We depart in our journey to the most beautiful European train stations from Strasbourg!

1. Gare de Strasbourg

Doesn’t Gare de Strasbourg look like a picture from the future where we have to protect ourselves from the poisonous atmosphere? Gare de Strasbourg was build in 1883, that is the stone building over there under the glass ceiling. The historicist style building was completely covered with a glass ceiling designed by architect Jean-Marie Duthilleul in 2007.

2. Nyugati Railway Terminal

Nyugati Railway Terminal was built by the Eiffel company – yes, that one – in 1877. Budapest’s municipality made inspired choices when it commissioned the central stations, as Keleti Train Station, the other main station from Budapest is equally beautiful. If you watched Mission Impossible Ghost Protocol, you have seen Nyugati right in the first scenes.

3. Gare de Limoges-Bénédictins

Gare de Limoges-Bénédictins is the main train station of Limoges. Its name comes after the Benedictine monk order as a monastery closed during the French Revolution lied in the area. The present building was finished in 1929. While most train stations are symmetrically designed, Gare de Limoges-Bénédictins is an exquisite example of architectural boldness.

4. Liège-Guillemins railway station

Liège-Guillemins railway station cost the city of Liege around $400 million. Architect Santiago Calatrava went futuristic all the way with this 100 ft high building. Most train stations were built to last from the start, as well as to serve impressive numbers of people. Thus, you don’t get to see new train stations every day, especially this impressive.

5. Antwerpen-Centraal railway station

It is difficult to do justice with just one picture to this Belgium jewel completed in 1905. This voluminous four level structure (607 ft long per 144 ft high) is considered one of the most beautiful train stations in the world. A 1998 reconstruction project turned it from a terminal to a through station. The massive project included complicated underground tunnels, so its no wonder that the final cost was a little more than $2 billion.

6. Berlin Hauptbahnhof

The largest Berlinese train station serves 300.000 passengers daily. The previous historic French Neo-Renaissance station suffered heavy damages during the WWII and was demolished in 1957.  The reunification of Germany turned out to be an adequate moment, so the new Berlin Hauptbahnhof was opened in 2006.

7. St Pancras railway station

St Pancras railway station is the pride of England. Built in 1868, the red brick structure became international in 2007, when it got connected to Paris’ Gare de Nord through the Eurotunel. St Pancras was close to being demolished in the 1960s, but just before the first French train stopped at St Pancras, the train station went through a $1.3 billion renovation. Talk about a change of plans!

8. Madrid Puerta de Atocha

Madrid Atocha is the largest Spanish train station. Actually, it is called a railway complex, as it houses two ground train stations along with an underground one. The present building was opened in 1892 and is the result of a collaboration between Alberto de Palacio Ellissagne, Gustave Eiffel and Henry Saint James. The main building was converted into a museum in 1992 and it now houses a 43.000 sq ft tropical garden among cafes. Neat!

9. Gare de Nord, Paris

This is the busiest European train station, with 190 million passengers served each year. Japan is the only other country in the world with busier train stations. The construction opened in 1864 is featured in numerous French and international films, making it a popular culture icon.

10. Helsinki Central railway station

The present building was inaugurated in 1919, but the station was opened in 1862. By serving 200.000 daily passengers, Helsinki Central is the most visited Finnish building. The clock tower and the main building are covered in Finnish granite, and are some of the most exquisite examples of early modernist style.

11. Haydarpa?a Terminal

Haydarpa?a Terminal is one of the busiest rail terminal in Asia and definitely the busiest one in Turkey. The main building was opened in 1908. The terminal connects Asia and Europe with the help of a train ferry which carries the trains over Bosphorus.