Incredible Photos of Abandoned Subway Stations Around the World

Subway stations are typically crowded with people trying to get from one place to the other. So when they're shut down and left abandoned, they look especially eerie.

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Tour Of Abandoned Subway Tunnel Offers Glimpse At Boston's Past
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City Hall Plaza, Boston

Here, a group of people explore the abandoned subway tunnel under City Hall Plaza in Boston, Massachusetts. It was first opened in 1898 and was part of America’s first subway line connecting Scollay Square Station to Adams Square station near City Hall. It was closed in 1963.

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Abandoned Platform (Aldwych)
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Aldwych, London

The Aldwych tube station was once part of London’s Piccadilly line. It closed in 1994 and much of it looks like this but some areas have been preserved, including the original lobby with vintage posters still on the walls (see below!).

Here’s a countdown of the top must-see London attractions.

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An old subway map and "station closed" s
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Aldwych, London

Here are some of the vintage posters that were left intact at London’s Aldwych station. Aldwych is one of London’s many “ghost stations,” which are subway stations that closed because not many people used them—or they never opened at all.

Discover these stunning rare shots of abandoned places around the world.

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City Hall abandoned subway station New York City
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City Hall, New York City

The City Hall station was designed to showcase the city’s newest mode of transportation in 1904 with its glass skylight, brass chandeliers and vaulted arches. It was decommissioned in 1945 when engineers realized that its tightly curbed track wouldn’t be able to accommodate the longer trains that the city was transitioning into using for its subway lines.

Take a look at 13 abandoned places in New York City you can still visit.

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A picture taken on September 17, 2011 in
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Porte des Lilas, Paris

A part of the Porte des Lilas subway station in Paris, France closed in 1929, but now serves as a popular filming location. It was last opened to the public in 2017 for a European Heritage Day when the public is given access to areas around cities that are typically closed off.

Paris may be known as The City of Lights but these are the spookiest attractions you can visit.

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BRITAIN-HISTORY-MUSEUM-TRANSPORT-POST
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Mail Rail, London

One underground railway that most people don’t know about is the Post Office Railway, or Mail Rail, which carried mail between two sorting offices between 1927 and 2003. A museum of the abandoned railway opened in 2017 and visitors can ride the carriages through the narrow tunnels.

You’ll also want to check out this gallery of abandoned barns in Southwestern Ontario.

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TO GO WITH AFP STORY BY ANNICK BENOIST:
PATRICK KOVARIK/Getty Images

Saint-Martin, Paris

The Saint-Martin station, along with a number of others, closed in Paris after World War II because of its proximity to other stations. They are known as Paris’ “ghost” metro stations. The Salvation Army has turned many of the “ghost” stations into a refuge for homeless people that need shelter.

Take a look at these unique treasures that have been discovered in abandoned homes.

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Abandoned subway tunnel. Kiev, Ukraine. Kyiv, Ukraine
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Metro tunnels, Kiev

Miles of abandoned subway tunnels stretch underground in Kiev, Ukraine. Many of the tunnels left abandoned were meant to transport goods rather than passengers.

Read about how one city transformed its subway cars into moving libraries.

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TTC Bay Lower Subway Station
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Lower Bay, Toronto

Lower Bay station is a “ghost station” that sits below Bay station in Toronto, Canada. The abandoned subway was only used for six months in 1966. It was part of a failed interlinking system.

Now, find out the fascinating true stories behind the world’s greatest lost cities.

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Originally Published on Reader's Digest