Top 10 Oldest Train Stations in The World You Should Visit

Laelia Yang November 17, 2023 | 20:25

Despite the usual bustle associated with transportation hubs, some train stations have a peculiar ability to draw in curious onlookers.

Top 10 Oldest and Most Beautiful Train Stations in The World

Table of Content
1. Grand Central Terminal, New York 2. Liège-Guillemins Railway Station, Belgium 3. Marunouchi Station, Tokyo 4. Helsinki Central Station, Finland 5. Chhatrapati Shivaji Station, Mumbai 6. St. Pancras International, London 7. Kuala Lumpur Railway Station 8. Antwerpen-Centraal Station, Belgium 9. Gare du Nord, Paris, France 10. Haydarpaşa Railway Station

The station is more than just a transportation hub; it also serves as a classic urban symbol. The architecture and design of the station can tell us a lot about the past and present of the city it serves.

Let's admire the unique architecture of the 10 oldest and most beautiful stations in the world below.

1. Grand Central Terminal, New York

Photo: ny-cool

Grand Central Station is a well-known landmark in New York City and is regarded as one of the most exquisite train stations in the entire world. The station's Beaux-Arts-style architecture can be seen in a number of well-known Hollywood productions. The station was constructed in the 20th century and is well-known for the constellation mural that was painted on the green vaulted ceiling. The main lounge's iconic four-sided clock, a masterpiece of Henry Edward Bedford design, is impossible to miss for guests.

With 44 platforms and 67 tracks, it is the biggest train station in the world. Completed in 1913, the main executive building was designed in the Beau-Arts style.

The station's main structure was formerly home to art galleries and a museum.

Many well-known films, such as "The Godfather" and "The Man in Black," have included Grand Central Terminal.

2. Liège-Guillemins Railway Station, Belgium

Photo: structurae

Santiago Caltrava, a renowned Spanish architect, created the stunning steel and glass structure of the train station, which debuted in 2009. This is a work well-known for its sophisticated architectural beauty, which is well-known for its architectural beauty. built for 10 years and still maintain the regular operation of ships to and from Liège.

Calatrave previously designed Saint Exupéry station in Lyon, Oriente station in Lisbon, and is currently working on Mons station (Belgium), which will open before the city becomes the European Capital of Culture in 2015.

From the 35-meter-high glass roof to the gentle architecture of shops and cafes on the main platform to Europe's first childcare center, Liège Station is exquisite. Another unique feature of the station is the lack of posters, advertising posters, or public phone booths.

3. Marunouchi Station, Tokyo

Photo: japantimes

On the eve of its 100th birthday, Marunouchi Station has been restored to its original 1914 appearance. The elegant red-brick building has weathered many historical ups, as resilient as its famous nature. of the Japanese people. In 1923, the Kanto earthquake shook the station's foundations. In 1945, Marunouchi was hit by an air raid that damaged the roof and interior. And for the third time, during World War II, Marunouchi continued to have 2 roofs completely destroyed.

Kingo Tatsuno, a famous architect of the Meiji period at the beginning of the last century, designed the station in a Western-style, clearly drawing inspiration from his time studying in Europe. The station has long been a place of attachment, no other building can replace it in the minds of the people of Tokyo.

In October 2012, Maruchino was completely restored to its original dome and architecture, in addition to the largest seismic isolation system in Japan, to limit the effects of potential earthquakes. to this project. The train station will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2014.

4. Helsinki Central Station, Finland

Photo: tripadvisor

Eliel Saarinen, a Finnish architect, immigrated to the US in 1923 and began working as a professor at the University of Michigan. He bequeathed something to Helsinki Central Station at that time. As a prime example of the 'nouveau' design style, as applied art was popularly called in Finland during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the station has been in operation since 1919. under the moniker Jugend.

The station is a striking, yet understated, example of Finnish architecture, along with many other iconic structures. a tasteful fusion of traditional Finnish artistic design with necessary functional architecture.

The four enormous stone people near the main entrance, each holding a massive bridge lamp that lights up over 200,000 passengers each day, are the project's most striking feature. Passengers should not pass up the chance to visit the Eliel restaurant inside the station to have a light meal and take in the stunning Finnish landscape painted on the wall by artist Eero Jarnefelt.

5. Chhatrapati Shivaji Station, Mumbai

Photo: yeudulich

Victoria Station, named for the British Queen who was also the reigning monarch of India in 1987, was the previous name of Chhatrapati Shivaji Station in Mumbai, India. The station was officially opened in 1997, the year of the Queen's Golden Anniversary, but it wasn't until the following year that it was given official status. The first Maratha emperor, Chhatrapati Shivaji, is the current name of Mumbai Central Station.

British architect Frederick William Stevens created this piece, which has come to represent the Gothic Revival architectural movement. Stevens adds Victorian details and decorations to the station, based on an Italian medieval model. These include striking stone arches and arches in the Indian style, symmetrical domes with brick pillars, reliefs decorated with lions that represent England, and tigers that represent India.

The building's interior design is reminiscent of a church, save for the locomotive-shaped stained glass windows and the ceiling vault, which are shaped like locomotives rather than religious figures. This station, which features an exquisite blend of Asian and European architecture, is not only a remarkable example of 19th-century railway architecture but has also come to represent Mumbai. In 2004, UNESCO designated it as a World Heritage Site.

6. St. Pancras International, London

Photo: parkbee

Originally a desolate area of shuttered warehouses and industrial buildings, St Pancras station is now home to a thriving community of eateries, cafes, and creative startups. This 1868 international train station is a sight for most tourists to behold. Wonders of the Victorian era, a classic, magnificent, and vibrant work of European railways.

renowned for its elaborately painted Victorian architecture. The largest single-span building at the station at the time was the curved train shed.

The Renaissance hotel and a plethora of eateries and shops ready to assist guests in need surround its facade.

7. Kuala Lumpur Railway Station

Photo: viator

Kuala Lumpur Station "catches all eyes" with its magnificent façade, a stunning fusion of local and colonial architectural styles. The station's glass and iron dome gives it the appearance of a classic Victorian structure. An absolute must-see location for any traveler to Kuala Lumpur.

Arthur Benison Hubback, an architect, was in charge of designing this building in 1917. This is the meeting point of numerous architectural traditions, fusing European, Indian, and Arabian schools. It appears to be a palace from the outside, so one cannot tell it is a railway station.

Despite the opening of a new central station, Kuala Lumpur, the country's capital, continues to draw large numbers of tourists due to its unique beauty.

8. Antwerpen-Centraal Station, Belgium

Photo: wikipedia

Antwerp Central, one of the most exquisite train stations on earth, first opened its doors in 1905. It was mostly created by architect Louis Delacenserie and combines a variety of architectural styles.

The largest creation of Delacenserie is the enormous dome that looms over the lobby. Architect Jan Van Asperen designed the glass viaduct that leads into the station, while engineer Clement van Bogaert created the exterior of the train.

Numerous surveys have consistently voted the Belgian architectural design as the most beautiful railway station.

9. Gare du Nord, Paris, France

Photo: railjournal

Of course, one of the most exquisite train stations can be found in one of the most exquisite cities on Earth. The 1864 opening of the Gare du Nord is a marvel of architecture.

The decorations that adorn the Gare du Nord complement its neoclassical design. Among these are 23 female statues that are part of the façade and symbolize the locations that the railway serves.

10. Haydarpaşa Railway Station

Photo: wikipedia

Built on land reclaimed from the Bosporus Strait, Haydarpaşa is surrounded by water on three sides, making it less famous but no less grand than Istanbul's Sirkeci station. On Mehmed V's birthday in 1909, German architects Otto Ritter and Helmut Conu dedicated the enormous neoclassical structure.

The concourse of the station has large windows and coffered barrel-vault ceilings. Despite Haydarpaşa's closure in 2012 for renovation and the construction of high-speed lines, it remains a striking sight from the outside, best experienced from a boat.

This large station has existed since 1906, once a symbol of friendship between the Ottoman Empire and Germany. Haydarpaşa station, with its immaculate Neo-Renaissance architecture, is the hub for trains arriving from Turkey to the Middle East.