Top 10 Most Amazing Railway Stations around the World

Traveling by trains is considered as the cheapest and the best mode of transportation when it comes to long distance destinations, so a railway station is a place full of hustle and bustle where we come across people of all kind who are all in a rush racing against time in their daily life. The platforms will be crowded with all sorts of  passengers, vendors and railway officials, there will be long queues and when a train comes numerous people get down while some others get in. There will be a huge noise and commotion everywhere, so a railway station is the last place where someone in need of some peace of mind would want to be in. But wait….!! Is it so? Is it the same with all the railway stations?  Of course not there are some railway stations around the world that offer more than noisy platforms and gloomy passengers. A select few are actually so amazing that you would love to miss your train to spend some more quality time in the railway station. Here comes the list of 10 Most Amazing Railway stations around the world:

10. SOUTHERN CROSS STATION, AUSTRALIA

The Southern Cross Station located in Melbourne is a major railway station and transport hub in Australia. In 2002, the city decided to develop the former Spencer Street Station into a well designed and well connected transportation hub of Australia, revamped by the Civic Nexus consortium with a unique and creative design by the Grimshaw Architects the total project was completed after 4 years. The facility can now boast of being the 3rd  busiest railway station of Melbourne serving more than 15million passengers a year. The creativity and innovation in design is reflected in the offbeat and striking structure of the station which features a rolling and undulating roof. Due to its stunning and wonderful architecture the station had been awarded numerous awards and Lubetkin Prize by the Royal Institute of British Architects for the most outstanding new building located outside European Union being the prominent one.

9. KANAZAWA STATION, JAPAN

The Kanazawa Station in Japan’s Ishikawa Province has been constantly rated as one among the top beautiful stations of the world. Built in 2005, the Tsuzumi Gate a huge 14-meter gate leading to the station’s entrance is the first thing that greets the passengers. It also has a giant and an impressive dome that covers the passage connecting the eastern and western part of the station and it is made up of 3,000 glass panes. The Kanazawa Station is nothing short of a classic example of, a combination of traditional Japanese wooden construction and the modern futuristic architecture.

8. ANTWERP CENTRAL STATION, BELGIUM

The Antwerp Central Station is notably one of the world’s most amazing railway stations. The stations construction spanned over 10 years between (1895-1905), and when completed it became a viewers delight for over a century now, known for its vast dome directly above the waiting room hall for the passengers and also a viaduct, thanks to this unique feature the Station looks more like a temple and is nicknamed as “The Railway Cathedral” . The Station is spread across 400 meters and has 2 entrances, many shopping malls and a diamond gallery with more than 30 shops will surely make shopping buffs stop and take a look. The main building is a brain child of architect L. Delacenserie while the huge glass vault was designed by architect J Van Asperen.

7. BERLIN HAUPTBAHNHOF, GERMANY

A masterpiece of modern architecture and one of the biggest and most beautiful railway stations in Europe, it itself is a big tourist attraction in the busy streets of Berlin, Germany. Berlin Hauptbahnhof or Berlin Central Station is the largest crossing station in Europe and also it is Europe’s largest two level railway station with over 80 stores, shops and 14 platforms in all. It has a colossal steel structure and 2000 trains halt here every day and around 350,000 passengers pass through it. The striking architecture with glass panes that let daylight into both the levels combined with a beach nearby gives this railway station a picturesque look.

6. KUALA LUMPUR RAILWAY STATION, MALAYSIA

Started in 1910, designed by British architect A.B. Hubbock the construction of the station was completed in 1917. This historical building is a mix of different architectural styles comprising of Arabic, Indian and western techniques. Although this is no longer the major rail destination of the commuters, still many people pass through this century old building .The Kuala Lumpur Railway Station looks more like a fairy tale palace rather than a railway station, so this makes it one of the most amazing railway station of the world.

5. GARE DE STRASBOURG, FRANCE

Another amazing railway station of the world popularly called as Gare De Strasbourg is to be found in France. Designed in 1883 by a Berlin based architect Johann Jacobsthal, the railway station in Strasbourg, France is one of the Europe’s busiest railway hubs, catering to the needs of  190 million passengers each year and offering a wide variety of  national as well as international services connecting to different routes like Belgium, Poland, Germany and the UK. A 120-metre-long glass construction that depicts the historic design of the train station and the 25-metre space that is present between the dome and the building is another big tourist attraction of for this station.

4. CHHATRAPATI SHIVAJI TERMINUS, MUMBAI

Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus is the busiest transportation hub of India, formerly called Victoria Terminus its history dates back to 19th century when it was designed by Frederick William Stevens, an English architect. It is the only railway station to be listed in the UNESCO world heritage sites. The architectural style fuses a mix of gothic turrets, stone domes and pointed arches and it is considered as a cross between two different cultures because, It is exactly here where the Victorian Gothic Revival style meets the traditional Indian architecture. CST is also famous considering the fact that this is the place where the infamous 26/11 attacks were started.

3. ST PANCRAS INTERNATIONAL, LONDON

St Pancras railway station, this amazing historic station celebrated for its Victorian architecture, was constructed between 1864 and 1868 in London, avoided a demolition in 1960s, and was rebuilt and renovated in 2000. This station houses two tall statues: statue of John Betjeman and the Meeting Place being one, and the other being a 9meter tall bronze statue of a couple. It may be hard to believe but  St Pancras International railway station has Europe’s longest champagne bar, and it also includes many other shops, restaurants , malls and cafes perfect for shopping addicts.

2. ATOCHA, MADRID

Any 1st timer at Station Atocha, in the Spanish capital of Madrid will surely be baffled by looking at it for the first time unable to know whether it is a miniature jungle or a train station. The Atocha, which was built in 1851, is the largest railway station in Madrid. The station was converted into an exotic garden by famed Spanish architect Rafael Moneo. The jungle spans over 4,000 m² and houses approximately 500 species of plants, animals including carnivorous plants, it also houses some species of turtles.

1.  GRAND CENTRAL TERMINAL, NEW YORK

This monumental railway station was built in 1913 for the New York and Harlem Railroad company, and now it serves as a transportation hub connecting metro, car and pedestrian traffic and trains in a very efficient way. It is the world’s largest rail facility and the station has 44 platforms serving 67 tracks along them in two levels. This iconic station is decorated with winding marble staircases and gleaming chandeliers. Grand Central Terminal has been described as “The loveliest railway station” according to many magazines and it also features in the “world’s six most visited tourist attraction”  attracting 21,600,000 visitors annually.