Passengers head southbound from Vine St. at Hollywood Blvd, July 1955. Photo by Metro Transportation Library and Archive.
Many of us who enjoy public transport on a daily basis have been there…. the dinner table stories of your Aunt Mary running into the Duchess of Cambridge on the London Underground or your brother sitting three rows behind Tom Hanks on the F train, in NYC’s subway system. Though celebs have the unnatural potential for raising a spectacle wherever they go, there is something about the democratic nature of mass transit that reminds us that celebs are human too and appreciate the convenience, efficiency, and, when lucky, the anonymity, that public transport offers.
British actor Daniel Radcliffe, on the other hand, has made it publicly known that he avoids public transport whenever possible — how sad, considering that Harry Potter is a veritable champion of public transport, utilizing the Hogwarts Express, the London Underground, the Floo Powder Network (Department of Magical Transportation), and the broomstick in his escapades.
Who else might you run into on public transport these days?
1. Pope Francis
As Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, Pope Francis distinguished himself in his native Buenos Aires for being a man of the people, which included opting for the bus over his private limo.
The Pope prefers the bus. Photo by Catholic Church (England and Wales).
2. British royalty
The Queen was sighted over the holidays boarding a First Capital Connect train at London’s King’s Cross Station. It isn’t the first time the queen has made that journey either!
The Queen finds the First Capital Connect train convenient. Photo by Defence Images.
3. Politicians and actors take bus to work on “Bus Day” in Kochi, India
Kochi, India, celebrates Bus Day every year, in which politicians, actors, and other famous public figures take the bus to work.
A new Volvo bus introduced in Kochi, India. Photo by Binaiks.
4. Tom Hanks
Behind a hat, glasses, and a morning newspaper, Tom Hanks has lately taken to riding the New York City subway to work.
From New York Magazine:
“Nobody looks at anybody on the subway. Occasionally someone might give you a thumbs-up, and you nod. But the city is magnificent as far as that brand of easy anonymity. You just fold right in.”
Tom Hanks relishes the anonymity of the morning commute in NYC. Photo by o2 in Deutschland.
5. Serena Williams on a bike [this totally counts!]
What do you do when a Florida traffic jam threatens your tennis match? Make like Serena Williams last week, and borrow a bicycle. (The hotel she was staying at offered her a motorbike, but she opted for pedal power instead. Go Serena!)
Serena Williams biked to her match. Photo by jamesboyes.
TheCityFix wants to hear about the celebs whom you have run into on public transport!
