Dating in NYC can be a train wreck.
Just ask Anastasia Gregory, whose post-pandemic hunt for “the one” was plagued by repeat derailments and dead ends. Swiping far and wide on dating apps — and making the scene at various Big Apple hot spots — all proved fruitless for the elementary school teacher.
It wasn’t until the 27-year-old took a look underground that her true love was found.
“I met my fiancé on the subway,” Gregory, who grew up in Westchester, told The Post of her morning commute meet-cute with groom-to-be, Spencer Seabaugh.
The straphanger sweeties, now living together on the Upper East Side, had their first encounter on an uptown A train in March 2022.
Now, they’re set to say “I do” Nov. 2 — in “Big Fat Greek Wedding”-style.
“At the time, I was hoping to meet a woman I could marry,” said Seabaugh, 27, a finance exec from Kansas. “Then, one day, she just showed up on the subway.”
The perennially plagued system’s ongoing bum rap for being rat-, roach- and danger-infested aside, the rails are in reality a virtual breeding ground for romance.
Thomas Knox, show host of “Date While You Wait,” has transformed platforms into mini mixers, providing a welcoming space for singles to mingle before a hectic commute.
Newlyweds Daniel Jean and Esmy Valdez, of Flatbush, selected the L train to serve as the backdrop of their late-June wedding reception.
The subterranean soirée was made complete with bites, bubbly and big day cake for the bride and groom.
And when it comes to swipe-worn Gen Zers, like Gregory and her beau, randomly running into their forever person while completing everyday tasks — such as commuting to work — is preferred over online dating.
In fact, 92% of men and 88% of women ranging from 18 to 27 would rather meet a potential partner in person instead of on the Internet, according to a June report.
And the Metropolitan Transportation Authority is happy to double as the meet-cute authority.
“Nearly 4 million people ride the subway every day, making it …a great place to meet people,” MTA spokesperson Kayla Shults told The Post.
“Not only is mass transit the fastest way to get around the city,” she added, “but the love of your life might get on at the next stop.”
Connell Barrett, a New York City dating coach, agreed.
“The subway isn’t just rats and muggers,” said Barrett, who’s been nicknamed “the real-life Hitch.”
“It can be a tunnel of love.”
But the pro encourages passengers to heed his top three tips for making a move while on the move.
One, be mindful of the other person’s personal space, compliment a non-physical attribute — perhaps a fragrance or article of clothing — and, most importantly, read the room.
“If you offer someone on the subway a compliment from a friendly distance, and they’re giving you one-word answers or averting their eyes,” said Barrett, “take their social signals, politely excuse yourself and move on.”
Luckily for Gregory, Seabaugh’s social cues signaled her to make the first approach.
“I’d rushed to the train for work and saw this cute finance bro in a suit,” she told The Post with a laugh.
“We kept making eye contact and I thought, ‘Should I say something? If he’s not going to, I will.’ ”
In her first attempt at initiating a flirt, Gregory swapped her seat on the train for one next to Seabaugh, and handed him her phone, wordlessly requesting his contact information.
“She texted me later on that day, we went on our first date a few days later, and got engaged Nov. 18, 2023,” said Seabaugh.
“The juxtaposition of this beautiful love story against the dark subway is interesting — so many things could have altered the outcome,” he mused.
“Yet, here we are, and now we’re getting married.”
But the nearly-weds aren’t the only cuties Cupid’s struck beneath the concrete.
“My husband, Gary, and I met on the N train from 42nd Street to Ditmars 12 years ago,” Allie Vider, 35, a stay-at-home mom of two toddlers told The Post.
The subway sweethearts, who now live in northern New Jersey, tied the knot in September 2015.
“And, coincidentally,” she gushed, “my grandparents met on the N train and were married for 66 years.”
Gary, 41, a stand-up comedian, often works his and Allie’s star-aligned meeting into his act, joking that if he hadn’t said “God bless you,” to the cute girl who sneezed on the train, he’d be a free man.
But the lighthearted jabs don’t faze his bright-side-looking bride.
“I love it,” she said of Gary’s wisecracks. “His whole act, he really tears me apart. And so much of it is so accurate.
“He’s my soul mate,” she added. “And to think, had we boarded on different train cars, or if either of us were running five minutes late, we wouldn’t be here today.
“It was a cool way to meet.”
