[PRIVATE TOUR]
We will be exploring how railroads and the NYC subway helped to connect and develop Brooklyn, New York's most populous borough!
Highlights:
• Uncover many abandoned subway stations hidden in plain sight.
• Experience the design of the oldest subway station in Brooklyn.
• Explore the highest rapid transit station in the Western hemisphere and soak in impressive skyline views on the Manhattan Bridge.
• Practice your moonwalk in the station where Michael Jackson filmed "Bad".
• Admire public artwork, including the famous Masstransiscope.
• Explore how the subway operates and learn about some of the technology keeping it moving 24/7.
• See how the subway and railroads continue to influence the NYC region of 20+ million people.
Your licensed tour guide is from NYC and is an AICP certified urban planner and Guides Association of NYC member.
Note: Tour only visits public areas and tour route/length may vary slightly based on the MTA’s schedule.
Posted By : estebanf602
Amazing! Rayn is an incredibly engaging and knowledgeable guide. We had a great time exploring the stations and learning the history. I highly recommend this tour!
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Posted On : 2024-05-26 20:34:51 
Posted By : joyl454
The subways are where the past, present, and potential future of New York City collide in a smelly, drippy, rat-ridden tunnel - in a good way that is. I've taken other NYC subway tours lead by other operators, but Rayn's was definitely the best. The tour was well planned, with a rhythm that was never boring nor tiring, as past tours by others seemed to drone on. Rayn is hilarious, full of fun facts to sprout on trivia night or on an unsuspecting date, and he had the whole group laughing and engaged and sharing his passion for NYC mass transit. I'm sure we all disembarked seeing the train system and NYC in a whole new light.
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Posted On : 2024-05-26 19:37:23
Posted By : L2740TYmichaelk
I’ve lived in New York City for 14 years and Rayn gave me a whole new perspective on a subway system I thought I knew.
Small spaces that I’ve only ever hurried through, Rayn slowed us down and explained how choices made 50 or 100 years ago explain the system we have of today. I really liked how he focused it not wholly on the past but specifically on explaining how the past informs today. No spoilers but one of the big reveals was how there’s so much unused infrastructure right below the street it’s astounding!
I also really liked learning about small details like why some light bulbs are a slightly different shade of blue or why train cars have a vertical cable between them. Rayn is fantastic guide and I can’t recommend it enough.
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Posted On : 2024-05-18 16:31:56
Posted By : Experience589123
This was a very interesting and fun tour!
Our guide, Rayn, was clearly very knowledgeable and passionate about the subway system.
He shared a great mix of the history of the subway system, overlooked aspects of its day-to-day operation, and abandoned areas (they’re not accessible). Even as people who’ve lived in NYC for many years, most everything Rayn shared was new to us!
Highly recommend!
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Posted On : 2023-11-11 22:26:18
Posted By : rachelmX9456IM
We could not be more pleased with our tour experience. We had a uniquely young age group and Rayn did an OUTSTANDING job tailoring the tour just for us, age appropriate, physically appropriate, emotionally appropriate, musically appropriate... the list goes on & on. I have absolutely no doubt that he customizes his tour based on whatever needs that his tour attendee population presents. Of course we also took home a toolkit of fabulous trivia; here is a sample: Borough Hall opened for service in 1908 and was the first underground subway station in Brooklyn. The oldest rapid transit station in Brooklyn still in service today is Gates Avenue on the J/Z (but that isn't an underground station). The oldest railroad tunnel in Brooklyn, built in the 1800s, is sealed up under Atlantic Avenue and is accessed from a utility cover next to the Trader Joe's right in the middle of the avenue! We can't wait to book our next tour experience with Untapped NY when time & the growing age of our young ridership permits :-)
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Posted On : 2023-08-06 20:18:05
Posted By : melissajI5186OR
I always loved the idea of unconsciously walking through historical locations in cities. Rayn always made sure to prioritize the group's safety by constantly making sure no one was left behind. I appreciated his willingness to check the MYmta map to track train arrivals. It was a strategic way to not miss any trains during weekend track plan schedules. I learned hidden gems I know I would have missed if Rayn hadn't pointed them out. I would definitely invite my friends on the next tour! It's an exciting experience. I learned so much and also did some useful walking exercise. Truly one of a kind.
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Posted On : 2023-06-15 15:09:40
Posted By : dtbreitz
Rayn is a knowledgeable and engaging guide, with a wealth of information about the history and secrets of the NYC subway and evolution of the city's transit systems. Not only is he clearly passionate about the subject matter and full of interesting facts and info, he also was incredibly patient and kind while leading a sizeable group of often rowdy fifth-graders on a subway adventure! Rayn was attentive and respectful of the kids' needs, and was able to adapt the itinerary on the fly based on the train schedule, sharing interesting knowledge and history at every point along the way. The adults in the group found it just as (if not more) fun than the kids! Highly recommend for locals and tourists alike.
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Posted On : 2022-09-14 12:18:50
Posted By : Zacharyy2012
Rayn is extremely knowledgeable about the subway system, having previously worked for the MTA. He is also an engaging speaker, making him the ideal tour guide. The best part of the tour (in my opinion) is looking down from the Smith-9 St station to the Gowanus Canal. You also ride many different train lines including the 4/5, D, G, F, and R, representing all three former subway companies, the IRT, BMT, and IND. You see some abandoned stations and tunnels, including Nevins St lower level. I look forward to joining another one of Rayn's tours!
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Posted On : 2022-07-24 15:44:10
Posted By : iana_loveyou
Overall a great Brooklyn subway tour, very knowledgeable tour guide Rayn was so sweet to answer all of our questions. Definitely would recommend!
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Posted On : 2022-07-23 18:31:01
Posted By : tcB2304DP
This is an excellent tour and a great experience for both locals and visitors alike. As a lifelong Brooklynite, I learned a ton about the subway, the city, and the role of public infrastructure in our ever-changing society. Our tour guide, Rayn, did a fantastic job — he was engaging, informative, and fun. His extensive and insightful knowledge really shined through as he adapted the route in real-time to the train schedule and participant questions/interests. My friends and I didn’t want the tour to end and will definitely be looking to join more of Rayn’s tours in the future.
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Posted On : 2022-07-18 18:01:48
