Holiday nostalgia rides on vintage NYC subway cars are back this December

Step back in time and embark on a festive journey aboard an old-school New York City subway car this holiday season. The New York Transit Museum’s beloved Holiday Nostalgia Rides, which includes eight cars from the 1930s that ran along lettered lines through the late 1970s, will run every Sunday in December from 2nd Avenue on the uptown F platform and 96th Street on the downtown Q platform.

“There’s something magical about seeing our vintage subway cars filled with holiday cheer,” Regina Shepherd, acting director of the New York Transit Museum, said. “The Holiday Nostalgia Train connects riders to the joy of New York’s past and reminds us why the city’s transit system remains at the heart of our shared stories.”

This year’s rides feature the NY Transit Museum’s R1/9 train cars, which were part of the city’s subway system on the Eighth Avenue line (now the A/C/E line) and remained in service until 1977.

Modern for their time, the cars complemented the Independent Subway System’s Great Depression–era Art Deco aesthetic. They feature rattan seats, paddle ceiling fans, incandescent light bulbs, roll signs, and period advertisements.

Riding the vintage trains costs a single MetroCard swipe or OMNY tap.

The Holiday Nostalgia Train departs from 2nd Avenue – Houston Street at:

• 10 a.m.
• 12 p.m.
• 2 p.m.
• 4 p.m.

And departs from 96th Street – 2nd Avenue at:

• 11 a.m.
• 1 p.m.
• 3 p.m.
• 5 p.m.

The Holiday Nostalgia Train will run between 2nd Avenue – Houston Street on the uptown F line platform and between 96th Street – 2nd Avenue on the downtown Q platform, making stops at the following stations:

Uptown Stops:

• 2nd Avenue-Houston Street (F)
• Broadway-Lafayette Street (D/F, 6)
• West 4th Street-Washington Square (A/C/E, D/F)
• 34th Street-Herald Square (D/F, N/Q/R)
• 42nd Street-Bryant Park (A/C/E, D/F, N/Q/R, S, 7)
• 47th-50th Streets-Rockefeller Center (D/F)
• 57th Street-6th Avenue (F)
• Lexington Avenue-63rd Street (F, Q)
• 72nd Street-2nd Avenue (Q)
• 86th Street-2nd Avenue (Q)
• 96th Street-2nd Avenue (Q)

Downtown Stops:

• 96th Street-2nd Avenue (Q)
• 86th Street-2nd Avenue (Q)
• 72nd Street-2nd Avenue (Q)
• Lexington Avenue-63rd Street (F, Q)
• 57th Street-6th Avenue (F)
• 47th-50th Streets-Rockefeller Center (D/F)
• 42nd Street-Bryant Park (A/C/E, D/F, N/Q/R, S, 7)
• 34th Street-Herald Square (D/F, N/Q/R)
• West 4th Street-Washington Square (A/C/E, D/F)
• Broadway-Lafayette Street (D/F, 6)
• 2nd Avenue-Houston Street (F)

ADA-accessible stops along the route include:

• Broadway-Lafayette Street (D/F, 6)
• West 4th Street-Washington Square (A/C/E, D/F)
• 34th Street-Herald Square (D/F, N/Q/R)
• 47th-50th Streets-Rockefeller Center (D/F)
• Lexington Avenue-63rd Street (F, Q)
• 72nd Street-2nd Avenue (Q)
• 86th Street-2nd Avenue (Q)
• 96th Street-2nd Avenue (Q)

The trains will operate on Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on December 7, 14, 21, and 28.

Learn more about Holiday Nostalgia Rides here.

Editor’s Note 11/21/25: This article has been updated with details for this year’s Holiday Nostalgia Rides.

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