The first public railway was opened two centuries ago in England. In the 21st century, there are no railways in only one fifth of all countries in the world. Sometimes this type of transport is not needed due to the small size of the country, as in San Marino and Saint Lucia. In some places, the construction of roads is hampered by the low infrastructural and economic development of the state, as in a number of African countries.
But for most people, the train has long become a priority method of travel: such a trip is often cheaper than by plane, and is more comfortable than by car or bus. And also, choosing this type of transport, you can visit railway stations, which sometimes are not inferior in beauty and grace to cathedrals and palaces.
Read also: The most beautiful subways in the world.
15 most luxurious train stations in the world
Chhatrapati Shivaji Station, Mumbai, India
This UNESCO-protected 1887 site combines the architectural features of the Renaissance in Italy and the Mughal era. At the time of its opening, the station was called Victoria Terminus - in honor of the British Queen Victoria, who at that time turned 50 years old. For several years, the station was being completed, and new parts of the building were designed in such a way that they did not differ from the original design of the station.
Grand Central Station, New York, USA
This is perhaps the most impressive train station in the United States. The waiting room with luxurious windows and columns seems to have been transferred from the old vaulted temple, and the facade of the building is decorated with an intricate sculptural composition depicting Hercules, Minerva and Mercury. It is not surprising that the Grand Central Station is the sixth most visited attraction in the world, with 26 million people walking here every year.
Liège-Guillemins train station, Liege, Belgium
Most of the delightful train stations date back to the Victorian and Edwardian times, from the mid-19th to the early 20th centuries. But some modern railway stations can easily give odds to old buildings. These include the Liege Central Station, which opened less than 10 years ago.
The building, with a 32-meter-high monumental arch made of steel, glass and white concrete, is considered one of the most important transport hubs in the country.
St Pancras Station, London, UK
Often called the "railway cathedral", this station with a century and a half history at one time boasted the world's largest single-span roof.In the 60s of the 20th century, they decided to close the station due to its uselessness - the wondrous building was saved by desperate fans of ancient architecture, including the famous poet John Betzhemen.
Station building in Dunedin, New Zealand
Only 120 thousand people live in New Zealand's Dunedin, but twice as many tourists come here - people are attracted by the steepest street in the world, two ancient cathedrals and a train station built in the Flemish Renaissance style and nicknamed for the festive colors "Gingerbread George" (in honor of the architect, George Corpse). The top floor of the old building houses the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame and the Otago Art Gallery.
Antwerp Central Railway Station, Belgium
Antwerp Central has been operating since 1905: the building in gloomy gray stone and marvelous marble of twenty varieties, with a powerful glass dome and a giant clock, was solved in a variety of architectural styles - it is too difficult to single out the main one. In 2014, British-American magazine Mashable ranked Antwerp Central as the number one most impressive train station in the world.
Milan Central Railway Station, Italy
The King of Italy laid the first stone on the site of the future station back in 1906, although work on the station project began only six years later. During the First World War, the country was going through a serious economic crisis, and the construction of the station proceeded extremely slowly, but the initially simple project of the station became more complicated every year.
Later, Benito Mussolini ordered to improve the building, seeing in it a symbol of the boundless power of the fascist party. In the end, an unusual structure turned out that combines a whole set of architectural features and styles and is of great interest to absolutely all tourists.
Sirkeci Station, Istanbul, Turkey
Built almost 130 years ago, this beautiful train station is considered one of the most striking examples of European Orientalism: sumptuous round stained glass windows, a charming facade of gray stone and carved turrets have inspired more than one architect to create such masterpieces.
It was at this station that the legendary Orient Express ended its long journey, following from the capital of France through European countries. Those who arrived in Constantinople could appreciate more than modern conveniences for those years - built-in gas lighting and heating with the help of Austrian stoves.
Haydarpasa Station, Istanbul, Turkey
Speaking of Istanbul, there is another luxurious station worth mentioning - Haydarpasa. Erection of the neoclassical building was extremely difficult: the foundation of the object was laid on wooden piles driven into the soft coastline reclaimed from the sea. Rumor has it that the Turkish government plans to sell the old station along with the port and turn it into a luxury resort.
Maputo train station, Mozambique
This station, according to Newsweek, is one of the ten most beautiful railway stations in the world. This cozy green and white building with a series of stately Victorian arches and columns is the child of Gustave Eiffel, the genius who created the famous Eiffel Tower a few years earlier. Today, the station in Maputo is not only a railway depot, but also a cultural space, where concerts and fashion shows are held.
Atocha train station, Madrid, Spain
In 1892, under the strict guidance of the architect Alberto Palacio and the same Gustave Eiffel, the largest railway station in Madrid, Atocha, was built. The original building, with massive wrought iron details, was named after the nearby monastery of Our Lady of Atocha. In the center of today's station is a winter garden with spreading palms, tropical plants and a pond where turtles live.
Kuala Lumpur Railway Station, Malaysia
The elegant building of 1910 included a huge number of architectural elements inherent in Eastern and Western traditions, for which this station is called Neo-Moorish, Mughal or Indo-Saracenic in various sources.
Helsinki Central Station, Finland
This recognizable Finnish building is today considered a landmark more abruptly than Senate Square or Sveaborg Fortress. Initially, the station was supposed to be "very Scandinavian" - in the national romantic style, but the locals demanded to create something more modern. The architect Eliel Saarinen dutifully rewrote the plan, and already in 1919 the inhabitants of Helsinki were able to appreciate his architectural creation.
Interestingly, the station has a private waiting room reserved exclusively for the President of Finland and official guests. This room was originally created for private use by the emperor of Russia, but the First World War delayed the grand opening of the station, and there, as we know, the emperor was gone.
Gare du Nord, Paris, France
Built in the eclectic Beaux-Arts style, continuing the wonderful traditions of the Italian Renaissance and French Baroque, the Gare du Nord in Paris overshadows many of the capital's attractions with its beauty. The facade of the building is decorated with statues representing the main cities of Europe, and thanks to the high arched windows, on sunny days, the hall is filled with soft golden light. The support pillars inside the station were made at a metallurgical plant in Glasgow - in all of Europe, only in Scotland there was a foundry where it was possible to perform such global tasks.
Sao Bento train station, Porto, Portugal
The railway station in the Portuguese city, built on the site of an old monastery, is very reminiscent of a museum. And they come here to admire the fabulous panels on the walls, the first of which were created already in 1905.
These blue and white paintings of 20 thousand small tiles will guide the interested tourist through the difficult, but interesting history of Portugal - here is the Battle of Valdeves in the 12th century, in which the Emperor León Alfonso VII courageously fought with his own brother, Afonso I the Great, the first king of Portugal; here is the wedding of the next Portuguese king João I in the 14th century, and the bloody battle of Ceuta in 1415, which marked the beginning of the era of European expansion.