Abandoned NYC Subway Stops That Resemble The Penguin's Gotham City

During your New York City subway commute, you probably keep your headphones securely in place and your eyes glued to your phone or your nose buried in a book, but if you happen to glance out the windows into the dark subway tunnels, you might see something intriguing: The remains of an empty, abandoned subway station. These ghostly sites might make Batman fans think of the Bat Cave, or Oswald "Oz" Cobb's secret base in HBO's "The Penguin." The robust New York City subway system is the pride of the city, but in Gotham, NYC's dark mirror, the corrupt powers that be stopped funding their public transportation: TheGotham City Trolley. Both Batman and The Penguin have made use of these disused stations and tunnels as thematic lairs.

While NYC's subway, which sees more than 3 million riders per day, is far from the secret, empty tunnels of Gotham, there are a few subway stations that have been abandoned over the decades. You probably won't see any powerful crime entities planning their next heist or the Caped Crusader swooping around the columns, but these snapshots of the city's history are worth a second look.

You don't have to get an invitation from any supervillains to visit NYC's unused subway stops. While you're hopping on and off trains between iconic spots from your favorite New York City movies, make sure to pick a spot by the window and try to spot the old stations. One of these stops you can only catch a glimpse of is the Worth St. station. This station is one of the oldest in the city, dating back to 1904. If you take the 6 train between Canal St. and the Brooklyn Bridge station, you may spot the empty platform and graffiti-covered walls of the abandoned platform.

If you'd prefer to walk through the empty subway stations, some of them are actually accessible. While you definitely want to avoid an ominous empty subway car, a whole empty station is an entirely different thing, and many of them are well worth a visit. The most impressive is definitely the Old City Hall station. The city's very first passenger subway train ride started here, making the station an iconic part of New York history, and its appearance is fittingly striking. Unlike the majority of subway stations which are utilitarian, this station has high arched ceilings adorned with patterned tiles. 

To see it for yourself, you should become a member of the New York Transit Museum (starting at $65 per person for adults) and join the email newsletter to be alerted when tickets go on sale. Tours of the Old City Hall station cost $50 per person and sell out quickly, but it's easier than finding the Bat Cave.