Inside The Most Beautiful Train Stations In The World
The development of rail networks throughout the world was a direct response to great economic upheavals generated first by the need to transport goods during the Industrial Revolution, then by a gradually increasing demand to transport people toward urban centres. As a result, train stations were built to accommodate both passengers and cargo. While some simply served as loading and unloading platforms, others were uniquely designed and eventually recognized as architectural marvels.
Located at the intersection of 42nd Street and Park Avenue in Manhattan, Grand Central Terminal is a New York City landmark. This station, featured extensively in movies, was built at the turn of the 20th century on the land occupied by the island’s first railroads.
Grand Central Terminal originally served as a long-distance train station before this service was moved to Penn Station in the 1970s. Today, it’s a transit station for commuter trains running to and from the suburbs. Nearly 800 trains stop at Grand Central every day. Grand Central Terminal is known for its Beaux-Arts architecture, vaulted ceiling covered in beautiful paintings, and a monumental, four-sided clock placed exactly in the centre of the building.
Luz Station is a venerated monument located in the capital of Brazil. Its beauty and Victorian architecture simply shine. All of the station’s construction materials were imported from Great Britain. The station has recently regained its original charm thanks to a major restoration campaign.
Luz Station celebrates its 120th anniversary in 2021, and currently welcomes nearly 250,000 passengers every day on one of the 840 routes connecting the suburbs to the capital.
This station, featuring typical Egyptian architecture, is named after the statue of Pharaoh Ramses II that had stood in front of it since the 1950s. In 2006, the statue was installed near the pyramids of Giza before being put on display at the Grand Egyptian Museum.
Located on the Asian side of Istanbul, Haydarpaşa Station was built in 1906 to symbolize the friendship between the Ottoman Empire and Wilhelm II’s imperial Germany. The neo-renaissance building served as a terminal for trains travelling to eastern Turkey and other Middle Eastern countries. The station is currently closed following a raging fire that destroyed the roof in 2010.
The structure retains its charm, however, primariy due to its striking proximity to the Bosphorus strait. The rails seem to run right into the sea.
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This structure’s reputation speaks for itself. Maputo Station has repeatedly been included in the most prestigious rankings of the world's loveliest train stations, including the list compiled by Travel + Leisure magazine. The station serving Mozambique’s capital boasts impressive architecture, including its three domes. Construction began in 1908 and was completed eight years later. The central dome’s entire structure was designed in South Africa, since the World War I made it difficult to carry out the task in England.
Chhatrapati Shivaji Station is a must-see monument in Mumbai. Its one-of-a-kind, signature architecture judiciously blends traditional Indian elements (a stone dome, turrets, pointed arches, an off-centre plan) with High Victorian Gothic style.
Chhatrapati Station is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and has been designated as a historic monument by the local government. It sees 3 million passengers a day and serves as the headquarters of Central Railways. The building has also served as a symbol of Mumbai's economic vitality since its inauguration.
Kanazawa is the Ishikawa region’s main station and has provided high speed train service to all of Japan’s major cities, including Tokyo and Nagano, since 2015.
This thoroughly modern station features a huge glass dome and a wooden gate, called Tsuzumi-mon, reminiscent of traditional Japanese hand drums.
This must-see Melbourne station was built at the intersection of Flinders and Swanston Streets in the early 20th century. While it mainly functions as a transit point for commuters, Flinders Street Station has become a popular meeting place for residents and tourists alike. Here’s a helpful tip: If someone in Melbourne says "I'll meet you under the clocks," then you’ve got an appointment at the station’s entrance under the 13 clocks that display the upcoming train departures. Remarkably, a hat shop called City Hatters has occupied the same premises inside the station for over 100 years.
Dunedin Station is the most photographed monument in New Zealand. When it opened in 1906, Dunedin was one of the busiest stations in the country. Today, however, it serves only as a departure and arrival point for a local tourist train.
Kuala Lumpur Station is another mixture of colonial and local architectural styles. Known for its magestic facade, this station resembles typical Victorian buildings with its glass and iron dome, while also featuring Moorish elements drawn from Islamic architecture.
Kuala Lumpur Station served trains that passed through the city until 2001. These connections are now made at a new station, Kuala Lumpur Sentral.
At its inauguration in 1868, St. Pancras Station was considered an engineering marvel of the Victorian era. Originally built to connect London to major English cities, St. Pancras International was modernized at the end of the 20th century and now offers departures and arrivals on four train lines: East Midlands Trains, Southeastern, ThamesLink, and the legendary Eurostar. The station is also renowned for its entertainment opportunities. In addition to a huge shopping mall, visitors can enjoy the longest champagne bar in Europe.
Like the vast majority of the stations on this list, Antwerp Central Station has a majestic glass roof. It reaches up to 43 metres (141 feet) high and extends the entire length of the platforms and the stone building.
While restoration campaigns have preserved the original charm of the station over the years, major changes took place at the turn of the millennium. Underground platforms were built, and existing platforms were modified to accommodate high-speed trains (TGV). Furthermore, a tunnel that goes to the north of the city keeps trains from having to turn around directly in the station.
At the turn of the millennium, the city of Liège required a more modern station that could accommodate the several high-speed train lines that crisscrossed Europe. The new building, inaugurated in 2009, was designed by Santiago Calatrava. Liège-Guillemins Station, like its predecessors, retained glass and metal elements, but boasts a modern design tailored to the 21st century.
Constructing Amsterdam Central Station at the end of the 19th century was a technical feat. Three artificial islands and more than 8,000 wooden pillars support the structure.
A visit to Amsterdam will almost certainly include at least one stop at Central Station, as it provides access to all streetcar lines and one subway station. The station is also the departure point for train lines to other major cities in the Netherlands.
Limoges residents love this monument, and with good reason. Limoges-Benedictins Station is a real head turner! The building was designated a historical monument in 1975 and features a 67-metre (220-foot) high bell tower and a 31-metre (100-foot) high copper dome. The station’s unique style incorporates elements of Art Nouveau, Art Deco, and Neoclassicism with local accents.
Unlike the other stations in this compilation, Lyon-Saint-Exupéry TGV Station is not in a city centre, but on the outskirts, next to the Lyon-Saint-Exupéry International Airport.
It’s also not the city’s busiest station, even though it connects 24 French and Italian cities by various high-speed train lines. Lyon-Saint-Exupéry TGV Station is especially known for its extravagant architecture designed, once again, by Santiago Calavatra. The architect wanted to portrayt two eyes looking at the world, but many see a bird taking flight instead.
Helsinki’s monumental railway station welcomes 200,000 people a day, making it the busiest place in the country.
The station’s clock tower has an interesting history. For a long time, the clock was believed to be set one minute late to give passengers more time to board the trains. It turns out that was just a myth. The 400,000 passers-by who look at the clock every day see Finland’s official time.
Atocha Station is the largest and most important station in Spain’s capital. The huge tropical garden located in the middle of the station, with over 500 species of plants and animals, only adds to its magnificence. Sadly, Atocha Station is also infamous for an attack on March 11, 2004, that killed 191 people.
Inaugurated in May 2006, Berlin Central Station is the rail transport hub of the German capital and Europe’s largest and most modern station. Architect Meinhard von Gerkan’s design sought to create a "transportation cathedral.” His wish was partly granted. While the glass roof did not achieve the desired shape and length, the structure continues to impress. Its large glass hall, positioned on the east-west axis, is 321 metres (1053 feet) long, while the station, which runs north-south, is 160 metres (525 feet) long and 40 metres (131 feet) wide.
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