Buzz
Phantom vehicles, often likened to spectral ships on land (and sometimes in the sky), appear in various eerie forms. Some are believed to be actual spirits, others are thought to be cursed by dark forces, and a few remain unexplained enigmas.
As with most ghostly tales, it’s important to note that the hauntings tied to these vehicles are typically urban myths. Many have logical explanations, but despite the facts, they remain deeply unsettling.
10. Eastern Airlines Flight 401
One of the most bizarre accounts of ghostly vehicles involves Eastern Airlines Flight 401, a Tri-Star jet that tragically crashed into a Florida swamp in December 1972. The disaster claimed 101 lives, including those of pilot Bob Loft and flight engineer Don Repo.
The incident soon gained a spooky notoriety. While the original plane was destroyed, its salvaged parts were reused in other aircraft, leading to reports of paranormal activity. Crew members claimed to see the apparitions of Loft and Repo, who would appear among passengers or even converse with the staff before mysteriously disappearing.
The spectral figures were often spotted near components salvaged from Flight 401. In one instance, a flight engineer was startled when one of the ghosts assured him the pre-flight check was already done. On another occasion, Don Repo’s face reportedly appeared in an oven from the crashed plane, warning crew members of an impending fire. The flight later experienced an engine fire, forcing it to cancel its final leg.
Eastern Airlines has never officially acknowledged these occurrences. However, the tales of Flight 401’s protective spirits have become legendary within the company, with rumors suggesting even a vice president once encountered the ghosts.
9. The Black Volga
In the 1960s and 1970s, life under Soviet rule was fraught with fear, from the Cold War to systemic issues. Yet, one figure stood out as particularly terrifying: the Black Volga.
The driver of the Black Volga remained a mystery. Some believed it was priests or nuns, others thought it was Satanists, and a few even claimed the devil himself was at the wheel. This Volga limousine, with its white rims and curtains, seemed to appear out of nowhere. Its rearview mirrors were sometimes said to resemble horns. The car was notorious for kidnapping children and killing those who came near—sometimes instantly, other times exactly 24 hours later. The reasons for the abductions were unclear; some speculated the children were sold for their blood or organs.
The legend of the Black Volga spread across Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Poland, and Mongolia. While no concrete evidence exists to confirm or deny the tales, it’s notable that Volga limousines were the most luxurious cars available to Soviets, often driven by political commissars and Communist Party officials—the very figures blamed for the people’s hardships.
8. Silverpilen
Beneath the tranquil streets of Stockholm, Sweden’s capital, lies a chilling secret: a ghostly, silver train known as Silverpilen (”the Silver Arrow”). This spectral train appears unpredictably at random stations, its interiors either eerily empty or filled with phantom passengers. Those unfortunate enough to board it risk being taken to Kymlinge, a station for the dead (an actual abandoned subway station). Some who enter never return, while others reappear weeks or even years later.
Silverpilen is not just a myth—it’s a real train. Constructed from eight aluminum C5 carts, it was an experimental model never mass-produced but occasionally used during peak hours. Its lack of advertisements and partially removed graffiti give it a stark, unsettling appearance, starkly contrasting with the typical Stockholm subway trains. This unique look, combined with its rare appearances, made it a startling sight for unsuspecting passengers, especially late at night.
Though Silverpilen was rarely in service and officially retired in 1996, its eerie reputation persists. Stories claim it still haunts subway workers in abandoned tunnels to this day.
7. The Phantom Bus of London
In 1934, a driver in London abruptly swerved while traveling along Cambridge Gardens, resulting in a tragic crash that claimed his life. Witnesses later suggested the cause of his sudden maneuver: the Phantom Bus of London.
The Ghost Bus, a red double-decker marked with the number “7,” was reportedly seen by numerous Londoners from the 1930s to the 1990s. It would appear at 1:15 AM, speeding toward drivers with its lights off and no visible driver. After narrowly avoiding a collision, drivers would turn to find the bus had vanished without a trace.
6. Pippo, The Ghost Plane
During World War II, the people of Northern Italy faced immense suffering under their fascist government and Nazi allies, while also being targeted by the Allied forces. Amidst this chaos, they harbored an even more peculiar fear: a mysterious entity that seemed to hunt them personally.
This entity was a mysterious aircraft known as Pippo.
Pippo’s origins, model, and pilot remained unknown, as did its allegiance—whether it sided with the fascists or the Allies. It appeared out of nowhere, firing machine guns at anyone in its path. Recognized by the distinct “pip-pip” sound of its engines, it was primarily heard at night, though not exclusively.
Pippo struck fear into many, perceived as a supernatural force targeting them specifically. People had to blackout their homes to avoid attracting its attention. Its attacks reportedly included exploding pens, poisoned candy, and powerful bombs. Sometimes, it would even fire upon unsuspecting farmworkers.
While Pippo seems like a mythical figure, historians believe the legend was rooted in reality. The plane was likely a series of British reconnaissance aircraft, specifically the de Havilland Mosquito, known for its distinctive engine noise. Despite this, Pippo became a ghostly symbol in the collective memory, embodying the horrors of war. Even in the 1990s, it remained a vivid part of Northern Italy’s folklore.
5. The Jumping Car of Cape Town
A Cape Town family and their guests were startled awake by a loud crash one night. Rushing outside, they discovered the guests’ Renault moving erratically around the yard, eventually smashing through a sturdy fence before stopping. Initially suspecting theft, they found no driver inside. The yard was secure, the car locked, windows intact, and the handbrake still engaged. The vehicle had moved on its own.
When police arrived, they dismissed the story—until the Renault suddenly started itself in front of them. The car roared to life, jumping backward until it was halted by a hibiscus tree.
Renault later suggested a rusty starter cable caused the incident but couldn’t account for the loud roaring sounds reported by witnesses.
4. Abraham Lincoln’s Phantom Train
One of America’s most legendary ghostly vehicles, this spectral steam engine is said to travel through 180 cities every April. It is believed to be the spirit of the actual funeral train that carried Abraham Lincoln, who had a fascination with the supernatural and reportedly encountered his own doppelganger. Witnesses claim that clocks and watches stop in its presence. While Lincoln himself is not visible, his coffin, draped in an American flag, is guarded by ghostly soldiers in Union uniforms.
The phantom train emerges from a dense, black fog, pulling dark carriages behind it. Its presence chills the air and weighs heavily on those nearby. The train’s journey mirrors the 2,700-kilometer (1,650-mile) route of Lincoln’s funeral procession, but it never reaches its intended destination of Springfield, Illinois.
3. The Haunted German War Submarine
In World War I, German UB III-class submarines were formidable weapons, responsible for sinking 507 enemy ships, including the renowned battleship HMS Britannia.
One UB III submarine proved deadly to both its foes and its own crew. Its construction was plagued by tragedy: three workers died from diesel fumes, and two were killed by a falling girder. During testing, a crew member was lost at sea, and the submarine sank due to a ruptured ballast tank, trapping the crew on the ocean floor as toxic gases leaked from a damaged battery. Although rescued, the crew fell severely ill, with two fatalities.
Despite these incidents, the submarine was deemed operational. Early missions saw a torpedo explosion kill eight crewmen and an officer, whose ghost reportedly haunted the vessel. Later, the captain was decapitated by shrapnel, and crew members claimed to see the officer’s ghost guarding his body.
The entire crew of U-65 requested transfers, but replacements were only found after an exorcism was performed. However, the submarine’s misfortunes continued. Months later, an American submarine claimed to have destroyed U-65 with torpedoes, but the American captain later admitted they never fired—U-65 had exploded on its own.
2. James Dean’s Porsche Spyder
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James Dean, a charismatic and gifted actor, met a tragic end at the height of his youth and fame, much like Heath Ledger. He died in a car crash involving his beloved Porsche 550 Spyder, nicknamed Little B*stard. Soon after, the car was rumored to be haunted.
The wreckage of Little B*stard was bought by George Barris, the renowned car customizer behind the Batmobile and other iconic vehicles. After restoration, the Porsche—split into two parts: a Lotus shell powered by its engine and the original wreckage—became infamous for its eerie mishaps. It was involved in several mysterious accidents, some fatal, and even caught fire in a storage garage. On another occasion, it vanished from a sealed boxcar without explanation.
While the tale of Dean’s haunted Porsche is widely known, many believe it was fabricated by George Barris himself. Some suggest he created the haunting legend to profit from the wrecked car.
Another eerie detail surrounds Dean’s death. Actor Alec Guinness, known as Obi-Wan Kenobi in the original Star Wars trilogy, allegedly predicted the crash. According to legend, when Dean asked Guinness his opinion of the Porsche, Guinness replied, “If you get in that car, you’ll be dead within a week.”
Dean died exactly seven days later.
1. The Cursed Car of Franz Ferdinand
Graf & Stift, a lesser-known pioneer in the automobile industry, enjoyed significant success before World War I, attracting a prestigious clientele.
Unfortunately, one of their models became infamous as the car in which Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated.
Franz Ferdinand’s assassination ignited World War I, but few know the eerie legend tied to the car—a 1910 Graf & Stift Double Phaeton. It’s said the vehicle was so traumatized by the event that every subsequent owner met a violent end.
Over the next 12 years, the car had 15 owners and was involved in numerous accidents, resulting in 13 deaths. One owner, an Austrian general, went insane and died in an asylum. Another, a captain, crashed into two peasants and a tree just nine days after buying the car. Yet another owner took their own life.
The curse continued. Yugoslavia’s governor suffered four accidents while owning the car, losing an arm in one. His friend, a doctor, bought it on a dare but died when it overturned. A Swiss racing driver met the same fate, and a Serbian farmer was crushed by the car while it was being towed.
The final owner, a Romanian man, faced the worst fate: while driving to a wedding with five friends, the car suddenly lost control, resulting in a fatal crash that claimed all their lives.
This is the tale, at least. The car’s supposed curse has been debated since the story surfaced in the 1950s. Its true nature remains a mystery; today, it sits as a rusted relic in an Austrian museum.
