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Underground metro stations are associated with rats, garbage, noise and filth, not their interior design. However, there are a few subway stations in the world that go against the grain, standing out as excellent examples of the beautiful architecture and unique design that can be created in underground spaces.

The interiors achieved in some of these underground stations become all the more impressive when you consider the particular challenges to creating comfortable spaces below the surface of a city. The architects must keep track of the structural integrity of the walls, air circulation, excessive moisture, and a million other concerns. Their maintenance is another difficulty entirely – one that transit organizations often have difficulty with.

In this list, you'll not only find the most famous, elegant stations of Moscow subway and New York subway, but also some very modern ones in Madrid and Oslo metro. Vote for your favorite stations and, if there's a beautiful metro station in your city that should be on this list, we'd love to see it!

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#2

Kievskaya, Mayakovskaya And Park Pobedy Stations, Moscow, Russia

Kievskaya, Mayakovskaya And Park Pobedy Stations, Moscow, Russia

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#3

Rådhuset Station, Stockholm, Sweden

Rådhuset Station, Stockholm, Sweden

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#4

Avtovo Metro Station, St. Petersburg, Russia

Avtovo Metro Station, St. Petersburg, Russia

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#5

Tilework In Szent Gellért Square, Budapest, Hungary

Tilework In Szent Gellért Square, Budapest, Hungary

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DABlumenhagenLoiselle
Community Member
10 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is beautiful. One of my biggest complaints about most metro stations is that they are so dark. This one is nice and bright.

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#6

Bund Sightseeing Tunnel, Shanghai, China

Bund Sightseeing Tunnel, Shanghai, China

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#7

University Of Naples Subway Station, Italy

University Of Naples Subway Station, Italy

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#8

Arts Et Métiers Station, Paris, France

Arts Et Métiers Station, Paris, France

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HipChick
Community Member
10 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I have been in this station and the picture doesn't do it justice. Gorgeous.

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#9

Formosa Boulevard Station, Kaohsiung, Taiwan

Formosa Boulevard Station, Kaohsiung, Taiwan

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FabioNodari
Community Member
9 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I live just 5 minutes from this amazing station... http://www.fabionodariphoto.com/wrp/formosa-boulevard-metro-piu-spettacolare-del-mondo

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#10

Kungstradgarden Metro Station, Stokholm, Sweden

Kungstradgarden Metro Station, Stokholm, Sweden

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#11

City Hall Station, New York

City Hall Station, New York

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#12

T-Centralen Station, Stockholm, Sweden

T-Centralen Station, Stockholm, Sweden

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#13

Olaias Station, Lisbon, Portugal

Olaias Station, Lisbon, Portugal

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José Valente
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Don't get me wrong, in combining kitsch, colour and brutalist post modernism in architecture (I'm told many people love the style and this is obviously not a purist example of it) this is by no means the worse (and it looks better than you'd guess from the pics if you haven't been there) you could have chosen but there much more beautiful (Parque), original(Campo Pequeno) and yes, even Poetic stations (Cidade Universitária). All have works of art. And if you are going to go for impressive post-modernism with better art you could always plump for Oriente as apart from some fairly awesome panels you'll just have a two (or three) level climb and you are in Gare do Oriente one of the most beautiful multimodal (but really mainly railway) station on the continent.

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#14

Stadion Station, Stockholm, Sweden

Stadion Station, Stockholm, Sweden

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MayaAb
Community Member
10 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Stockholm has the most beautiful stations!! Great architecture.. Magnifique!!

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#15

Slavyansky Bulvar Station, Moscow, Russia

Slavyansky Bulvar Station, Moscow, Russia

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#17

Atocha, Madrid, Spain

Atocha, Madrid, Spain

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Fernandito
Community Member
9 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It is both, train and metro station. http://www.adif.es/es_ES/infraestructuras/estaciones/60000/informacion_000070.shtml.

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#18

Georg-Brauchle-Ring, Marienplatz and Candidplatz U-Bahn Stations, Munich, Germany

Georg-Brauchle-Ring, Marienplatz and Candidplatz U-Bahn Stations, Munich, Germany

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AlfredoPagnotta
Community Member
10 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Some U-bahn stations in Munich are really beautiful I live in Munich since more than one year but I don't know 2 of those three!!

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#20

Metro Station Wilhelminaplein (wilhelmina Square), Rotterdam, The Netherlands

Metro Station Wilhelminaplein (wilhelmina Square), Rotterdam, The Netherlands

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#23

Budapest Metro 4

Budapest Metro 4

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#24

São Bento Station, Porto, Portugal

São Bento Station, Porto, Portugal

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#25

"zoloti Vorota" Station, Kiev, Ukraine

"zoloti Vorota" Station, Kiev, Ukraine

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#26

Hamburg Hafencity Metro

Hamburg Hafencity Metro

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#27

Namur Station Lighting, Montréal

Namur Station Lighting, Montréal

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#28

Finding It Hard To Step Up

Finding It Hard To Step Up

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DorindaMartin
Community Member
10 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Some of the top 15 and your ideas of good design seem to be in the eye of the beholder and not judged on all round merit.

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#29

Kyoto Station, Japan

Kyoto Station, Japan

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Hans Ongerth
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4 years ago

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#30

Metro Station Plac Wilsona, Warsaw, Poland

Metro Station Plac Wilsona, Warsaw, Poland

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#32

Liège Guillemins, Belgium

Liège Guillemins, Belgium

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#33

#17 U3-volkstheater, Vienna, Austria

#17 U3-volkstheater, Vienna, Austria

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FrankHuber
Community Member
10 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

What about Nürnberg? I think about the one giving you a great optical Warp Drive style illusion when entering the station

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#34

Bochum Rathaus, Germany

Bochum Rathaus, Germany

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Community Member
10 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

http://www.coolibri.de/blogs/stadtschwarm/2013/08/08/katja-kulin-gedicht-fur-eine-haltestelle-oder-bochum-rathaus-sud/

#35

Parque Metro Station, Lisbon, Portugal

Parque Metro Station, Lisbon, Portugal

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#36

Devyatkino, St. Petersburg, Russia

Devyatkino, St. Petersburg, Russia

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#37

Arbatskaya Station, Moscow, Russia

Arbatskaya Station, Moscow, Russia

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#38

U-bahn Station Westfriedhof, Munich, Germany

U-bahn Station Westfriedhof, Munich, Germany

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#39

Metro Station Pannenhuis - Brussels

Metro Station Pannenhuis - Brussels

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Simon Chabrillat
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is a very beautiful station, in a quintessential 1970's style. It deserves a much better picture! Just lsearch on Google Image...

#40

Lavov Most Station, Sofia, Bulgaria

Lavov Most Station, Sofia, Bulgaria

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#41

Kremlevskaya Metro Station, Kazan, Russia

Kremlevskaya Metro Station, Kazan, Russia

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#42

Almaty, Kazakhstan - Metro Station "baikonyr"

Almaty, Kazakhstan - Metro Station "baikonyr"

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#43

National Stadium Station, Sofia, Bulgaria

National Stadium Station, Sofia, Bulgaria

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#44

Metro Station In Dubai - Uae

Metro Station In Dubai - Uae

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#45

Caís Do Sodré Metro Station, Lisboa, Portugal

Caís Do Sodré Metro Station, Lisboa, Portugal

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Ramón Ruedas
Community Member
9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

you can't really see the tile artwork from the platform, still very nice

#46

Rákóczi Square, Budapest, Hungary

Rákóczi Square, Budapest, Hungary

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#47

Belgica Station - Brussels

Belgica Station - Brussels

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#48

Estación De Metro Arganzuela-planetario (madrid, España)

Estación De Metro Arganzuela-planetario (madrid, España)

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#49

Namur Station Lighting, Montreal, Canada

Namur Station Lighting, Montreal, Canada

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Tantethenoma
Community Member
10 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Those balls again.. Great for advertising products...or scantily clad men..

#50

Duvbo Subwaystation, Stockholm

Duvbo Subwaystation, Stockholm

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#51

Nydalen Metro Stastion, Oslo, Norway. Kristin Jarmund Arkitekter

Nydalen Metro Stastion, Oslo, Norway. Kristin Jarmund Arkitekter

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#52

Terreiro Do Paço Metro Station, Lisboa, Portugal

Terreiro Do Paço Metro Station, Lisboa, Portugal

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#53

Lisbon Airport Metro Station, Portugal

Lisbon Airport Metro Station, Portugal

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#54

Emirates Towers Metro Station, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Emirates Towers Metro Station, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

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#55

Mladost 3 Station, Sofia, Bulgaria

Mladost 3 Station, Sofia, Bulgaria

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#56

Joliot Curie Station, Sofia, Bulgaria

Joliot Curie Station, Sofia, Bulgaria

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#57

European Union Station, Sofia, Bulgaria

European Union Station, Sofia, Bulgaria

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#58

Musagenitsa Station, Sofia, Bulgaria

Musagenitsa Station, Sofia, Bulgaria

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#59

Metro Station Wilhelminaplein, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

Metro Station Wilhelminaplein, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

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#60

Hamburg, Hafencity Metro Station

Hamburg, Hafencity Metro Station

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Maya Ab
Community Member
10 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I kind of like it.. But I wouldnt dare going down there alone, doesnt look safe at all.. So dark and mysterious tho, Its cool!

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#61

Metro Copilco Station (mexico City) . Mexico.

Metro Copilco Station (mexico City) . Mexico.

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#63

Almaty, Kazakhstan - Metro Station "alatau"

Almaty, Kazakhstan - Metro Station "alatau"

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#64

Metrostation Wilhelminaplein

Metrostation Wilhelminaplein

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#65

Hafencity University, Hamburg, Germany

Hafencity University, Hamburg, Germany

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#66

Marienplatz, Munich, Germany

Marienplatz, Munich, Germany

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#67

Rathaus Spandau U-bahn Station, Berlin

Rathaus Spandau U-bahn Station, Berlin

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#68

Titan Station, Bucharest, Romania

Titan Station, Bucharest, Romania

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#69

Střížkov Station, Prague, Czech Republic

Střížkov Station, Prague, Czech Republic

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#70

Garching Forchungzentrum (tum Station), Munich, Germany

Garching Forchungzentrum (tum Station), Munich, Germany

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#71

Syntagma Station, Athens, Greece

Syntagma Station, Athens, Greece

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#72

Station Champ-de-mars, Montréal

Station Champ-de-mars, Montréal

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#73

Letňany, Prague, Czech Republic

Letňany, Prague, Czech Republic

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#74

Westminster Station, London

Westminster Station, London

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#75

Shibuya Station, Tokyo

Shibuya Station, Tokyo

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#76

Metrostation Wilhelminaplein

Metrostation Wilhelminaplein

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Freddy Lubin
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Am I the only one who notices that this station appears four times?

#77

Steglitz Station, Berlin, Germany

Steglitz Station, Berlin, Germany

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#78

Rajská Zahrada Station, Prague, Czech Republic

Rajská Zahrada Station, Prague, Czech Republic

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#79

Union Station, Los Angeles, California

Union Station, Los Angeles, California

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