Thereโs something about the subway that tends to make it a hotspot for โ how do we put this? โ unusual activity. Perhaps itโs because the subway exists in an underground world that doesnโt quite feel like reality. Or perhaps itโs simply because people are weird, and itโs only when they all get crammed together in a tiny train carriage that it becomes noticeably obvious.
Either way, nearly all of us will have witnessed something that lingered in our minds long after making it back above ground. If youโre a regular subway user, prepare to nod knowingly when youโre confronted with these 65 images of the most bizarre subway sights.
1. Kid with a mustache
On the subway, people age differently. Itโs totally normal for little kids to grow facial hair, for instance. The best part of it is, nobody would bat an eyelid at this if they saw it on the subway. This is how we all leave work every day.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BU2bg_7lvno/
2. Dogโs business
Itโs worryingly common to find people in fancy dress on the subway. Whether theyโre dressing up for an actual purpose (i.e. for work) or they just have a strange fetish, youโll never be sure. Hereโs someone with a dog head checking themselves out in the mirror. Itโs all normal here.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BT2Kc2HFTsN/?taken-by=subwaycreatures
3. Spock
Weโve all seen a character lookalike on the subway, but we bet youโve never seen Spock! This is in Moscow, though, which makes you wonder what sort of mission heโs on today. Isnโt he supposed to be in space, or at least in the US?
Source:
Reddit
4. Violin playing to a baby
This personโs baby was crying, so a random musician who happened to be carrying his violin stepped in to help. He played the violin throughout the whole of the babyโs subway ride and kept her happy. If only he could travel with her everywhere!
Source:
Reddit
5. Eccentric steampunk dude
Now this is how you do steampunk! This guy isnโt doing anything by halves. Excentric top hat and platform boots aside, his floor-length fur coat looks like the coziest thing in the world.
Source:
Imgur
6. Snoozinโ with a Pokemon character
One thingโs for sure, this guy really loves Pokemon. He canโt sleep without his Charmander toy โ even if it means having to take him on the subway for a quick nap. Hey, we donโt all have time to sleep at night.
Source:
Reddit
7. Plague doctors
Fun fact: in the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, plague doctors used to wear these bird beak-shaped masks that were designed to protect them from putrid air, which was thought to be the cause of the plague. Imagine being seriously ill and having one of these people walk in to see you โ youโd think you were hallucinating!
Source:
Reddit
8. A girl and her pet raven
If youโre not a fan of birds, this would be your worst nightmare! Imagine stepping onto the subway and finding a raven casually sitting on a girlโs lap? Theyโre pretty giant birds, too. Letโs hope this oneโs well trained.
Source:
Reddit
9. Angel on earth
When angels visit earth, they do normal things, like travel on the subway. This angel looks a bit sad โ perhaps the subway didnโt live up to her expectations. In all seriousness, we have to wonder whatโs going on here.
Source:
Reddit
10. Toilet brush workout
This guy was traveling in China and came across a strange sight: someone hitting themselves with a toilet brush. According to one Redditor, itโs not actually a toilet brush, itโs a โfitness hammerโ commonly used by Korean people, and itโs also used for massaging oneโs back. Well, you learn something new every day.
11. Meal prep
Itโs so annoying when you work late into the evening but you want to cook a proper meal from scratch. This woman is saving time by doing two unavoidable chores in one โ catching the subway and chopping her veggies. Are you really allowed a knife on public transport?
Source:
Reddit
12. Scary bunnies
Surely it was agreed long ago that clowns were too terrifying for the public? Why these people decided to switch things up (and make them even worse) by merging a clown with the Easter bunny is unclear. All we know is that we wouldnโt want to end up sitting next to them on the subway, especially not at night.
https://www.instagram.com/p/XiJKFkBcnS/
13. Yeti
You have to wonder whether the people who don full fancy dress on the subway are heading to a party or just doing it deliberately. This guy looks like he wants all the attention, and his fellow subway riders are doing their best to ignore him. Typical subway vibes.
Source:
Reddit
14. Goodie vs baddie
As if it isnโt weird enough to find a Darth Vader on the tube, this person also saw a Batman โ and the pair looked to be in some sort of non-verbal battle. Itโs a mashup of two movies that doesnโt exactly work, timeline-wise, but weโd love to see how this one played out!
Source:
Reddit
15. Sleep spot
If youโve ever tried to sleep on the subway, youโll know itโs not very comfy. This guy improvised by bringing his own hammock to sleep in. Well, itโs gonna give him some weird stares, but it serves its purpose.
Source:
Reddit
16. Sleepy subway
Catch the subway at a certain time on a Monday morning and youโll most likely come across a sight a bit like this. Itโs sad, really โ most of these people have no place to sleep, and the subway seems like the safest option. Though there are probably a few exhausted Monday workers amongst them.
Source:
Reddit
17. Whereโs Waldo
We all had the Whereโs Waldo books at home. This guy makes the perfect real-life version of the character with his red-and-white stripey outfit. It looks as if heโs on his way to a party, though heโs clearly not shy if heโs happy enough to casually stand reading a book in his full attire.
Source:
Twitter
18. Woman and her kitten
Look once, and you only see a slightly shifty woman on the subway. Look again, and you can make out a tiny kitten peeping out from the inside of her coat. Why so suspicious? Hopefully, weโre not witnessing a kitten stealing mission here!
Source:
Imgur
19. Giant rhino
Some people on the subway really donโt care about personal space. Itโs lucky this carriage isnโt crowded, or this giant rhino would never fit in. Just why would you take the subway in this attire?
https://www.instagram.com/p/BCtQJduIyww/
20. Spiderman doing his thing
Well, really, you can hardly expect Spiderman to sit in a seat like a normal human being. Hanging upside down is what he does, and heโs not bothered what anyone thinks of that. Hopefully, the driver doesnโt suddenly slam on the brakes.
Source:
Reddit
21. Sprawled out
Itโs obviously been a tough day for this guy if heโs resorted to sprawling out on the seats like that. Thereโs something seriously gross about being happy to lie with your face pressed up against the sweaty subway seats like this. Not for us, thanks.
Source:
Reddit
22. Demon calling
Is this a bad omen or what? Itโs not just seeing a black cat โ if you come across an actual demonic creature on the subway, it surely canโt be a good sign. Hopefully, this guyโs on his way to a fancy dress party.
Source:
Reddit
23. Bird handlers
Itโs not all that common to come across a wild bird on the subway, especially not a whole group of them. These bird handlers must be on a journey with their unusual pets from one open space to another. Wonder if they charge strangers to give them a pet?
Source:
Reddit
24. Vagina face
We have so many questions about this picture. Who would make a costume like this? And why would someone wear it? Are they involved in some sort of awareness campaign, or do they just really hate sitting close to people on the subway? Because this is one good way to deter other people.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BP7x3oaBOeN/
25. Goku
Goku from Dragon Ball Z has never looked so depressed. Looks like heโs just been to a convention, and after the huge rush of cosplay and meeting all the cool folks there, needing to go home to real life is enough to make him sad. We donโt blame him โ the real world isnโt half as interesting!
Source:
Reddit
26. Hamster on a leash
No, this isnโt a tiny dog youโre seeing here โ itโs a hamster wearing a hat. Perhaps this is a โbring a pet to workโ day, and this guy couldnโt resist taking his hamster along. Hereโs hoping he picked his little buddy up and helped him across the gap.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BFOyeekAA15/
27. Army man toy
Toy Story lovers will be familiar with the green army men from the movie. This man was spotted on the NYC subway, handing out little green army men to kids. Just think how many hours of preparation this persona would take!
Source:
Reddit
28. Husky in a bag
Thereโs a new rule now that says you canโt bring dogs on the subway in NYC unless they are in a carrier. People have improvised in so many hilarious ways, and this man is one of them. Seriously, if you havenโt searched โdogs in bags on subwayโ yet, make it your next job.
Source:
Reddit
29. Soggy tomato
Itโs not unusual to see a tomato on the subway, but itโs usually found underneath a seat alongside an abandoned sandwich. Human tomatoes, on the other hand, are much rarer. This personโs tomato costume looks startlingly realistic.
Source:
Imgur
30. Subway caterpillar
Hilarious fancy dress made from the likes of kidsโ play tunnels is always amusing amongst friends, but if youโre traveling like that on the subway, itโs more than a bit awkward. For one thing, you wouldnโt catch us on the filthy subway floor for anything. For another, she looks plain odd โ someone call her parents.
https://www.instagram.com/p/nqd8eNrk_D/
31. Old Obama
Look once, and this guy looks just like Obama. Look again, and itโs not him, just a strange lookalike. Seriously, this could be how Obama looks in about 20 yearsโ time if he didnโt look after himself! You probably wouldnโt catch the real man on the subway, though.
Source:
Imgur
32. Just a casual celeb
Letโs take a brief pause from subway strangeness to appreciate the fact that you occasionally see a celebrity in passing when youโre underground. Hereโs actor Sir Ian McKellen, who plays both Gandalf and Magneto. Looks like he hasnโt been spotted by anyone just yet!
Source:
Reddit
33. Mario Kart buddies
This subway crew have dressed as Mario Kart characters, and you canโt help but laugh at them. You canโt fault their commitment โ theyโve even got banana skins stuck to their racing car costumes. Princess Peach has to be our favorite of the lot.
Source:
Reddit
34. Quick exercise stop
Who said you had to sit down on the subway and stare at your phone? This guy knows how to use his time wisely. Heโs doing a casual workout using the hanging loops that people usually hold onto in a socially acceptable way. Think of how sweaty these will be afterward โ ew.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BTFB8ehFIsZ/
35. Butt crack
There are seriously people on the subway who do disgusting stuff like this deliberately. We all know how it feels when our pants come down and we feel the breeze โ any normal person would pull them up fast. Someone call the subway police.
Source:
Reddit
36. Subway tipple
Someone must have accidentally left a full bottle of wine on the subway, and it rolled out from under the seat. These two strangers decided to pop the cork and share a tipple. Unsurprisingly, as is always the case when alcohol is involved, the pair became fast friends.
Source:
Reddit
37. Freaky legs
Nope, this isnโt Photoshop โ what you see is 100 percent real. If you had the weird ability to cross your legs like this, you surely wouldnโt show it off in public? They look like sailorsโ knots on your earphones.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BEMUUzsAAzu/
38. Rabbit companion
Weโve already seen various animals on the subway so far, so itโs unsurprising that someone decided to take a rabbit on their travels. Weโd say he looks pretty content, which suggests heโs been on this journey quite a few times. Letโs hope he never comes across a husky in a bag!
Source:
Reddit
39. Picnic lunch
This guy came prepared to eat his lunch in style. Heโs got his own fold-out table and cutlery โ heโs clearly determined to eat comfortably. Chopsticks arenโt easy to use at the best of times, let alone on the subway!
Source:
Reddit
40. The wild things
These people on the subway dressed as Where the Wild Things Are characters. Weโll let them off this time, because it was Halloween when the photo was snapped, so the costumes are at least acceptable. And how cute does the kid look?
Source:
Tumblr
41. Voodoo doll
Someone wrote a story to accompany this voodoo man picture, and itโs too good not to share:
โLight coming from outside the train flash like a strobe. His face, a foot closer then dark. Another foot, then dark. Until you feel a hand on your shoulderโฆโฆthe lights come on, heโs taken his mask off and you sit frozen, eyes almost touching ears. He leans down, this is it, you think as he speaks, โI could scoot right past you real quick? I need to go to the bathroom but this get-up can hardly squeeze through the damn aisle.'โ
Source:
Reddit
42. Ghost Buster
Even the Ghost Busters have to find a quick way to get around. This guy spotted one of the infamous team on the Tube in London. Who you gonna call?
https://www.instagram.com/p/BHuGwfcDU3L/
43. Subway maniacs
Check out this manโs paper, then look beyond the paper to whatโs happening in the carriage. โSubway maniac incidents soarโโฆ and thereโs a real-life maniac demonstrating what the newspaperโs talking about. Itโs just not the place to practice parkour.
Source:
Reddit
44. Pikachu
As if this giant Pikachu wasnโt weird enough, thereโs something very wrong about the way heโs standing. It almost looks like heโs swallowed a person whoโs trying to escape. In reality, the person in this costume has to stick their hand out of the mouth to hold onto the rail.
Source:
Reddit
45. Silurian woman
This Silurian woman looks familiar โ is she from Doctor Who or Star Wars? Someone will be sure to let us know in the comments. Again, you canโt fault her costume, though itโs a strange getup for the subway. You have to have no fear of attention to show up looking like this.
https://www.instagram.com/p/9d23Adrk3n/
46. Power Rangers
Just to add to the plethora of superheroes weโve already seen on the subway, hereโs another: the Power Rangers. Some would say they were throwback characters, but not in Taiwan. Once again, itโs all normal hereโฆ
Source:
Imgur
47. Identical sleepers
These identical sleepers have got to be doing this deliberately. They donโt just look exactly the same โ theyโre also sleeping in the same position. Clearly theyโre trying to blow their fellow subway ridersโ minds.
Source:
Reddit
48. Huge hair
There should be a rule for just how much stuff you can bring with you onto the subway โ hair included. Imagine trying to get past this guy when the carriage was full? Youโd end up touching his hair whether you liked it or not. Imagine how heavy it must be for him.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BWTDX3Xh-Z9/
49. Napolean
Napoleon I, the French military leader and emperor who conquered Europe in the early 19th century, isnโt the sort of person youโd expect to casually see on the subway. It looks like heโs taking a bit of time off, considering heโs having a quick subway seat snooze.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BEe_OHHrk5Z/
50. Itโs real
Weโve seen some pretty good designer dupes in our time, but this Gucci bag has to be one of the best. Just look at that quality. How this person dares to take it with them on the subway is a mystery to us.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BT9_slcFsQw/
51. Personal space dome
Weโve all sat on the subway and had people get all up in our personal space. This woman has clearly had too many bad experiences because sheโs made her very own personal space dome to surround her. Where can we buy one of these?
https://www.instagram.com/p/BNsA33eh7kP/
52. Reading up
Thereโs a time and a place to read a book like this, and itโs probably not on the subway. You want to get women on the subway? Donโt make it so obvious! We somehow sense that this was a deliberately staged photo. It has to be, right?
Source:
Reddit
53. Pizza fail
Seeing someone with a pizza on the subway is relatively normal. This scenario, however, is less common โ and pretty devastating. The poor woman must have fallen asleep unknowingly, and that was the end of the pizza. Because itโs the subway, nobody would have wanted to disturb her to break the depressing news.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BTdb7cJgIH7/
54. Mini car
Weโve all seen these tiny mobility cars on the road. Where you wouldnโt expect to see them, however, is the subway. How did this person even squeeze into the carriage? Cozy little wheelchair, though.
Source:
Reddit
55. Sleep plunger
Trying to sleep sitting up is a bit of a nightmare. Your head ends up slumping forward, and, if youโre really unlucky, youโll end up on the floor. This guy doesnโt care what anyone else thinks โ he wants to sleep on the subway, so heโs made his anti-slump sleep plunger.
Source:
Just A Car Guy
56. Melting pot
New York City offers one of the best examples of society as a whole โ itโs commonplace to see a religious woman sitting next to a drag queen on the subway. Now, this is exactly how we should respect our peers!
https://www.instagram.com/p/BRb9cKFAWWS/
57. Subway rats
Weโve been through every sort of animal so far, but rats havenโt been one of them. Which is surprising, when you think about it because subways are typical rat hideouts. That said, the rats in this picture clearly belong to this guy, though weโre still not sure people would appreciate him taking them on the train.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BMulNR1gpP6/?taken-by=peopleontheunderground
58. All the superheroes
Thereโs power in numbers, as this group of superheroes knows. Itโs probably for the best that they have each other because sitting next to some of the larger characters would be something of a space invasion. Talk about visual overwhelm.
Source:
Reddit
59. Creepy doll costume
This is either an ingenious Halloween outfit or a very creepy everyday look. Not sure whatโs more terrifying: this or the pile of headless Barbie bodies in her house. No big deal, though.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BPF3Pv4BcY_/
60. Lettuce head
Gone outside and realized you forgot your hat? This woman has thought up the solution we all needed. Sheโs wearing lettuce, and she couldnโt care less what you think. Wonder where the rest of the veggie went?
https://www.instagram.com/p/BNFea5kBrvu/
61. Unusual reading material
Reading on the subway is a great way to pass the time. But this womanโs reading material is kind of bizarre. Sheโs printed off pages and pages of Facebook comments to sit and read through. Who actually wants to read the comments in this day and age?
Source:
Twitter
62. Dinner for four
Some people like to challenge the norm, like these four guys, who thought nothing of having a subway dinner. We donโt just mean scoffing a sandwich in secret, either โ they set up a table complete with plates, glasses, and what looks like fried chicken. Yummy.
Source:
Reddit
63. Rowdy Santas
Imagine sitting in the carriage when this crowd of rowdy men dressed as Santa came in! Thereโs no room to breathe for one thing, and for another, they all look like theyโve had one too many mulled wines. Weโll take the next train, thanks.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BOGj99GA9AZ/
64. Centaur on stilts
If youโve never seen a half-human, half-zebra ride the subway before, this photo is proof that it does happen. What we want to know, though, is how he managed to get through the turnstiles. Those stilts canโt be easy to walk on.
Source:
Imgur
65. Princess in public
Finally, we bring you the most graceful subway rider of them all: a princess. Sheโs at least tried to tone down her outfit with a jacket, but thereโs no detracting from that bright blue skirt. Times must be tough if sheโs resorted to public transport.
Source:
Reddit
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