© Shutterstock iStock

Moscow, Russia -

Opened in 1952 and looking more like a royal ballroom, Komsomolskaya station is the grandest of the Russian capital's metro stations.

© Shutterstock

Moscow, Russia -

Exquisite stained glass windows form the central theme of Novoslobodskaya station, also inaugurated in 1952.

© Shutterstock

Moscow, Russia -

A fine example of pre-WWII Stalinist architecture, Mayakovskaya station opened in 1938.

© Shutterstock

Stockholm, Sweden -

Stadion metro station is located at the city's former Olympic Stadium site, built for the 1912 Games.

© iStock

Stockholm, Sweden - The busy T-Centralen station is known for its striking cobalt blue climbing vine pattern.

© Shutterstock

Stockholm, Sweden -

The red brick and forest green of Solna Centrum station always catches the eye. It dates back to 1975.

© Shutterstock

Shanghai, China -

The Bund Sightseeing Tunnel snakes under the Huangpu River, connecting the Bund and Lujiazui areas in the city's Pudong District.

© Shutterstock

Shanghai, China -

At 646 m- (2,119 ft-) long, the tunnel is effectively a virtual extravaganza, providing train passengers with an opportunity to experience a fabulous multimedia light show.

© Shutterstock

Shanghai, China -

The train compartments are completely transparent to allow mesmerizing 360-degree views.

© Shutterstock

Naples, Italy - One of Europe's most impressive metro stations, Toledo captures the imagination with its LED light mosaic designed in various shades of blue.

© Shutterstock

Naples, Italy - The University of Naples metro station features dazzling contemporary sculpture and graphic artworks. Pictured is 'Synapsi,' which represents human intelligence.

© Shutterstock

Naples, Italy - The city's Garibaldi station is noted for its quirky 'The Mirror of Travelers' interactive artwork.

© iStock

Athens, Greece -

Walking through Syntagma Square metro station is to wander through remnants of an ancient Greek necropolis.

© Shutterstock

Athens, Greece - The construction of Athens' first subway effectively became an archaeological dig after tens of thousands of artifacts were uncovered during excavation.

© Shutterstock

Athens, Greece -

The station is an underground museum displaying items from Byzantine, Roman, and ancient Greek periods.

© Shutterstock

Kaohsiung, Taiwan -

The Dome of Light is the world's largest work of glass art.

© Shutterstock

Kaohsiung, Taiwan - This astonishing dome of illuminated glass stands in Kaohsiung's busiest metro station.

© Shutterstock

Kaohsiung, Taiwan -

Each of the dome's four quadrants depicts themes from the cosmos, humanity, and the country's often turbulent political history.

© Shutterstock

Paris, France - The Arts et Métiers metro station is themed around steam power science fiction, an industrial design signature Jules Verne would be proud of!

© Shutterstock

Paris, France -

The city's Concorde station is illustrated by the 'Declaration of the Rights of the Man and of the Citizen of 1789,' carefully written out word-for-word on ceramic tiles.

© Shutterstock

Paris, France - Highlighting Cluny-La Sorbonne metro station is a ceiling festooned with colorful mosaics, including 'Les Oiseaux' ("The Birds"), by Jean Bazaine (1904–2001).

© Shutterstock

Lisbon, Portugal - The complex decorative theme running throughout Olaias metro station was conceived by architect Tomás Taveira and designer António Palolo.

© iStock

Lisbon, Portugal -

Passengers at Lisbon's airport should look out for the delightful caricatures of famous Portuguese writers, artists, and musicians set on the metro walls. Pictured is fado singer Amália Rodrigues.

© Getty Images 

Lisbon, Portugal -

At Parque metro station the theme is the Portuguese discoveries, wonderfully illustrated by maps, names of famous explorers, and terrifying sea creatures.

© Shutterstock

London, England - The city's cavernous Canary Wharf station is often cited as the flagship terminal along the Jubilee Line. It was designed by celebrated British architect Sir Norman Foster.

© iStock

London, England -

A 100-meter (328 ft-) mural set along the Northern Line platforms of Charing Cross station show scenes from the original mid–19th-century construction of the famous landmark.

© Shutterstock

London, England - The dynamic high-tech look of Westminster station is straight out of the movie 'Blade Runner,' all concrete beams and steel tubes.

© Shutterstock

St. Petersburg, Russia -

Regularly cited as one of the most beautiful metro stations in the world, Avtovo opened in 1955. Its ornate decoration, crystal chandeliers, and lavish use of marble also places it among Russia's most elegantly designed public transport hubs.

© Shutterstock

St. Petersburg, Russia -

The upper level of modern Sportivnaya metro station features architecture that represents monumental painting, sculpture, and Olympic themes from antiquity.

© Shutterstock

St. Petersburg, Russia -

One of the city's newest stations, Volkovskaya was opened in 2008 and is named for the River Volkovka.

© Shutterstock

New York City, USA - City Hall subway station dates back to 1904. Unfortunately, the Big Apple's most decorative platform has been closed for over 70 years.

© Shutterstock

New York City, USA - Designed by Spanish architect Rafael Guastavino Moreno (1842–1908), the station still pulls in admirers for its unique Romanesque Revival architecture.

© Shutterstock

New York City, USA - With advance notice, registered members of the city's Transit Museum can visit the station as part of a guided tour.

© Shutterstock

New York City, USA -

However, New Yorkers—and the rest of the world—now have the futuristic Fulton Center to explore. Opened in 2014, the new transit center and retail complex saw the city's existing Fulton Street subway station completely refurbished.

See also: Made in stone! The world's most breathtaking petrified forests.

© Shutterstock