When you’re exploring a city or country using public transport, the stations can sometimes feel like locations that you are just passing through. Yet, many of these are architectural masterpieces that deserve to be admired. Here are some train stations that are worth a visit past catching the 11:03.
Sirkeci Railway Station, Istanbul
Built in 1890, this is the terminal through which the famous Orient Express once operated. With its striking red highlights, the Sirkeci Railway Station is designed with French Art Nouveau and Ottoman architectural elements. During the 1950s and ‘60s, the terminal restaurant became a meeting point for journalists and writers.
Grand Central Terminal, New York City
The French Beaux-Arts architecture is what makes Grand Central Terminal the unique station that it is. With marble staircases, a domed ceiling painted with zodiac constellations, and a subterranean oyster restaurant, it makes perfect sense that it’s described as grand.
Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, Mumbai
It may seem unusual to find an Italian Gothic-style train station in India, but it also includes classical Indian architecture with its turrets and pointed arches. The building was completed in 1887, marking 50 years of Queen Victoria being on the throne. The space includes statues of local flora and fauna, gargoyles, and sculptures representing elements like agriculture, commerce, science, and progress.