01) St Pancras International, London, UK
After celebrating its 150th birthday in 2018, St Pancras International remains one of London's most important train stations, providing domestic services and international links to Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam and more. A wonder of Victorian engineering, the station suffered serious damage in 1942 when a bomb damaged the roof and platforms 3 and 4. However, it was back in operation after only a week of intensive repairs. The station's facade is most recognizable as the stand-in for King's Cross in the Harry Potter films.
02) Union Station, Washington DC, USA
The second busiest Amtrak station in the country, Union Station in Washington DC was originally a rundown building called an "embarrassment to the federal government" in the 1980s. Now it's been transformed into one of the most beautiful stations in the world. After undergoing an extensive restoration project, the station reopened in its present form in 1988.
03) Manarola station, Cinque Terre, Italy
Perched on a cliff in Italy's Cinque Terre, Manarola station is just a regular train station. However, it's the view from the platforms that makes it extra special. With beautiful cliffside vistas on either side and the blue expanse of the Ligurian Sea ahead, it's definitely one of the most picturesque settings for a train station.
04) Keleti palyaudvar, Budapest, Hungary
04) Keleti palyaudvar, Budapest, Hungary
Severely damaged during both World Wars, Budapest's Keleti station has regained its former glory thanks to extensive repair and restoration work finished in 2014. Originally opened 130 years earlier (in 1884), the station impressed the public with its imposing dimensions – the central hall was 590 feet (180m) long and 103 feet (31.4m) tall. Statues of James Watt, who perfected the steam engine, and George Stephenson, who created the first steam locomotive, stand on either side of the facade.
05) Anaheim Regional Transportation Intermodal Center, Anaheim, USA
Drawing inspiration from the imposing main halls of stations like Grand Central and the structural elegance of airship hangars, Anaheim Regional Transportation Intermodal Center, better known as ARTIC, is a stunning example of modern engineering. The station's entrance is an impressive 120-foot (37m) glass wall that leads into a spacious lobby with ticketing counters and waiting areas. At night, both the interior and exterior are lit up with colorful lights.
06) Penn Station, Pittsburgh, USA
Described as "one of the great pieces of Beaux-Arts architecture in America" by The New Yorker art critic Brendan Gill, this is Pittsburgh's only 20th-century station still in use. Officially called Union Station but referred to as Penn Station by locals, its most stunning feature is the street-level rotunda made from brown terracotta that resembles brownstone. The station's grand appearance is a monument to the glamorous days of rail travel in America.
07) Bahnhof Uelzen, Uelzen, Germany
05) Anaheim Regional Transportation Intermodal Center, Anaheim, USA
Drawing inspiration from the imposing main halls of stations like Grand Central and the structural elegance of airship hangars, Anaheim Regional Transportation Intermodal Center, better known as ARTIC, is a stunning example of modern engineering. The station's entrance is an impressive 120-foot (37m) glass wall that leads into a spacious lobby with ticketing counters and waiting areas. At night, both the interior and exterior are lit up with colorful lights.
06) Penn Station, Pittsburgh, USA
Described as "one of the great pieces of Beaux-Arts architecture in America" by The New Yorker art critic Brendan Gill, this is Pittsburgh's only 20th-century station still in use. Officially called Union Station but referred to as Penn Station by locals, its most stunning feature is the street-level rotunda made from brown terracotta that resembles brownstone. The station's grand appearance is a monument to the glamorous days of rail travel in America.
07) Bahnhof Uelzen, Uelzen, Germany
An unusual building to see in northern Germany, Uelzen railway station dazzles with asymmetric colourful pillars covered in mosaics and ceramic tiles, golden balls adorning the roof and a disco ball-like dome at the back. One of the last works by Austrian modernist artist and architect Friedensreich Hundertwasser, it was thanks to him the station received a complete makeover in 2000 for the Expo 2000 world fair.
08) Taipei Main Station, Taipei, Taiwan
08) Taipei Main Station, Taipei, Taiwan
One of the busiest stations in Asia and a major hub in Taiwan's rail network, Taipei Main Station impresses with its sheer size. More than 600,000 people pass through the terminal each day, with the building hiding a vast underground network with shopping streets, food courts and tunnels, connecting five different public transport options converging at the station.
09) Rotterdam Centraal, Rotterdam, Netherlands
One of the Netherlands' most important transport hubs, the station serves just as many travellers as Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport. An excellent example of how ultra-modern architecture can fit seamlessly into a cityscape, Rotterdam Centraal's stainless steel-clad roof points to the heart of the city and the main hall opens up to a large public space often used for various events.
10) Union Station, Los Angeles, USA
09) Rotterdam Centraal, Rotterdam, Netherlands
One of the Netherlands' most important transport hubs, the station serves just as many travellers as Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport. An excellent example of how ultra-modern architecture can fit seamlessly into a cityscape, Rotterdam Centraal's stainless steel-clad roof points to the heart of the city and the main hall opens up to a large public space often used for various events.
10) Union Station, Los Angeles, USA
Widely regarded as the last of the great train stations, LA's Union Station was built in 1939. The station's signature Mission Revival style makes it one of the city's most distinct buildings. Inside, the spacious ticket hall was equipped with a wooden ticket counter crafted from American black walnut and massive Art Deco chandeliers still hang from the ceiling in the vast waiting room. Although most of the station has remained largely unchanged, the original ticket lobby is now closed to the public and rented out for private events or used as a filming location.
.jpg)
.jpeg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
