When nature calls, New York City subway bathrooms don't always answer, audit finds
NEW YORK (WABC) -- If you've ever sprinted through a subway station in search of a bathroom, a new audit by the MTA Inspector General may confirm what you already found.
Toilets without seats, broken door locks, and missing soap or paper are just some of the not so pleasant surprises inspectors found while checking public restrooms across the subway system.
Inspector General Daniel Cort announced the results of the audit, which looked at how well New York City Transit subway bathrooms serve riders who rely on them.
The good news is that most bathrooms were open, usable, and had working plumbing.
The bad news is that many still fell short of basic expectations. Missing toilet seats, empty toilet paper dispensers, and no soap were common problems, along with litter, graffiti, and stall doors that would not lock.
The audit, conducted by the Office of the MTA Inspector General and completed in April 2025, reviewed 32 bathrooms across the system.
NYC Transit maintains 125 public bathrooms at 65 stations, accounting for about 11 percent of all public restrooms in New York City.
Inspectors found that 27 of the 32 bathrooms visited were open, relatively clean, and functional, while five were closed.
Of the bathrooms that were open, 23 lacked at least one basic amenity or had a concerning condition.
Inspectors also found that 10 of the 37 toilets examined were stainless steel bowls without seats, in both men's and women's bathrooms.
The audit also found that NYC Transit was inconsistent in how it classified the seriousness of bathroom repair issues and they say does not do a great job communicating where subway bathrooms are located or whether they are open.
In other words, even if there is a bathroom nearby, riders may not know it exists or whether it is usable until they get there.
Cort said the findings highlight the difference between a bathroom that technically works and one that people can actually use.
He noted that restrooms without toilet seats, toilet paper, or door locks fall short of providing the comfort, hygiene, and safety riders deserve, and he welcomed NYC Transit's agreement to address most of the issues identified.
The Inspector General's office made nine recommendations aimed at improving comfort, cleanliness, and maintenance. Among them were ensuring every newly installed toilet has a seat and adding seats to existing bowls where feasible. Another recommendation suggested adding QR codes so riders could quickly share feedback, though NYC Transit said that step was unnecessary given its current communication channels.
Overall, the agency accepted most of the recommendations, rejecting only one related to internal communication about how bathroom defects are categorized.
For subway riders, the report confirms that while there are functional bathrooms, they could use some serious TLC.
The hope now is that these fixes will turn emergency pit stops into something a little less undesirable.
"NYC Transit has reopened bathrooms in 60 stations serving all four subway boroughs since Covid-era closures, improving lighting, adding tiles, modern fixtures, and new paint," said MTA spokesperson Joana Flores. "We're grateful to the inspector general for recognizing this progress, as we seek to continuously improve the customer experience."
Click here for a list of bathrooms in subway stations.
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