Overview
The New York City Subway entered service on Oct. 27, 1904, when Mayor George B. McClellan Jr. took the controls of an Interborough Rapid Transit Company train at City Hall station. The first ceremonial train left City Hall about 2:35 p.m. and reached 145th Street 26 minutes later.
The subway opened to the public at 7 p.m. Crowds filled stations along the route, and an estimated 150,000 passengers rode the system by midnight. The opening marked the beginning of rapid-transit subway service that would become a central part of transportation in New York City.
Quick Facts
- Date
- Oct. 27, 1904