The world's subway systems are much more than just a way to get from A to B. They're impressive feats of engineering, sometimes with architecturally stunning stations to boot. And these subterranean transport links have a history dating back to the 19th century – here we rattle back through the past to bring you nostalgic images of underground travel from times gone by.

The Big Smoke changed the nature of urban travel forever when the London Underground debuted in the 1860s. The initial route travelled between Paddington and Farringdon Street and was the world's very first subterranean passenger system. Pictured here in 1862, dignitaries, including the Chancellor of the Exchequer, are given a sneak peek of the railway before it opens to the public in 1863.

The New York City subway wouldn't open until 1904, but plans were in the mix right back in the 19th century. Drawing inspiration from the London Underground, this image from 1876 shows early designs for the Broadway Underground Railway in the Big Apple. The illustrations depict a grand station with striking arches and Corinthian columns.

Meanwhile, London's underground rail network was going from strength to strength and daily passenger numbers were rising. Innovations continued throughout the 1880s, including the opening of the very first tube tunnel (from the Tower of London to Bermondsey) and the completion of the Circle Line. This hazy shot from 1884 shows an unusually empty Trafalgar Square station, with a design not too dissimilar to today's.

The concept of underground travel was gaining traction on the Continent too. Budapest's metro system opened in 1896 – that makes it the oldest of its kind in continental Europe and the second-oldest in the world. An ornate subway station is captured here in the same year. 

New York City's subway system may be the most famous in America, but it's not the oldest. That honour goes to Boston, whose underground rail services debuted in 1897 with the Green Line, running through Tremont Street. This photo was taken a few years later, in 1901, and shows passengers waiting underground at Park Street station, another stop on the Green Line.

Flash forward to the early 1900s and work on New York City's subway was well under way. City Hall, pictured here under construction, was part of the very first line, which ran 9.1 miles (14.6km) from here to 145th Street in Harlem.

New York City's subway officially opened on 27 October 1904 and passengers rode the service in their thousands. This vintage snap shows city officials and business people embarking on the very first ride. The intricately tiled, vaulted ceilings of the completed City Hall station rise overhead. 

New York continued to develop its underground travel network throughout the early 20th century. Pictured here are the Hudson and Manhattan Tunnels (now known as the Uptown Hudson Tubes) in the throes of construction in 1908. Passing under the mighty Hudson River and connecting Manhattan with the state of New Jersey, they were the first railroad tunnels to be built under a major river in the States. They're still operational today.

Women-only carriages were debuted on the Uptown Hudson Tubes in 1909. The last car on each train was reserved for female passengers and became nicknamed the "suffragette car". One such car is snapped here – notice the multiple "women-only" signs and the impressive Edwardian-era headgear.

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The London Underground system saw some major milestones through the early 20th century too. The District and Circle lines became electrified in 1905 and sections of the modern-day Bakerloo and Piccadilly lines opened up. This 1908 cartoon advert dubs the service the quickest way to zip around the city.

This vintage image shows a railway carriage on the newly electrified District Line in 1911. At first glance, the sparse car is not so different to those we're familiar with today. But check out the vast windows and wooden flooring – not to mention those solid-looking seats.

By 1908, the very first electric ticket machine had popped up on a London Underground station. However, the majority of stops still had manned booths, like this one snapped at Liverpool Street Station back in 1912. Spot the "Central London Tube Railway" poster promising a quick jaunt from Liverpool Street to Marble Arch and Hyde Park.

Similar scenes play out in New York City. This charming ticket booth along the Big Apple's subway system was snapped circa 1915. A far cry from modern ticket stops, this one is decked out with wrought-iron, dainty curtains and even a vase of flowers.

Nowadays, visitors to London will see the famous tube symbol – a bold red circle with a blue line striking through it – all over town. And the 'roundel', as it's known, is more than 100 years old. It was first introduced in 1908, and you can spot it in this 1920s photo showing the exterior of Tottenham Court Road station.

Escalators were a novelty in the early 20th century. The first escalator was introduced to the London Underground at Earl's Court station in 1911. Commuters are pictured here in the mid-1920s riding down an escalator at London's Tottenham Court Road station. You can spot charming vintage ads lining the wall next to them.

In modern times, London's tube stations are typically packed to the rafters. But it seems there was often a little more elbow room on platforms in the 1920s. Here, in 1928, a group of young people are papped listening to a gramophone on an empty platform at Waterloo underground station.

By the 1920s, more automated ticket stations were springing up across the network. Although they were state-of-the-art at the time, these vintage systems look pretty clunky to modern-day travellers. Passengers are shot here collecting tickets at Piccadilly, shortly after the station was expanded in 1928.

Moscow has one of the world's most famous and beautiful subway systems, with ornate stations like Kiyevskaya. The Moscow Metro opened on 15 May 1935 and this image shows the very first map of the now iconic network.

Berlin's U-Bahn is another of Europe's older underground transit systems. It consists of both elevated and subterranean tracks, and it began operation in 1902, before being expanded throughout the 20th century. Here, in the 1930s, commuters buzz around the platform for trains to Stralauer Tor.

There's something warm and inviting about this night-time scene in Berlin, with Französische Straße U-Bahn station shining like a beacon at the centre. The glittering hotel signs and corner cafés add to the ambience. The station pictured is shuttered today.

Buenos Aires' metro system is the oldest in South America. Ideas for an underground train network in the city were first floated in the 19th century and it eventually began operation in 1913, joining up landmark sites like Plaza de Mayo and Plaza Miserere. Passengers are pictured here in a metro car circa 1938.

Meanwhile, the New York subway system continued to grow throughout the decades. Extra lines were built in the 1930s, including routes into Queens and the Bronx. This 1930s snap shows a full Eighth Avenue subway carriage – the Eighth Avenue Line opened in 1932 and still runs today.

From one American mega city to another: Chicago's subway network began in the 1940s. The Chicago "L" – the Windy City's rapid transit system – has its roots in the 1890s, but it wasn't until 1943 that its underground sections began operating. This snap from the Forties shows a man exiting a Chicago "L" station. Notice the proud promo poster touting the system as the city's most "reliable" form of transportation.

This photo shows a landmark day for Chicago's new subway system as the first paying passengers embark on a trip. Smiling Chicagoans look out from the platform and the crowded train, en route to Ravenswood and Albany Park, in October 1943.

Today, the Paris Métro, which opened right at the turn of the century, is renowned for its striking Art Nouveau-style subway entrances and its perpetual buzz – it's tipped as one of the busiest subway systems in the world. It's even bustling in this circa-1940 photograph. The shot shows the Place d'Italie metro station heaving with commuters.

Canada's most populous city followed in the tracks of its North American sisters when its subway launched in 1954. This photo dates to 1957 and shows a busy scene at the city's Queen Street station, as passengers pass through the turnstiles.

The Glasgow Subway is one of the oldest underground metro networks in the world – second only to London and Budapest. The Scottish system opened way back in 1896, but here's a snapshot of it decades later, in 1950. Passengers on board are absorbed in their newspapers and a bold "no spitting" sign grabs attention.

By the time this photo was taken, the Moscow Metro had been up and running for almost two decades. Here crowds gather at Komsomolskaya station in 1952 to celebrate the opening of a brand new section. In true Moscow style, the station has intricate ceiling friezes, bold columns and arches, and chandeliers.

Japan's first subway system opened in Tokyo in 1927, and Osaka soon followed suit in 1933. This photo dating from 1956 shows thronging crowds as far as the eye can see at an Osaka station.

The stations are just as busy northeast of Osaka, in Japan's capital. In this photograph from the 1960s, station guards attempt to cram passengers onto a subway car before the doors close. Scenes like this are still common on Tokyo's sprawling subway network today – in fact, railway attendants nicknamed "pushers" exist with the job of pressing commuters onto heaving trains at rush hour.

It looks like there's a little more wiggle room in this carriage on the Moscow Metro, photographed circa 1960. Lines on the network were steadily extended throughout this decade and the stations constructed during this time were built in a simpler, more uniform style than their elaborate predecessors. 

The oldest cars still in operation on the New York City Subway are the R32 'Brightliners', which were introduced in 1964. This photograph shows New York City Transit Authority officials checking out the new cars at the Budd Company Railway Division plant in Philadelphia, prior to their launch.

The USA's capital was surprisingly late in establishing a subway system, when compared with other major cities like NYC and Chicago. Ground was broken for Washington DC's metro in 1969, with the first line opening in 1976 (the Red Line from Farragut North to Rhode Island Avenue). Early commuters wait on a metro platform in this photo from the same year.

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Now read on for the world's most beautiful subway and metro stations