase Bookcases
The Serpentin Library Arranges Your Hardcovers Along a Slanted Ascent
Designer Train Station Bathrooms
The Subway 2.0 Collection is Inspired by Public Potties
Middle Earth Mega Movies
The New 'The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey' Trailer is Worth the Wait
Heart-Wrenching TV Romance Clips
TV's Best Confessions of Love Honors the Three Best Words
Rabbit Hole Navigation Gear
The Alice in Wonderland Subway Map is Inspired by the Classic Story
Jungle Jam Train Terminals
The Tree-inspired Station by Yizhar Galmidi and Eliran Yaksein is Green
Apocalyptic City Videos
'Blind' is a Short Film That Depicts a Post-Nuclear Tokyo
Blind-Simulating Installations
The Dialogue in the Dark Tour Takes Away People's Sense of Sight
Interaction-Encouraging Tools
Weiche Wu Designs Whimsical Subway Toys to Induce Laughs
Fuel-Saving Smartphone Apps
The EcoSpeed App Greenly Gets You from Point A to Point B
Impromptu Playgrounds
These Pop-up Parks are Beautifying New York One Block at a Time
Branded Fashion Films
The Victoria Beckham Denim Line Mixes Mediums for Marketing
Old-School Gaming Tablets
The Atari Arcade Makes iPad Gaming Feel Retro
Concentration Challenges
Focus Pocus is a Mind-Controlled Game That Alleviates ADHD in Children
Peculiar Perspective Movie Montages
'God's Eye View' Compiles Straight-Down Shot Scenes from Films
Unassuming Street Captures
Sarah Pannell Presents Various Facets of the City
Subterranean Echo Concerts
Oliver Beer Hosts a Live Performance Under Waterloo Subway Station
Retro Animated Singers
The Black Eyed Peas XOXO Video Transforms the Group into Cartoons
Literature Subway Illustrations
'Literary Journeys' by Owen Smith are Paintings of Stories
Subway-Exclusive WIFI
Tokyo Rail Partners With Mitsubishi to Provide TrainNet
Deliveryman Downtime Apps
The Postmates App Ensures Bicycle Couriers Always Have Work
Mobile Internet Sharing Services
The Karma 4G Hotspot Encourages You to Loan Your Connection
Sightless Literary Devices
The Braille App Brings Touchscreen Technology to the Visually Impaired
Underground Cellphone Service
NYC Subways Will Introduce Phone Connectivity for Busy Commuters
Super-Sized Public Transit
The Youngman JNP6250G Can Transport Up to 300 Passengers
Lit Holiday Travel Charts
Foursquare Travel Infographic Lights up the Sky
Voice-Response Phones
The Soft Pet Features Call-and-Respond Capability to Help Visually Impaired
Competitive Cavemen Confessions
The Playstation 'We are All Players' Commercial Gives Frozen Facts
Subaqueous Subway Art
Imaginary Creatures from Illustrated Thoughts Hits the TTC
Aspirations Action Figure Films
'Address is Appropriate' Follows a Toy Wanting to See the World