World Record Holders: The Most Remarkable and Architecturally Beautiful Railway Stations

 These railway stations are also among the most beautiful stations in the world.

A train station, also called a railway station or railroad station is a railway facility where trains regularly stop to load or unload passengers or goods. Here’s a list of the world’s most remarkable railway stations.

1.) Beijing West Railway Station – Largest Station in the World in 2006

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The world's largest station was Beijing West Station in Beijing, China in 2006. It is also known as Beijing West or West Passenger Station. This station opened in early 1996 and was the largest railway station in Asia with 510,000m². The station serves in average 150,000–180,000 passengers per day with a maximum of 400,000 people per day. It was expanded in 2000 and had a vast amount of parking lots added.

Today, many new stations are larger than Beijing West such as Beijing South, Guangzhou South, Nanjing South, Shanghai Hongqiao and Xi'an North all also claim to be the largest railway station in Asia

2.) Grand Central Terminal - World's Largest Station by Platforms

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Grand Central Terminal, in terms of platform capacity, is the largest station by platforms in the world. It is located at 42^nd Street and Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, USA and has 44 platforms with 67 tracks along them. They are on two levels, both below ground, with 41 tracks on the upper level and 26 on the lower, though the total number of tracks along platforms and in rail yards exceeds 100.

3.) Gare du Nord – 2^nd World's Largest Station by Platforms

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Gare du Nord is a railway station in the city of Paris, France. It is the second largest station with 42 platforms. It is also Europe's busiest railway station by total passenger numbers. By the number of travelers, at around 190 million per year, it is the busiest railway station in Europe

4.) Nagoya Station – World’s Tallest Railway Station Building

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Nagoya Station in Nakamura-ku, Nagoya, Japan it is the tallest railway station building in the world. It is also the largest train station by floor area in the world with an area of 410,000 m². The current station complex was completed in 1999. An average of 1,140,000 people used it per day in 2005, making it the 6th busiest station in Japan.

5.) Shinjuku Station - World's Busiest Passenger Station

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Shinjuku Station in Tokyo, Japan is the busiest passenger station in the world in terms of daily passenger. The station was used by an average of 3.64 million people per day in 2007. It is registered with Guinness World Records. Including an underground arcade, the station has more than 200 exits.

6.) Ikebukuro Station – World’s 2^nd Busiest Station

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The second busiest station in the world is the Ikebukuro Station in Ikebukuro district of Toshima in Tokyo, Japan. It was used by an average of 2.71 million people per day in 2007.

7.) Leipzig Hauptbahnhof – Europe’s Largest Railway Station

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Leipzig Hauptbahnhof is the largest station in Europe by floor area with an area of 83,460 m². It has 24 platforms housed in six iron trainsheds; a multi-level concourse with towering stone arches; and a 293 meter-long facade. It handles an average of 150,000 passengers per day, with a total of over 54 million people using the Hauptbahnhof each year.

8.) Berlin Hauptbahnhof – Europe's Largest Crossing Station

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Berlin Hauptbalnhof in Germany is the largest crossing station in Europe with two-level station. It is also Europe's largest railway station by floor area (24 platforms and several levels of shopping facilities beneath). It began full operation in 2006. It is now Europe's largest two-level railway station.

9.) Clapham Junction – Europe’s Busiest Railway Station by Daily Rail Traffic

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Clapham Junction is a station located near St. John’s Hill in south London. It is the busiest railway station by daily rail traffic in Europe - 1 train every 13 seconds at peak times; one train every 30 seconds at off-peak times.

10.) Zurich Hauptbahnhof – Europe’s Busiest Railway Terminus by Daily Rail Traffic

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Zurich Hauptbalnhof is a railway terminus in Switzerland. It is Europe's busiest railway terminus by daily rail traffic (Clapham Junction is a through station). It is the largest railway station in Zurich and also in Switzerland and is one of the oldest railway stations in Switzerland.

11.) Penn Station – Busiest Station in North America

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Pennsylvania Station or simply Penn Station is North America’s busiest station. This station is located in New York City, USA and is one of the busiest rail stations in the world. The station serves 300,000 passengers a day at a rate of up to a thousand every 90 seconds. It is the busiest passenger transportation facility in the United States.

12.) Union Station – Canada’s Busiest Station

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Union Station is located in Toronto City, Canada. It is the busiest station in Canada and

the major inter-city rail station. It is located on Front Street West and serves 200,000 passengers a day.

13.) Shanghai South Railway Station – Station with the World's Largest Circular Transparent Roof

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The Shanghai South Railway Station, which is also called Shanghai South Station, has the largest circular transparent roof of any station. It is located in the Xuhui District, Shanghai City, China. It opened in 2006, the station features a modern circular design, the first of its kind in the world.

14.) Chatelet-Les Halles – World’s Busiest Underground Railway Station

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Chatelet-Les Halles is located in the centre of Paris, France. It is the world’s busiest underground railway station with approximately 750,000 passengers pass through it per day. It is named after the Chatelet monument and the former market of Les Halles.

15.) Coney Island Terminal – World’s Largest Elevated Terminal

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Coney Island Terminal or Coney Island – Stillwell Avenue is the largest elevated terminal in the world. This major rapid transit station is located in Coney Island, Brooklyn. It is one of the world's largest above-ground terminal facilities, and is the most energy-efficient mass transit facility in the US.

16.) Antwerp Central Station – The Railway Cathedral

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Antwerp Central Station in Belgium is nicknamed the "Railway Cathedral" because of its architectural design that resembles a cathedral.

17.) New Delhi Railway Station – World’s Largest Route Interlock System

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New Delhi Railway Station is located in New Delhi, India. The station holds the record for the largest route interlock system in the world. It is the main railway station in Delhi. New Delhi Station is the second busiest, and one of the largest, in India. It handles over 300 trains each day, from 16 platforms.

18.) Broad Green Railway Station – Oldest Train Station in Used

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Broad Green Railway Station is situated in the Broadgreen district of Liverpool, England. It is the oldest used railway station in the world being a part of the original 1830 Liverpool and Manchester passenger railway.

19.) Liverpool and Manchester Railway – World’s Oldest Surviving Railway Terminus Building

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Liverpool Road Station in Manchester was built in 1830. It is the oldest surviving railway terminus building in the world. The Liverpool and Manchester Railway (L&MR) was the world's first inter-city passenger railway in which all the trains were timetabled and were hauled for most of the distance solely by steam locomotives

20.) Retiro Railway Station – World’s Largest Station in the Early 1900s

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The grand Retiro Railway Station is the largest train station in the world in the early 1900s. It is located in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The station was built in Liverpool in England and shipped over to Argentina.

See also 

• The 12 Most Beautiful Railway Stations From Around the World 
• World Record Holder: Most Remarkable Bus Stations 
• Top 10 Most Beautiful Ports in the World 
• The World’s Fastest trains in the World 
• 26 World Record Holders: Largest and Tallest Structures