Subways need not be boring or dreary! Many operators of metros, subways or underground railways want to attract more passengers with good station design. This often means extra effort and higher costs for the metro operators but it seems to pay when a metro is more than just a means of transport but something the residents can be proud of. See below which subway systems double as the world's longest art galleries or in which systems you can find stunning underground palaces, museums, aquariums, an ancient chapel, or the world's first example of evolutionary architecture – or just passenger-friendly and aesthetically appealing underground stations.  Do you like to spend your waiting time standing in a smelly narrow box with tons of advertising posted on grimy tiled walls? Most subway systems tend to be filthy and rather dull from an aesthetic point of view. But there are cities that explicitly foster arts and/or good architecture in subways. The photos in the list below are examples from those cities. The list includes:
Works of art or sophisticated architecture can be delightful, inspiring and thought-provoking for daily commuters as well as an attraction for visitors. There's also evidence that vandalism diminishes in appealing stations because works of art and good designs are widely respected. The rating:  (gold) – The metro system and its stations alone might justify a journey to that city.  (silver) – When travelling near that city you might want to go there and see some metro stations.  (bronze) – If you are in that city anyways, take a look at the metro. A word about the photos: Each city is represented by one to three images. They're showing examples of good station design, possibly the best stations in that city, and at the same time try to represent the range of contrasting styles found. The photos are selected to show excellence and thus do not necessarily indicate the average appearance of a metro system. So here's a selection of about 40 remarkable metro systems, which equals about a quarter of all existing subway systems. More information can be obtained through the external links in each city section below. Athens, Berlin, Bilbao, Brussels, Budapest, Buenos Aires, Genoa, Hanover, Hong Kong, Kharkov, Kiev, Lille, Lisbon, London, Los Angeles, Lyon, Minsk, Montreal, Moscow, Munich, Naples, Newcastle, New York, Paris, Portland, Porto, Prague, Rhine-Ruhr, Rotterdam, Saint Petersburg, Santiago de Chile, Sao Paulo, Singapore, Stockholm, Tashkent, Tehran, Tokyo, Toronto, Valencia, Vancouver, Vienna, Washington, Zurich. Do you know of other cities which should be added or want to argue about the rating? Send an email to  . Last update to this page: 1 November 2006. |
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There are works of art in some of the metro stations. Some of the newer stations have even been turned into downright museums [tourtripgreece.gr], [ametro.gr]. |
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Photo: Replica of Parthenon friezes in the entrance hall of Akropoli station, which has been opened in 2000. | ||
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Some of the early underground and elevated stations represent a style of metro architecture that was somewhat pioneering back then. The busiest architect of that era was the Swedish architect Alfred Grenander, who evolved from a decorative style to modernism between 1902 and 1930 [untergrundbahn.de], [berliner-untergrundbahn.de]. |
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The co-financing of the U-Bahn line to Dahlem (called U3 today) by the posh district of Wilmersdorf facilitated a prestigious architecture in some stations. Photo [Daniel Erler, absence-of-fear.de]: Heidelberger Platz station from 1913 by Wilhelm Leitgebel. |
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Most of the newer stations in Berlin are by Rainer G. Rümmler. Designs range from 1960s Minimalist style and colourful 1970s Pop Art design to Postmodernism. Photo [u-bahnbilder.de]: Postmodernist-style Rathaus Spandau station from 1984 by Rainer G. Rümmler. More Berlin photos... |
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Most new stations have been designed by Sir Norman Foster in 1995. The underground stations have striking roofed glass entrances. They are nicknamed 'fosteritos' after the architect and shelter escalators or stairways [arcspace.com], [metrobilbao.net], [urbanrail.fotopic.net]. The corporate logo as well as the Rotis typeface, which is used for all signs and paperwork, are by Otl Aicher, 1989 [metrobilbao.net]. |
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Foster about his spacious concrete vaults: "A tunnel dug by man through earth and rock is a very special place. Its shape is a reaction to the forces of nature and the texture of its construction bears the seal of man. This must be respected, not covered up to make the place look like any other building. One must be able to feel being underground, and make it a good, special experience" (quoted from Metro Bilbao's Touristic Guide Map). Photo: Barakaldo station built in 2002. More Bilbao photos... |
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The city encourages art in all metro stations [bsubway], [stib.irisnet.be]. |
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Photo [stib.irisnet.be]: "De Odyssee" sculpture by Martin Guyaux in Kruidtuin station. | ||
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Hungary's capital boasts the first subway on the European continent. Stations are clean, the ones on the 'Földalatti' line built in 1986 have been beautifully restored and some of the newer ones are also quite nice to look at. |
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The Subte (Subterráneos de Buenos Aires) was opened in 1913 as the world's 12th metro system and the first in South America. Its stations and trains still preserve a good deal of the charm of the 'good old time'. Stations are almost free of advertising, the newer ones instead contain a large number of murals. |
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The elevated and underground stations of this small Italian metro system have been designed by the world-famous, Genoa-born architect Renzo Piano in 1983 [materia.it]. |
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Metro tram operator Uestra has invited world-famous designers and architects to enhance the looks of the system. The 'Busstops' art project of 1992 resulted in nine remarkable bus and tram stops at street level [uestra.de (PDF)]. Jasper Morrison designed trains in 1997, and Uestra's headquarters is a twisted cuboid by Frank O Gehry. |
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Metro art is not too obvious in Hong Kong, but MTR's Art in Stations initiative brings works of art into the stations since 1998. There's an Open Gallery project on the Island Line and in many of Hong Kong's metro stations, live performances and art exhibitions take place [mtr.com.hk]. |
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The metro in Ukraine's second largest city was inaugurated in 1975 and consists of about 30 stations, many of them with interesting architecture and lighting and built with materials like marble and granite. |
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The capital of the Ukraine boasts a spectacular metro with three lines and stations similar to other cities in the former Soviet Union [metro.kiev.ua], [urbanrail.fotopic.net]. |
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Kiev's stations are diverse in design. Apart from those in traditional soviet-style magnificence there are a couple of rather futuristic ones. Photo [metropoliten.kiev.ua]: Platform level of Pecherskaya station. |
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Since 1983 this city in Northern France has its VAL metro which is the world's most extensive driverless metro system. Many of the elevated stations are remarkable buildings. |
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All metro stations in Lille are designed distinctly and come in a wide variety of architectural shapes. Most of the stations are underground. Many works of art can be found in Lille's VAL system, including sculptures and murals. Photo: Platform level of Gare Lille Europe station with huge murals and a reflecting pool. |
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Building materials include different kinds of natural stone, stainless steel, wood, bricks or tiles. In one station (Montebello), live fish in aquariums at platform level provide an interesting distraction for waiting passengers. Photo: Platform level of Montebello station with aquariums on the walls and wooden parquet flooring. More Lille photos... |
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Works of contemporary art have been included in all metro stations [metrolisboa.pt 1]. Often are Portuguese tiles involved in some way [metrolisboa.pt 2]. |
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Some stations in Lisbon are dedicated to themes. Parque station symbolizes the achievements of the Portuguese discoverers [inscrire.com]. Photo [unknown origin]: Parque station from 1994 on the Blue Line. |
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Cabo Ruivo station in Lisbon looks like a space station with its skeleton-like arches. The wall decoration, in contrast, resembles caveman paintings. Photo [unknown origin]: The walls above the platform of Cabo Ruivo station on the Red Line. |
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London's Underground ('tube') was not only the world's first metro but also the first to have a corporate design, including the Johnston typeface (Edward Johnston 1916), the roundel logo (Frank Pick 1918), and the diagrammatic map (Henry C. Beck 1933). This groundbreaking concept is still in use today almost unmodified [ltmuseum.co.uk] and has influenced many other metros. |
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There are some examples of interesting station architecture in London outside the city centre. Charles Holden is responsible for the design of fifty underground stations as well as London Transport's headquarters at 55 Broadway [tube.tfl.gov.uk]. For the Piccadilly Line stretch to Cockfosters, Holden developed a modernist approach in the 1930's. The original art deco furnishing of that time is surviving in some of the stations. Photo: Cylindrical entrance building of Southgate station, built in 1933. |
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There are works of art in some of London's tube stations [tube.tfl.gov.uk]. The Jubilee Line Extension's spacious stations built in 1999 have been distinctly designed by a couple of famous architects, including Foster & Partners, Ian Ritchie and Michael Hopkins [tube.tfl.gov.uk], [lrb.co.uk], [trainweb.org], [wilson]. Photo: The daylit intermediate concourse of Southwark station (1999) by McCormac Jamieson Prichard architects. More London photos... |
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The city allocated 0.5% of subway construction costs to the creation of original art works. More than 250 artists contributed. There are works of art in all the stations of the Red Line and many other stations [metro.net], [mta.net], [usc.edu]. |
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Hollywood/Vine station on the Red Line features Hollywood's golden history with original theater projectors from the 1930s presented like sculptures. Film reels cover the vaulted ceiling all over. Photo: Hollywood/Vine station from 1999 by artist Gilbert Lujan and architect Adolfo Miralles. |
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The metro of France's second largest conurbation has some interesting stations. Older ones (the metro opened in 1978) are more uniform but on the extension of line B and on the new line D, attention was given to more interesting design and stations have been planned by different architects. |
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Like other metro systems in the former Soviet Union, the stations have been built using exquisite materials and a few are decorated with socialist-style reliefs. |
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Several of the stations in Minsk seem to have a certain 'light-weight' feel that makes one forget that they are underground. Photo [Alexei Bobko, urbanrail.fotopic.net]: Molodezhnaya station. |
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More than fifty stations are decorated with over hundred works of public art, such as sculptures, stained glass, and murals by noted artists from Québec. The city encourages this since 1967, one year after the opening of the system [stm.info], [metrodemontreal.com]. |
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Some of Montreal's stations seem to be works of modern art themselves, and many reflect the zeitgeist of the decades they were built in. Photo: Platform level of La Salle station (1978) on the Green Line. |
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Entrance buildings are often as well designed as the underground parts of the stations [metrodemontreal.com]. Photo: Concourse of Namur from 1984 station on the Orange Line. More Montréal photos... |
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The metro opened in 1935. Many entrance buildings are just as architecturally spectacular as the stations below. Some stations are very deep and have been planned to serve as bomb shelters. |
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Moscow's metro stations are a heritage of the socialist regime, originally intended to be 'palaces for the people'. With their marble-clad walls, chandelier lighting, and other precious interior, many indeed resemble palaces or cathedrals [metro.ru], [metrowalks.ru], [beeflowers]. Photo [cla.purdue.edu]: Central part of the platform of Komsomolskaya station built in 1952 on the circle line. |
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Many sculptures, reliefs and murals are found in the stations [metrosoyuza.net]. Besides Moscow, some other cities of the former Soviet Union have metro stations of similar grandeur. However, the ones in Moscow are the most numerous and the most spectacular. Fortunately, even the new stations opened in the 21st century are of good architectural quality. Photo: The platform of Kropotkinskaya station built in 1935. More Moscow photos... |
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This metro system has been opened in 1972 and has spacious and clean stations. The earlier ones are rather minimalistic in design while the later ones got more interesting architectural features and some works of art [muenchnerubahn.de], [oliverbarchewitz.de]. |
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Photo: Westfriedhof station from 1998 with its simple concrete walls and its exceptional lighting concept by Ingo Maurer. More Munich photos... |
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Line M1 has been turned into "Il Metro dell'Arte" as six stations have been upgraded with a lot of artworks [danpiz.net/napoli]. There are more interesting stations to follow when the line is being extended. Museo station accommodates an archaeological exhibit of many objects found during metro construction [umuc.edu]. |
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The Tyne and Wear Metro has a very consistently designed guiding system and several works of art in the stations [tyneandwearmetro.co.uk], [newcastle.gov.uk]. |
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Since the subway system was inaugurated in 1904 by competing companies, it has some interesting station design, above ground as well as below. |
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NYC's subway became a little neglected in the following decades and earned a reputation of crime and grime. But besides significantly improving all stations, trains, and the safety since the 1980's, MTA started to thoroughly refurbish 15 historic stations to their original appearance, e.g. 33rd Street. Ceramic wall decors and mosaic signs are present in most underground stations and come in a wide variety [Stookey, see Reference]. Photo: Ceramic station name mosaic at the refurbished 33rd Street station. |
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MTA's 'Arts for Transit' program, founded in 1985, hosts more than 150 modern works of site-specific public art in stations [tfaoi.com], [nycsubway.org], [mta.info], [steelcase.com (PDF)]. Photo: Some of many humourous bronze sculptures, this is 'Life Underground' by Tom Otterness [tomostudio.com] in 14th Street station installed in 2004. More New York photos... |
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The distinctive, ornate, Art Nouveau metro entrances designed by Hector Guimard are a famous synonym for Paris's metro. Some are lost but 88 of them still exist [parisinconnu.com]. RATP gave reproductions to the subways in Chicago, Lisbon, Mexico City and to the Museum of Modern Art in New York, and an original one to Montreal [metrodemontreal.com]. |
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The elegant metro stations in Paris are mostly column-free vaults with white tiles that look similar throughout. The system was inaugurated in 1900, everything has been refurbished for its 100th anniversary. Photo [Mike Nguyen]: Cité station on line 4. |
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An enjoyable architecture has also been implemented in Paris's newest RER stations as well as in the new driverless metro line 14 (Météor). Photo: Magenta RER station with its interesting lighting. More Paris photos... |
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MAX light rail in Portland, Oregon, USA, consists of three lines running on streets or on their own right of way. The operators have integrated one or more works of art in almost every station to promote transit usage and community pride [trimet.org]. |
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This city in northern Portugal got a light rail system in 2002. It runs partly underground and partly on street level, where the rails are sometimes embedded in grass [mporto.no.sapo.pt]. |
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Underground station architecture, surface-station furniture, signage and typography are quite consistent in their cool minimalistic elegance. Predominant materials are concrete, glass, and steel. Photo [Willy Kaemena, mac.com]: Campo 24 de Agosto station, built in 2004. During construction, a fountain from the 16th century has been discovered and excavated. It is now part of the concourse level of this station. |
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Some of the stations seem to be a homage to Victor Vasarely or kinetic artists of the 1970s. There are thousandfold repetitions of glass or aluminium elements with all stations looking different. |
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On line A, which was opened in 1978, station walls are covered with aluminium tiles which come in three versions (convex, concave or flat) and in different shades of colour. The designers thus managed to create a stunning, science-fiction-like appearance. Photo: Flora station built in 1980 on line A. More Prague photos... |
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The unique suspended monorail in the city of Wuppertal runs above the Wupper river and was opened in 1901. Some historic stations have been carefully restored and contrast in a nice way with rebuilt, architecturally interesting stations from the 1990's. |
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Rhine-Ruhr area is an agglomeration of about 30 cities in western Germany with some 20 metro-tram lines and 9 S-Bahn lines [jochen-schoenfisch.de]. Photo: The combined metro-tram and bus station Neue Mitte, built in 1996 in the city of Oberhausen, was obviously influenced by deconstructivist architecture. |
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Photo: Lohring metro tram station from 2006 in the city of Bochum with a platform made of frosted glass, illuminated from below. More Rhine-Ruhr photos... |
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This metro was opened in 1968 and has some stations which are as futuristic as the city itself. Some stations contain works of art. |
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Other examples of interesting stations are Stadhuis (water flowing along vertical glass panels), Oostplein (glass windows in the floor) and some stations on the new stretch between Tussenwater and De Akkers [xs4all.nl/~kazil]. Photo: Wilhelminaplein station, built in 1997. More Rotterdam photos... |
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Outstanding, palace-like stations are found here, similar to those in Moscow [metrowalks.ru], [metrosoyuza.net]. Some of the older metro entrances are elaborate round buildings. |
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Most stations in Saint Petersburg are of excellent architectural quality. Dazzling, themed metro stations are on the first metro stretch between Avtovo and Ploshchad Vosstaniya, which opened in 1955. Photo: Platform of Avtovo station with 30 marble columns and 16 glass columns. |
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The metro is the world's deepest with an average station being 60 meters below ground. Some stations double as bomb shelters. Photo [metrowalks.ru]: Platform level of Krestovskiy Ostrov station from 1999. |
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Chile's capital has some metro stations with spectacular yet diverse modern architecture. |
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There are also lots of works of art in Santiago's metro, like giant murals and sculptures, especially on line 5 [metrosantiago.cl]. Photo [skyscrapercity.com]: Baquedano station holds the 15 m wide sculpture "El Puente" from 1999 by Osvaldo Peńa. |
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A diversity of geometrical forms were chosen for the underground stations [metro.sp.gov.br]. There's a collection of contemporary sculptures, installations and large murals in 30 of the 52 stations. |
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The MRT has very clean stations, mostly with simple, modern designs. Newer stations have interesting architecture and works of art. |
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Many stations are intricately landscaped to reflect Singapore's reputation as a Garden City. Some underground stations are decorated with flowering orchids, tropical palms, or shrubs. City Hall and Raffles Place stations are good examples. On the North-East Line, which was inaugurated in 2003, all stations have individual architecture, and works of art have been integrated in every station [app-stg.lta.gov.sg]. Photo [deliarts.net]: Ceramic murals and floor mosaics in the concourse level of Dhoby Ghaut station. |
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Stockholm's tunnelbana is referred to as the world's longest art gallery because works of art have been integrated in almost every station since the 1950s. SL spends 10 million SEK per year in safeguarding and developing artwork. |
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Works of art can be found in 90 of the 100 stations. 140 artists have contributed so far. Photo [from SL's free metro art booklet, see Reference]: Platform of T-Centralen station on the Blue Line, designed by Per Olof Ultvedt in 1975. |
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Many stations in Stockholm, especially on the Blue Line, have been left as rock caverns, which gives them an outstanding, unique atmosphere. Photo: Rinkeby station, built in 1975 on the Blue Line with gold mosaics, paintings, and sculptures. More Stockholm photos... |
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Tashkent's metro, built in 1977, allegedly as one of the most beautiful in the former Soviet Union, consists of three lines. Leading architects and artists from Uzbekistan took part in creating unique stations, some of them decorated in Islamic designs. |
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Enduring materials have been used for Tashkent's station interiors, like engraved metal, glass, granite, marble, or carved alabaster. Photo [crafts.freenet.uz]: Mustaqilik Maidoni station from 1977. |
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Each station's design is distinct and devoted to a certain theme. Photo [metrotashkent.narod.ru]: Badamzar station from 2001. |
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The clean metro system in the capital of Iran has many stations with an interesting architecture or design. |
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Works of art have been integrated in many stations [tehranmetro.com], [iranchamber.com]. Photo [cyberpersia]: Concourse level of Imam Khomeini transfer station, opened in 2000. |
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All stations on Tokyo's Oedo line (opened in 2000) have been created by different well reputed architects, selected through a design competition [g-mark.org], [makoto-architect.com], [jrtr.net (PDF)]. The organic designs on platform and street levels of Iidabashi station are the world's first examples of computer-generated "evolutionary architecture" as architect Makoto Watanabe describes it in his book (see Reference). |
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Most stations are looking more or less alike, except for the colour schemes of the wall tiles. But TTC's Art in Architecture Program has integrated a considerable collection of public art into the stations [transit.toronto.on.ca]. |
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Especially the new Sheppard Line has some interesting stations [city.toronto.on.ca]. Furthermore, the Arts on Track Project aims to revitalize a couple of older stations through donations [tcf.ca]. Photo [Craig James White, flickr.com]: One of the many optical illusions by Toronto artist Panya Clark Espinal at Bayview station from 2002 on the Sheppard Line [haha.nu]. |
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This metro in Spain has several very different stations with interesting architecture. |
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Vancouver's LRT is called SkyTrain as it runs elevated except for four underground stations in downtown. The Millennium Line extension built in 2002 includes a couple of interesting stations which incorporate organic designs, west-coast wood architecture and modern metal-and-glass designs. |
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The Art Nouveau Stadtbahn stations have been consistently planned by the renowned architect Otto Wagner and date back as far as 1898 when the city rail system was inaugurated [wiennet.at]. Most stations have been beautifully renovated and integrated into the metro system. |
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During tunnel construction for Vienna's metro, many objects have been excavated, some of which are now displayed in several stations [planet-vienna.com]. Photo [wien-diashows.com]: The excavated Virgil chapel under the Stephansdom, dating back to 1250, can be seen through windows from the concourse level of Stephansplatz station. |
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Some of Vienna's elegant modern metro stations are decorated with works of art. Photo [hs-st-paul.ksn.at]: Volkstheater station with mosaic friezes by Anton Lehmden. |
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The Metrorail system of the US capital has been designed by Harry Weese & Associates to be America's grandest subway and was inaugurated in 1976. The Commission of Fine Arts, which had to approve the station design, favoured the coffered vaults [chnm.gmu.edu], [railwayage.com]. |
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Works of art can be found in many stations [wmata.com/about/]. All stations above ground in Washington, as well as the underground ones, have been constructed using the same selection of materials consistently throughout the system. A useful feature are the rows of lamps on all platform edges which start flashing when a train approaches. Photo: Arlington Cemetery station from 1977. |
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Some of the underground and at-grade S-Bahn stations have interesting architecture. |
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All photos by M. Rohde except where indicated otherwise. More sections of Metro Bits: Home Metros with a View World Metro List Metro Logos Announcements Metro Resources FAQ About ReferenceBennett, David: Metro: The Story of the Underground Railway. Octopus 2004.Hackelsberger, Christoph: U-Bahn-Architektur in München. Prestel 1997. Powell, Kenneth: The Jubilee Line Extension. Laurence King 2000. Railway Technical Web Pages: Station Design. Rauch, Jürgen: The Architecture of Underground Railway Stations. Krämer 1996. Stockholm SL: Art in the Stockholm Metro. 2001 (free booklet). Stookey, Lee: Subway Ceramics. A History and Iconography. 1992. USA Today 9/2/2004: 10 Great Places to Stop for Subway Art. Watanabe, Makoto Sei: Induction Design. A Method for Evolutionary Design. Birkhäuser 2002. http://mic-ro.com/metro/metroart.html |
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