Who do I go to for train advertising?

Short answer

Train advertising is typically sold by specialist media companies contracted by transit agencies, not the agencies themselves. For a single city, contact the agency or their exclusive media partner. For multi-city campaigns, work with an OOH media agency or transit media seller that aggregates inventory across systems.

Subway and rail interior ads inventory on AdQuick

AdQuick lists 27,093 bookable subway and rail interior ads across 38 media operators, including 25,336 units in the ten largest US markets.

Source: AdQuick marketplace inventory as of July 23, 2026. Counts are bookable units listed on the marketplace.

Who actually sells train ad space

Transit agencies own and operate trains and stations, but most do not sell advertising directly. Instead, they contract specialist transit media companies to manage inventory, pricing, and campaign logistics. A smaller number of large agencies handle sales in-house, but that is the exception.

Three types of sellers operate in this space:

• Transit agencies (or their in-house teams): relevant only when the agency has not outsourced its ad sales.
• Transit media sellers: specialists who hold contracts with one or more agencies and handle the full sales and production process.
• Media agencies: firms that plan and buy across multiple transit systems on behalf of advertisers, useful for regional or national campaigns.

For a localized, single-line campaign, going directly to the agency or its exclusive partner is straightforward. For anything spanning multiple cities or systems, a transit media seller or OOH agency simplifies negotiation and ensures consistent coverage.

Formats available on trains and stations

Train advertising covers a range of placements suited to different objectives and budgets:

• Interior car panels and posters: placed above seats or near doors, these reach a captive audience during commutes and work well for short, high-frequency brand messages.
• Digital screens: found inside cars and on platforms, these support dynamic content, multiple creatives, and time-sensitive messaging.
• Train exterior wraps: full or partial wraps on the outside of trains for large-scale, high-impact branding.
• Station posters and billboards: static or digital placements in platforms, concourses, and entry halls that reach both commuters and station visitors.
• Ambient placements: floors, turnstiles, escalators, and stair risers for experiential formats that build brand recall.

Format selection depends on audience dwell time, message complexity, and how much visual dominance the campaign requires.

How train advertising is priced

Pricing follows fixed-term rental structures rather than impression-based models. Rates vary by format, location, and campaign length.

Several factors push costs higher or lower. High-traffic lines and central stations command premium rates. Longer campaigns may qualify for discounts, and booking multiple placements or full lines can reduce the per-unit cost. Interior cards give local or first-time advertisers an accessible entry point, while full wraps and station dominations serve brands seeking maximum presence.

How the booking process works

The booking process runs through five to six stages with lead times of roughly four to six weeks. Digital-only campaigns can sometimes move faster.

1. Initial inquiry: reach out to the transit agency's ad department or their media seller with your goals, preferred dates, target locations, and budget range.
2. Proposal: the seller responds with available placements, formats, costs, and a campaign timeline.
3. Contract: once you approve the proposal, you sign an insertion order to reserve the space.
4. Creative submission and production: you submit artwork to technical specifications. For physical formats, printing and installation are usually handled by the media seller for an additional fee.
5. Campaign launch: ads go up or are loaded onto digital platforms and run for the booked period.
6. Reporting: post-campaign, you may receive proof-of-posting photos and audience measurement data where available.

To get an accurate quote quickly, come prepared with your target geography (city, line, or specific stations), campaign dates, approximate budget, preferred formats, and a description of your target audience.

Content rules and who can advertise

Transit advertising is subject to both national advertising standards and the specific policies of each transit agency. Common restrictions cover offensive or illegal content and limit certain categories including political advocacy, alcohol, tobacco, gambling, and adult content. Submissions that do not comply risk rejection or removal, so reviewing the relevant guidelines before producing creative is worthwhile.

Train advertising is not reserved for large brands. Many media sellers offer starter packages with limited placements designed for local businesses and modest budgets. Creative assistance is often available through the seller or can be sourced from designers familiar with transit specifications.

How AdQuick handles train advertising

AdQuick brings together transit inventory from across the country so advertisers can plan, price, and book train advertising without contacting each transit media seller individually. The platform surfaces available formats and rate ranges, supports multi-city planning in a single workflow, and provides campaign reporting after launch. Whether a campaign calls for a handful of interior cards in one city or a coordinated wrap and station program across several markets, AdQuick consolidates the process that would otherwise require separate conversations with multiple sellers.