With the station’s tiled curves, vaulted ceilings and chandeliers it’s no wonder Forgotten-NY calls the abandoned City Hall Station the “crown jewel of the subway system”. Before, a glimpse of the station meant evading conductors to stay aboard an out-of-service downtown 6 train as it passed through the City Hall loop. Now, NY1 reports the MTA says it’s okay to stay on the subway train for a quick ride back in time.

Where they once said, “this is the last stop on this train, everyone please leave the train,” they are being reprogrammed to say, “this is the last downtown stop on this train,” and “the next stop on this train will be Brooklyn Bridge-City Hall on the uptown platform.”

Transit officials confirm riders are allowed to stay onboard, as long as they do not ride between the cars.

Letting riders stay on speeds up service too. They don’t waste time kicking people off and the sleeping drunks get sent back uptown to wake up somewhere near to Pelham Bay Park in the Bronx. Of course, if peering through streaked subway windows isn’t your thing, you could make the 50 yard dash down the tracks or for more difficulty and less danger, try to snag a rare ticket for the guided tour.

Postcard: “City Hall Subway Station, New York” from NYCSubway.org.