Large transport hubs should not only be convenient and safe, but also spectacular – after all, this is the first thing you see when entering the country by rail. The impression of the city begins to form here. We have selected ten of the most beautiful railway stations, which can easily be included in the list of the main attractions of the country.
1. Grand Central Terminal,
New York, USA
New York’s oldest and largest train station in the world has 44 platforms and 67 tracks. The station is two-level: 41 tracks fit on the first level and 26 on the second. The building was built more than a hundred years ago – in 1913, and previously there was also a station in its place. Grand Central Terminal is designed in an eclectic Beaux-Arts style, the distinctive features of which are symmetry, the use of elaborate decorations, figured sculptures and gold inserts.
There are several popular cafes and restaurants in the building, the oyster bar is especially praised. There is also a cinema, so if the train is delayed or you arrive at the station too early, you can while away the time watching a movie.
2. St. Pancras International Station,
London, UK
Photo: Stockinasia/Alamy Stock Photo
The station, like many others on this list, is not young: it was opened in 1868 and is located opposite the British Library in central London. The five-star St. Hotel is also located here. Pancras Renaissance Hotel (incredibly beautiful),
this is the main station building. It was built of red brick in the neo-Gothic style and is considered one of the most striking examples of this architectural movement.
Photo: Gideon/flickr.com
St. Pancras International not only looks great, but is also an important transport hub. From here, for example, there are flights to Paris and Brussels on Eurostar trains passing under the English Channel.
3. Antwerp Central Station (Antwerpen Centraal),
Antwerp, Belgium
From the photographs it seems that this is the mansion of some old count family or even a royal family. The station opened in 1905, but trains have been departing from here since 1898, when the dekabarkader was built – this is part of the station with platforms and a canopy over them.
The beautiful building barely resisted the passage of time: it literally began to fall apart in the mid-twentieth century. Demolition was avoided thanks to the status of an architectural monument, which was awarded to the station in 1975. The restoration, which began in 1998, was completed only eleven years later. The station received a different layout: instead of one level there were three. During the reconstruction of Antwerpen Centraal, a new passage to the platforms was built, but the castle-like building still stands in place.
4. Sao Bento Station (Estacao de Sao Bento),
Porto, Portugal
Photo: Alvaro German Vilela/Shutterstock.com
Before the São Bento train station, there used to be the monastery of São Bento de Ave Maria. After a fire in 1783, it was restored, but gradually the place became abandoned. At that time, the railway network was actively developing, and in 1900 work began on converting the monastery into a station.
Photo: Anastasia Petrova/Shutterstock.com
The building was built in the neoclassical style. Inside, there are many works by Georges Colas, one of the best artists of his time, who painted Portuguese azulejo tiles. Among the subjects decorating the walls of the station are historical episodes and battle scenes. In short, there is something to see here while waiting for the train.
5. Strasbourg Station (Gare de Strasbourg),
Strasbourg, France
Photo: Alexandre Prévot/flickr.com
The station looks modern and unusual from the outside – it is a completely glass semicircular building. The dome appeared relatively recently. Before this, the station looked like the structures of that time – it was opened in 1883, but construction continued for another five years.
Photo: Marja van Bochove/flickr.com
The reconstruction, which was completed at the end of 2007, cost about 150 million euros. The building was equipped with everything possible: heated floors, the latest electrical centralization system, which allows you to monitor heavy traffic and prevent disruptions in train movement, various security systems.
6. Kanazawa Station,
Kanazawa, Japan
The station building in Kanazawa is interesting because of its combination of traditional Japanese architecture with modern styles. The entrance looks like a huge fourteen-meter arch made of handmade wooden columns. The glass roof begins with it, which sharply contrasts with the columns themselves.
Photo: かがみ～/flickr.com
Inside Kanazawa Station there is a lot of greenery: trees and bushes grow there. There are even fountains. Once inside, you won’t even notice how quickly the time flies while waiting for the train. And the building itself, despite the bold combination of styles, looks surprisingly harmonious.
7. Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus,
Mumbai, India
The station is named not after the place where it is located, but after Shivaji, the national hero of India, who in the 17th century rebelled against the then ruling Muslims. Until 1996, however, the station was called Victoria Terminus in honor of Queen Victoria.
Photo: © Filedimage/Dreamstime.com
The building, like Antwerpen Centraal, is very reminiscent of a palace. The decoration of the station enhances the impression: a staircase with a balustrade, wooden inserts with figured carvings, copper railings. This is one of the busiest stations in India, it serves not only local trains, but also long-distance trains.
8. Southern Cross Station,
Melbourne, Australia
Photo: Jes/flickr.com
Melbourne’s main railway station dates back to 1859 when it opened as Spencer Street Station. The station underwent a major renovation in 1960 and was then rebuilt again in 2000, expanding it into its modern form. Thirteen years later, two new platforms were added, making a total of sixteen.
From the outside, the station stands out for its unusual roof shape. It is curved and wavy. It looks original and recognizable – this building cannot be confused with anything else.
9. Puerta de Atocha Station (Madrid Puerta de Atocha),
Madrid, Spain
Photo: rarrarorro/Shutterstock.com
The name comes from the city gate of Atocha, which was demolished in the mid-19th century. The station has three platforms, from where trains go to major tourist cities such as Valencia, Seville, Barcelona.
Photo: Podolinskaya Yulia/Shutterstock.com
The building looks monumental, and inside it pleases travelers with an abundance of greenery. There is a winter garden with palm trees and a pond inhabited by turtles.
10. Haydarpasa Station (Haydarpasa Gari),
Istanbul, Turkey
Photo: STEPHEN J MASON PHOTOGRAPHY/flickr.com
The station is located in the Asian part of Istanbul, from here trains depart to the suburbs of the capital and throughout the east of Turkey. It was built on an artificial peninsula that goes directly to the sea. From the station you can take a ferry to cross the Bosphorus.
Photo: Nérostrateur/wikimedia.org
Haydarpasa is an important transport hub, so it is usually crowded. The building first opened in 1908, and the station has existed since the seventies of the 19th century. The architecture has European features and this is no accident, because the building was designed by architects from Germany.
The main thing is to remember that an impressive station does not mean that the route from it will pass through equally spectacular places. The most scenic routes often begin at frankly unsightly stations. You can learn about the 10 most beautiful railway routes in the world by reading this article.
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