‘Trains are like the England football team. Everyone’s got an opinion on them.” So wrote Christopher Beanland in his round-up of the world’s coolest railway terminals last week. His words were endorsed by the comments you shared below the article. While the author named stations in Helsinki, Russia and Tokyo as his all-time favourites, our readers were quick to agree, disagree — and point out those he’d overlooked. Your suggestions were so good that we’ve handpicked the best of them below.
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1. Grand Central Terminal, New York, USA
You came out loud and clear in your defence of Grand Central Terminal, Manhattan’s 111-year-old main station that’s a tourist attraction in its own right. K Leeming is indignant that our round-up omitted this 44-platform New York staple: “To not have Grand Central Station on here is ridiculous,” he writes. “Arrive in NY, have a two-martini lunch at the Oyster Bar then career out straight into the thick of it.” Peter Insull agrees, writing that the terminal’s main concourse deserves “a chapter all to itself”, while Dave Sweeney says: “Grand Central station rocks my boat! Sometimes the most famous are still the best and any reader of this article will have [a] far greater chance of visiting NY than some of the other destinations.”
Where to stay The modern Park Terrace Hotel is a ten-minute walk away.Room-only doubles from £205 (parkterracehotel.com)
2. Lime Street, Liverpool, UK
“I’ll always have a soft spot for Liverpool Lime Street, the world’s first terminus station — but the concourse has seen much better days,” writes Joe Scott. D Holt agrees, but argues that the concourse “is now better than it’s ever been, especially now that the North Western Hall has been hugely refurbished and the frontage has been cleared of tired old buildings that obscured its magnificence. The view of the finest neoclassical building in the UK, St George’s Hall is an amazing welcome to a vibrant city.” We agree: the station’s nearly 200-year history, grand frontage, and brilliant location make Lime Street a highlight of this maritime-heritage city.
Where to stay The School Lane Hotel, one of the Times and Sunday Times best places to stay for 2024, is a ten-minute walk away. Room-only doubles from £59 (schoollanehotel.co.uk)
• School Lane Hotel review: Liverpool’s affordable central stay
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3. Atocha, Madrid, Spain
Madrid’s Atocha station opened in 1851, and has since undergone various expansions and refurbishments, including by the brilliant Spanish architect Rafael Moneo. Today, the terminal is a combination of old and new, with its own tropical garden (featuring 70 towering palm trees), various cafés, and impressive neo-gothic architecture. Philip Davies says the station is “lovely … indoor forest and a turtle pool. Love it.” While the turtle pool is no more, the station remains as alluring as ever.
Where to stay You’ll find plenty of wonderful places to spend the night nearby, including trendy Sleep’N Atocha, within strolling distance of the concourse. Room-only doubles from £64 (sleepnatocha.com)
• 15 of the best hotels in Madrid
4. West Kowloon Terminus, Hong Kong
“West Kowloon Terminus in Hong Kong is a marvel,” writes Richard Synott. “It was also a total bugger to build!” He’s not wrong, on both counts. Not only is the station architecturally marvellous; its construction was also an apparently laborious task, with flooding having delayed the planned 2012 opening until 2018. But the finished product — a 25m-high modern building made up of striking curved glass panelling and rows of elegantly planted trees — was worth the wait.
Where to stay If you’re planning on staying the night, the recently renovated Prince Hotel has lovely views over Victoria Harbour. Room-only doubles from £117 (marcopolohotels.com)
5. Venice Santa Lucia, Venice, Italy
When it comes to location, few stations have it better than Venice’s Santa Lucia. As Simon Dover points out, from the exit of the wide-build, modernist building you’ll “step out onto the Grand Canal”. Walk for some 20 minutes and you’ll soon find yourself in front of the Rialto Bridge — but if you’d prefer not to drag your suitcase along with you, book into one of the conveniently located surrounding hotels.
Where to stay The characterful Hotel Abbazia, once an old monastery, is a three-minute walk from the station. B&B doubles from £115 (abbaziahotel.com)
• 17 of the best hotels in Venice
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6. Antwerp Central Train Station, Antwerp, Belgium
Antwerp’s central station — or Spoorwegkathedraal (railroad cathedral) — deserved a mention, you said. “It’s on three levels, staggering to exit a train and see another 100ft above you … And the building is gorgeous,” writes M Garvey. “The integration of old and new is very impressive,” adds J Wallace. The Belgian terminal is an architectural wonder, constructed between 1899 and 1905 and designed by the Bruges architect Louis Delacenserie. It is often named among the most beautiful railway stations in the world, thanks to its elaborate Pantheon-inspired dome, gold decorations, and marble flooring.
Where to stay The swish Sapphire House, which occupies a well-restored 16th-century building, is one of the city’s chicest addresses. Room-only doubles from £156 (sapphirehouseantwerp.com)
• In-room sauna and 11-course meal: my night inside a £50m monastery
7. Odesa-Holovna, Odesa, Ukraine
“Odesa,” comments E Jones. “If it’s still standing.” Despite the continuing Russian assault on Ukraine’s Black Sea port city, Odesa-Holovna is standing proud. The station was constructed in the 19th century, but was rebuilt in 1952 after damage suffered during bombing in 1944. Today, the symmetrical, cream station frontage remains as pretty as ever, a grand design made up of round arched windows, tall columns, and intricate sculptures. The UK Foreign Office advises against travelling to Odesa at present, however.
Where else should be included? Carry on the conversation in the comments below
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