Next stop... St PANT-cras: Commuters ditch their trousers to celebrate the 'No Pants Subway Ride' on tubes and trains around the world

Public transport in major cities were crammed with bare-legged travellers

Participants are required to dress normally on their top halves



Yearly event began in Sydney and was marked in places including Beijing



London Undergound users also took part in the 'celebration of silliness'

Stunt began in New York in 2002, where only seven people attended



Now thousands of people take part in the prank in 60 cities every year



A brief encounter with a fellow commuter is always possible when you are using public transport.

But when travelling on the tube or train, it is not every day that you have an encounter with hundreds of briefs.

This was the case today as thousands of bare-legged people around the world took part in the international 'No Pants Subway Wide'.



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Scantily clad: Two women ditch their trousers to take part in the Internation 'No Pants Subway Ride' Bare legs: Tube users braved the January weather to take part in the event which started as a prank Brief encounters: Travellers were encouraged to wear normal attire on their top half, but leave their trousers at home

Scantily-clad riders in 60 sixties around the globe braved the weather and some stares from fellow commuters for the annual celebration.

It started off as a prank by comedy group Improv Everywhere in 2002, bemusing a few embarrassed commuters, but has since grown into a global phenomenon.



Trains and trams in major cities from Brussels to Beijing and Sofia to Sydney were awash with bare legs and briefs on Sunday as pranksters travelled trouserless.

The event began in Australia, where commuters got to cool off during the warm summer conditions by stripping down to their under garments.



Commuters in London, Berlin and Hong Kong then braved public transport without trousers in the stunt, which has worldwide since its first staging in New York 12 years ago.



Mind the under garment: Commuters carried back packs and read their iPods, acting like they would on their daily journey to work Winter headwear: Participants wrapped in fury headbands read their books and play with their phones Colourful attire: One man chose to wear sunglasses made of glow sticks with his red and blue underwear

The rules are fairly straightforward.



Underpants must be worn and, although flashy designs are allowed, organisers prefer those involved to look - at least from the waist-up - as though they are going about their daily lives.

This is to increase the impact the participants have on the unaware bystanders.

In the inaugural event ago only seven people took part, but now thousands in major capital cities around the globe participate in what organisers call a 'celebration of silliness'.

Uniforms and business suits are encouraged to amplify the lower-half effect as are props - bicycles, prams, shopping bags or a briefcase.



Participants are also forbidden from speaking to one another and are instructed to bring 'any activity you might normally perform on the train: newspaper, book, sewing kit.'

Preparation: Commuters wore wooly hats and thick coats to keep their top halves warm Destination: Trouserless passengers make their way towards Arsenal on the Piccadilly Line on London's Underground

'If questioned, you do not know any of the other pant-less riders. Tell folks that you 'forgot to wear pants', organisers told participants ahead of the Sydney ride.



'Insist that it is a coincidence that others also forgot their trousers. Be nice, friendly and remain calm.'



In Sydney, a small but dedicated group dropped their trousers on the city circle loop train, packed with bemused weekend sightseers on a busy summer's day, then switched routes for a return trip to Bondi.

There was a no trousers tram ride in southern Melbourne and Adelaide and people also went pants-less for a train trip in northern Brisbane.



On a busy Hong Kong subway train around 40 people, including Australian Bess Hepworth and her 18-month-old son, joined in the fun.



'It's the first time he will be publicly taking off his pants, although he does it regularly already,' the 37-year-old said.

Crowded: Participants squeeze together as the carriage begins to fill with people Themed briefs: One woman chose underwear with a map of the London Underground printed on the back



In Beijing a handful of trouserless people took to the Chinese capital's fast-growing subway, drawing confused glances from onlookers.



'I want to show that (Chinese people) are internationalised now,' said 22-year-old Huang Li, wearing blue underwear decorated with dots. 'People say I'm a psycho,' she added.



Improv Everywhere expects some 4,000 participants in this year's New York event, with more than 60 other cities taking part including Paris and London.

The annual event steadily grew each year with more and more people choosing to take part.

Waiting for a train: A man wearing a suit jacket and holding a bag stands on the platform at a New York Subway station Tickets please: Commuters make their way through the barriers as they head for the trains at Union Square station Bemused onlooker: A Subway passenger surprised by the attire of some of his fellow riders Payphone: One participant takes the the opportunity to make a call in Chicago, Illinois

Subway skivvies: Passengers on the Metro in Washington D.C. also joined in on the prank Smartly-dressed: A couple opted for business attire during their journey in the American capital, while others kept warm by wearing a hoodie Going up: A man wearing smart shoes with a pink trim reveals his black underwear as he walks up an escalator at a Metro station in Washington D.C. Bright hair: A woman wearing a pink wig hold hands with a fellow commuter

But it nearly hit the buffers in 2006 when the stunt was halted by a New York policeman. Eight passengers were handcuffed in their underwear and taken into police custody.



A judge later threw out the case because it is not illegal to wear just your underwear on the Subway.

The No Pants event went global in 2008 with Adelaide in Australia joining eight American cities in taking part in the stunt.

The event in 2012 saw tens of thousands of people daring to bare their underwear in 59 cities in 27 countries around the world.

Waiting patiently: A businessmen sits in his black suit and shirt, minus the trousers

'Less is mode': Women riding the subway in Brussels, Belgium, with slogans on their briefs Shiver: Three women cross their arms in the cold while strolling around in their knickers

Overseas: People in Berlin also joined in the event at Alexanderplatz subway station Knobbly knees: A woman and three men brave the conditions in Berlin, leaving their legs uncovered Mask: One man wears a luchador, or Mexican wrestler while a woman sitting next to him looks at a subway map as they ride a train in Berlin A man and a woman wait to board a train in the German capital Summer: Commuters in Sydney, Australia, were able to cool off by choosing to remove their trousers during the summer heat Approaching: Two women wait for a train as it pulls iinto the platform at Sydney's Central Station Business attire: One man opts for a shirt, tie and jacket, complete with smart black shoes, for his trouserless commute Pink pants: One man in colourful briefs listens to music during his journey on the subway in Hong Kong Chilled out: Two men in smart jackets look suave in their sunglasses and underwear Happy: Two commuters walk down to the platforms in the Beijing Subway Variation: One woman chose to wear suspenders and tights while a man opted for bright yellow boxers and socks Crammed: Participants slide in next to each other, forming two lines of pant-less commuters Inspired by fashion: An Italian commuter on the Milan Subway poses like a model in his blue boxer shorts Patterned: A Ukranian couple cuddle together as the train pulls into a subway station in Kiev Wrapping-up: Commuters in Paris were forced to wear coats in the cold weather b





