History: The New York City Subway, United States

Restrooms are rare in the subway system as only 129 open restrooms are in 77 of the system's 468 stations. Most station rest rooms previously open to the public have been closed to the public and converted to storage spaces or for employee use only. However, there are a few major stations that have operating restrooms, including on the concourse of 42nd Street – Port Authority Bus Terminal, Chambers Street, 57th Street, Coney Island – Stillwell Avenue, and Lexington Avenue / 59th Street.
• Retail
Some platforms have newspaper stands that sell various items including newspapers and food. The MTA also installed retail spaces within paid areas in selected stations, including the station concourses of the Times Square complex and the Sixth Avenue concourse at 42nd Street – Bryant Park.
According to the MTA, the New York City Subway is home to 345 retail spaces, making over US$70 million in rent and licensing fees in 2009 for the authority. It is continuing to make efforts in attracting more diverse retailers and vendors to set up shop in the subway system.