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New York Subway - Mobile Toilet

Admin September 21, 2026

The New York subway is dubbed the 'mobile toilet' mainly due to its extremely poor sanitary conditions, with a strong stench pervading the carriages, resembling the environment of a public toilet. The specific reasons are as follows:

Firstly, the lack of hardware is a significant factor. As a super-large subway system that has been in operation for over a century, the New York subway has hardly any public restrooms. During long rides or transfers, passengers find it difficult to locate a place to relieve themselves. This inconvenience is especially pronounced for the elderly, children, pregnant women, and those with special medical conditions. Some passengers, out of desperation, choose to relieve themselves in the corners of platforms or carriages, directly leading to the deterioration of the subway environment and further reinforcing the negative image of the 'mobile toilet'.

Secondly, sanitary issues are severe and complaints are frequent. According to relevant statistics, in a period of six months, there were as many as 380 complaints about the New York subway due to uncivilized behaviors such as defecation and vomiting. These uncivilized acts not only damage the cleanliness of the subway but also breed a large number of bacteria and viruses, posing a potential threat to passengers' health. The strong stench fills the carriages, making people nauseous and seriously affecting the passengers' travel experience, making the New York subway seem like a moving public toilet.

Finally, the odors are complex and distinctly zoned. The smells in the New York subway carriages are not uniform but exhibit zoning characteristics. One carriage may be filled with a strong smell of marijuana, while the next could be a mobile public toilet with an overpowering stench that brings tears to one's eyes. This complex and pungent odor makes passengers extremely uncomfortable during their rides, further deepening the impression of the New York subway as a 'mobile toilet'.