Top train stations in the world (according to Newsweek)

[taboe]

Newsweek published a list of the best 9 stations in the world.
The main factor in their list seems to be the beautiful, extraordinary or awe-inspiring architecture of a station and/or the way it is used (for example, there's a nightclub and a tropical garden in Atocha station).
This is the list, which is very debatable off course (like any list):

1. St. Pancras, London



2. Grand Central Terminal, New York



3. Chhatrapati Shivaji, Mumbai



4. Central Station, Antwerp, Belgium



5. Gare des Bénédictins, Limoges, France



6. Lahore Railway Station, Pakistan



7. Central Railway Station, Maputo, Mozambique



8. Hua Hin Railway Station, Thailand



9. Atocha Station, Madrid



Personally, I wonder what Lahore station is doing on the list. NY central is also ranked too high, although the crazy scale of it (67 railway lines) makes it special...

source

[Glodenox]

Some more detailed links to topics about them:

St. Pancras, London: http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=536824

Grand Central Terminal, New York: http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=217982

Chhatrapati Shivaji, Mumbai: couldn't find a dedicated thread :/

Central Station, Antwerp, Belgium: http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=421424 , http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=170356

Gare des Bénédictins, Limoges, France: only mentioned in a question once :/

Lahore Railway Station, Pakistan: http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=735562 (pretty limited, but the best I could find)

Central Railway Station, Maputo, Mozambique: couldn't find a thread with pictures :/

Hua Hin Railway Station, Thailand: http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showth...&pp=20&page=14 (only a short section about it though)

Atocha Station, Madrid: only found one thread where two pictures were still alive but outdated.

Greetings,
Glodenox

[get13]

My main problem with this List is that it seems that no standard criteria has been set to establish this list. It just seems like a list that the Newsweek editor has pulled out a hat. I can see why St Pancras and some European ones are there. But what was the list based on. Easiest to use? Most beautiful? Busiest? Most Efficient? The list makes no sense.
Grand Central has a beautiful concourse but the platforms are rank and isn't very passenger friendly. No offence but there is no way that Lahore station is 6th best in the world. They put it above Madrid Atocha! WTF is with the station in Thailand? Yes, It's very pretty but my local station probably has a more frequent service and is very passenger friendly. Technically it is a "Better station" but it's not on the list. Fuck sake Newsweek!

[hoosier]

That list is total bullshit.

There are so many more impressive and bigger rail stations.

[city_thing]

No Gare du Nord, or Southern Cross?

I can think of a lot of better stations, like

> Zurich Hauptbahnhof
> Berlin's new station
> Waterloo
> Milan Centrale
> Liege Central
> Amsterdam Central

etc. etc. etc.

The station in Pakistan was a bit of a surprise.

[Momo1435]

Originally Posted by taboe

source

Stations: A Destination That Matches the Journey

Among the many fine sights to be seen while traveling by train, few are as pleasantly surprising as the terminals one passes through. Madrid's Atocha Station, a large building with wrought-iron design built in 1892, boasts a large tropical garden complete with palm trees and terrapins. It also has a nightclub for those who feel like strutting their stuff while waiting for the train. Shopaholics will appreciate Berlin's Hauptbahnhof, which has 80 stores that sell everything from flowers and fruit to jewelry and eyeglasses. And London's recently refurbished St. Pancras Internationalfeatures the longest champagne bar in Europe and a new farmers' market set to open this year.

The Lahore Railway Station in Pakistan provides an intriguing taste of the region's military history. Built during Britain's colonial rule, it functioned as both a fort and a train station. The two clock towers were designed to withstand bombs, and holes across the façade housed guns. In case of emergency, the train sheds can be easily sealed off.

Probably Africa's most beautiful terminus, Maputo's Central Railway Station in Mozambique was designed by Gustave Eiffel in 1910 to resemble a palace, with marble pillars and wrought iron detail.

Strikingly situated in one of Japan's most picturesque historic cities, the Kyoto Stationis a dazzling, futuristic maze of glass and steel that houses a shopping mall, a department store and a hotel. Check out the view of the city from the 12th floor. You'll feel as if you've truly arrived.

Actually reading the accompanying article helps to understand the criteria for this list.

It's mainly the architecture seen in the context of it's function and it's history that are the main criteria behind this list.

If you got a better list, please post it here with pictures and a motivation.

[Thermo]

Originally Posted by hoosier

That list is total bullshit.

There are so many more impressive and bigger rail stations.

You think so?

I think Antwerp deserves to be in that list! Great combination of old and new.



This will become the second entrance to the station (as you can see it's not finished yet):





Underground platforms




Let's go up








Central hall

[X38]

WTF is that station in Thailand doing on that list?!

[earthJoker]

The list seems to be a bit too random. No systematics behind it.

And of course I am a bit dissapointed that Zürich HB is not on the list.

[JoKo65]

Originally Posted by city_thing

No Gare du Nord, or Southern Cross?

I can think of a lot of better stations, like

> Zurich Hauptbahnhof
> Berlin's new station
> Waterloo
> Milan Centrale
> Liege Central
> Amsterdam Central

etc. etc. etc.

The station in Pakistan was a bit of a surprise.

Not Berlin Hbf. please! The underground section is absolutely ugly and the elevated part is ok, but nothing special.
It's an average shopping centre with rail connection.

[yaohua2000]

[yaohua2000]

More Photos about Beijing South at:

http://tinyurl.com/bsryls

[foxmulder_ms]

Well, actually i liked the list. "extraordinary or awe-inspiring architecture " is the main factor that has been used to create the list, I guess. And mentioned stations are really beautiful.

My list wont be like this but still the list is not terrible.

by the way, @ yaohua2000

I like the link you send, south stations is a very modern and large airport not a train station

[BarbaricManchurian]

south station is a train station, though right now it only serves one rail line (350 km/h HSR to Tianjin). I wish they put some modern stations on the list, it doesn't seem complete without them.

[Republica]

Wow, antwerp is the best ever.

[benchjade]

japan not included in the list?

[foxmulder_ms]

Originally Posted by BarbaricManchurian

south station is a train station, though right now it only serves one rail line (350 km/h HSR to Tianjin). I wish they put some modern stations on the list, it doesn't seem complete without them.

dude! sarcasm.......

[GTR22]

Clearly Tokyo Station should be included!

[city_thing]

St. Pancras totally deserves the top spot. It's beautiful.

The domestic trains part is good, but not as fantastic as the international part though.

Domestic
















I much prefer stations like St. Pancras to ones like Beijing South.

[iampuking]

Originally Posted by GTR22

Clearly Tokyo Station should be included!

Are you kidding?

That could be any provincial town in any European country.