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.

Let’s take a tour of the world’s most beautiful train stations!




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Grand Central Terminal, New York (U.S.)





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Luz Station, São Paulo (Brazil)





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Ramses Station, Cairo (Egypt)

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.




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Haydarpaşa Station, Istanbul (Turkey)

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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Maputo Station (Mozambique)

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.




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Chhatrapati Shivaji Station, Mumbai (India)

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.




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Kanazawa Station, Ishikawa (Japan)

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.

The bustling area around the station provides access to large shopping centres.




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Flinders Street Station, Melbourne, Australia





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Dunedin Station (New Zealand)

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.




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Kuala Lumpur Station, Malaysia

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.




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St. Pancras International Station, London (U.K.)

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.




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Antwerp Central Station (Belgium)

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.




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Liège-Guillemins Station (Belgium)

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.




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Amsterdam Central Station (Netherlands)

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.




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Limoges-Bénédictins Station (France)

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.




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Lyon-Saint-Exupéry TGV Station (France)





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Helsinki Central Station (Finland)

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.




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Atocha Station, Madrid (Spain)

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.




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Porto-São Bento Station (Portugal)

Not only is this station’s exterior remarkable, its interior is just as amazing if not more so. Porto-São Bento Station’s main hall is decorated with more than 20,000 traditional Portuguese tiles, known as azulejos, that depict important scenes from Portuguese history.




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Berlin Central Station (Germany)

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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