5 Must-Visit NYC Subway Stations (for after the quarantine)
New York City has some awesome and unique subway stations! Whether above ground, under ground, or ground level, you’re sure to find some gems all over. Here are 5 Must-Visit NYC Subway Stations (for after the quarantine).
Please note that all images are available for purchase on my website!
Additional note: don’t forget to explore and support these local neighborhoods!
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Smith-Ninth Streets (F/G — Gowanus, Brooklyn)
At 87.5 ft above street level, this F/G station holds the honored distinction of being the highest rapid transit station on Earth. That may not seem so impressive considering “subway” typically implies “underground,” but you’ll realize just how high it is once you’re on the platform.
Its height is why, in every known direction, you’ll find incredible views. Whether it’s the Statue of Liberty to the west, the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge to the south, Barclay’s Center and the Williamsburg Savings Bank Tower to the east, or pretty much the entire Manhattan skyline to the north, this station is a photographer’s dream!
Broadway Junction (A/C/L/J/Z — East New York, Brooklyn)
One of Brooklyn’s busiest transfer hubs, Broadway Junction rests on the borders of Bed Stuy and East New York. Perhaps it’s most famous for the terrifyingly steep escalator between the A/C and L/J/Z transfers.
Beyond the ample photo opportunities for the L/J/Z all around the station, the iconic barn-colored structure itself can be admired from far away in either direction. It is, however, perhaps best viewed from the next L stop east — Atlantic Ave.
125th Street (1 — Harlem, Manhattan)
Way back when, many of Manhattan’s subway lines were elevated. Over the past century, almost all of them were either moved underground, and one was even turned into a park (The High Line). It’s rare these days to see elevated track in Manhattan, which makes the 125th Street 1 station all that cooler.
Technically, this station isn’t even above ground. A roughly half-mile stretch from 122nd to 135th streets on Broadway sees a steep decline and incline to and from street level. Therefore, it’s as if the subway track itself remains level, while the street sinks beneath it!
From this station, you’ll see many architectural landmarks, including the Riverside Church and Jewish Theological Seminary.
Marcy Ave (J/M/Z — Williamsburg, Brooklyn)
What more can be said about this iconic station? Photographers and tourists will recognize it for the iconic backdrop featuring the Williamsburg Bridge and Williamsburg Savings Bank dome; North Brooklyn residents like myself will recognize it for the agonizingly slow crawl of the train as it approaches the station from the bridge.
Hey, I guess from a photographer’s perspective, that gives you more than enough time to frame your shot!
Howard Beach-JFK (A/S — Howard Beach, Queens)
The final entry (and perhaps most cool) is that structure way out in Queens that looks like it fell out of the sky from the set of a Star Wars film. That cool structure, in fact, is the transfer hub to JFK Airport via the AirTrain.
Bonus idea — take the AirTrain to JFK Terminal 5 and check out the TWA Hotel!
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