Train Stations fill me with warmth, in the way that Airports fill me with dread. Full of history, art and people watching opportunities they are a budget traveller’s dream – you don’t even require a train ticket to avail yourself of their charms.
Milan’s Station, located in the style capital of Italy is simply stunning. Originally modeled on Union Station in Washington D.C. it is a style mix, with Art Deco being one that comes to mind. Mussolini changed the original plans to better reflect the power of his Fascist Regime, and after a slow start due to WWI, it was eventually finished in 1931.
Political issues aside, I particularly liked it’s impressive vault height of 72 m and the distinctly Italian Feel.
The Grandeur of Milan0 Centrale.
Photo Credit: Bjørn Christian Tørrissen
One of the changes Mussolini made was the introduction of huge steel canopies, 341 m long covering the tracks. Even this photo taken on my inexpensive point and shoot of 2010 gives an idea of just how impressive they are.
Reminiscing about the grandeur of Milan Station led my thoughts down the track to other train stations I have known.
Spain’s Toledo Station although nothing like Milan’s is attention grabbing all the same.
The top photo shows the view from the tracks on arrival; while the second, the view from the front upon leaving the station. The clock tower is meant to resemble Toledo’s church towers.
Completed in 1920 in the Mudejar* Style it was restored in the 21st Century with the introduction of the high speed train from Madrid in 2005. We arrived via the fast train in 2012 and can recommend it as an effortless way to travel to Toledo, with the added bonus of seeing this station. If you were day-tripping from Madrid by bus you would probably not see the train station as it is a fair walk from the old town. There is a connecting bus from the station to the old town.
*Mudejar, the term given to the Islamic Moors that remained in Spain after defeat by the Christians in the 12th century, is a building style that incorporated brick as the main structural component and tiles, wood and plaster carving for decoration.
Rossio Train Station, Lisbon
Renamed Rossio, it’s original name Estação Central, still sits elaborately over the arches.
The Franco-Swiss author Blaise Cendrars called railway stations “the most beautiful churches in the world” and I totally agree. Supposedly in Rossio Square the station is actually between that and Restauradores square. Look for the purple doors when visiting SINTRA, because Rossio is the departure point for trains to that much loved town.
Or even better you could STAY IN THE TRAIN STATION HOSTEL! No Joke.
Oriente Station, Lisbon.
Oriente, otherwise known as Vasco da Gama, is a Metro Station on the Red Line. Part of the Intermodal Station, built to service the World Exhibition of Lisbon – Expo ’98, it complies with the chosen theme of “The Oceans”, hence the tile panel we encountered in the underground railway station.
Panel 1.
Panel 2.
Panel 3.
Panel 4
Lisbon loves tiles and this was not the only tile mural on site. I broke the scene into four panels but at the station they are one long mural. The train and bus station, shopping centre, and the incredibly vast civic areas lead to the Rio Tagus which is spanned close to this spot, by the Vasco da Gama bridge. I was tempted to show you photos of the magnificent shopping centre but it deserves a spotlight of it’s own.
With a patronage of 75 million per year this train station could find itself in the same league as my final choice.
If you wish to know more about this station, there is a very knowledgeable comment at the bottom which explains it in depth.
Grand Central Station, NYC.
The largest stained (Tiffany) glass clock in the world adorns the facade.
On the corner of 42nd and Park Avenue in New York City, NY, and universally known as Grand Central Station, it’s proper name is Grand Central Terminal. But whatever the name, this station is a destination in itself.
If you were one of the 21,600,000 people who visit the station each year, you could sample the 30 varieties of Oyster available daily at Grand Central’s Oyster Bar – the seafood restaurant that opened along with the station in 1913. Arrive a little early though because 10,000 people come to Grand Central Station each day, just to have lunch. You could shop in one or all of the 40 retail stores, or even visit the on-site annexe of the New York Transit Museum.
Just remember to act respectfully though, because this grand old lady turned 100 years old this year.
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Love train stations, the life, the activity, the sounds, and in Europe, the architecture. My faves are in the Netherlands and some of the old ones in Eastern Europe, like Budapest.
I have yet to see those in the Netherlands (recently enough to remember anyway), and Eastern Europe, but hope to one day.
Wow, what some grand stations you’ve been to and photographed. Grand Central Station does look like a destination in itself. The murals in Lisbon are incredible. Very dramatic. I also love stations – they give me a sense that anything and anywhere is possible 🙂
I look forward to photographing more in the future. Maybe The Netherlands and Budapest, like recommended by Sophiesworld.
Interesting… I love trains too…
Thanks Muza-chan.
I love train stations!!!
Me too, and it is such a hassle free way to travel. Fast trains are the best – fast and yet you get to see the Country, and none of the drama associated with flying.
I love trains and stations too! A very civilized way to travel. I had no idea the Milan station was patterned after Union Station, a beautiful station, that was restored when I lived in DC. A company I worked for at the time was involved in the renovation and we got tickets to the official reopening.
Thanks for sharing the others. Love those brilliant colors in the Oriente, and Grand Central is just an amazing station. Looks like you were there during the off peak. Did you see the constellation ceiling?
Hi Marcia. We went to Grand Central before my blogging days so I was not so inquisitive back then. I did see the ceiling, but did not realize that one spot was left uncleaned. There are so many things I did not realize about Grand Central back then – such a waste!
I love train stations too!! I always try to arrive very early so I can wander and enjoy them to my hearts content. 🙂
How exciting they would have been in the days of steam. To go on the Orient Express back then would have been wonderful.:)
What fun. I regret that I have not been better about photographing the stations we’ve been through. As a visitor I thoroughly enjoyed Union Station in D.C. and was so delighted by the Cincinnati station that is now also the home of a museum.
I have not seen Union Station myself. The only place we have been in USA is NYC. Of course we just loved NYC. I read so many blogs from USA, and everything looks so good, but it is just so big (I know Australia is too – but I know it, lol). I fear if we start dabbling in America it will take us a lifetime 🙂 You shall definitely have to start photographing train stations that catch your imagination.
Hello, ah memories, I went to Milan station almost 30 years ago and can remember well how stunning it was. Also loved Grand Central… and one of my faves is Edinburgh’s Waverley, for the Castle hanging over it and because it meant going home for so many, many years.
There are heaps of atmospheric train stations all over the world I guess. I remember another great one in Dunedin N.Z. I have been to Edinburgh but we had a campervan so didn’t see the train station. Kuranda on the Atherton Tablelands has a good one as well.
You’ve done a great job capturing some lovely train stations and you make me realize it’s been a long time since I’ve taken the train on any sort of regular basis. Although the Milan station is beautiful our experience with trying to buy a ticket was anything but – rude and dismissive is how we found the counter staff. Oh well – we ended up eventually getting to where we wanted to go.
It is unfortunate when staff anywhere are rude and dismissive. We did not have a problem in Milan Train Station however. We were there in April 2010. I think in peak season staff in touristy areas get over being nice which is a pity, but I guess understandable. I still remember how when I was a young backpacker at Gare du Nord train station in Paris and the person at the information desk would not help me because I couldn’t speak French. Back then I was devastated!
I love Old Buildings that hold such character.
And Train stations that tell a story.
The Lisbon station with the Panels on the wall of the ocean scenes are incredible, especially like Panel 2.
Grand Central Station in NYC looks incredible, have seen it in YouTube Videos – to see it in real life would be a bonus 🙂
Hi Lisa, Your comment has arrived. I have been having trouble receiving comments on my blog.
Oriente station in Lisbon was fantastic. I am going to do a post on the attached shopping centre which was inspirational as well. Grand Central Station in NYC – now that is a real icon.
These are all beautiful, and I love the tiles. I didn’t see the train station in Toledo, so a reason to go back. I remember Grand Central in NYC, when I was there many years ago.
We can always return 🙂
I love train stations too – and such a civilized way of traveling compared to the airport experience!
We are always so much more relaxed in a train. Give me a high speed train any day 🙂
I like the Grand Central Station, too, but those stations in Lisbon are awesome! I haven’t stayed in a hostel in the train station (yet) but if the terminal is as wonderful as the ones you have here, I definitely would!
If I had known about the Hostel in Rossi Station in Lisbon, I most definitely would have stayed there. B.H. disagrees as we ended up staying in a great Airbnb apartment, but I still would have gone the first night at the hostel.
I’m with you on preferring train stations to airports anytime. Love spending walking around and most of the European ones are just beautiful. Those Lisbon tile panels are gorgeous. Have only been to the NYC one here but would love to be in that Milan one too.
It is hard to pick a favourite. Grand Central is an icon. Milan and Rossi were romantic. Toledo and Oriente unexpected. Can’t wait to find more 🙂
I LOVE railway stations! And it’s so cool that you’ve included Milan here since I’ll be at that station in a couple of weeks. Beautiful!
You will love Milano Train Station. Go to Navigli Canal for happy hour. You pay for a drink (a little expensive so make it worth it) and get to eat from a smorgasboard of whatever is on offer. Check out all the places first to see what food they have!
The Milan one is the prettiest of the ones you show, in my humble opinion. I wasn’t expecting to find Donald duck’s nephews in the Lisbon tile mural.
Hi Michele, I found your comment in Spam and unspammed it. I was surprised about the Disney connection as well – weird!
Hi there, to all of you.
First of all, i hope you don’t mind but, Oriente metro station in Lisbon is not aka as “Vasco da Gama”, and they are about two independent areas.
One it’s called “Gare do Oriente”, and it’s run by a public company (fun fact – its acronym is GIL, which by chance it’s the same name of the mascot of the Exposition in 1998, that was called Gil, a common Portuguese name, which itself was named after the Portuguese navigator Gil Eanes); the other it’s the shopping mall called “Vasco da Gama”, named also after another navigator, of course, and it’s run by a private company.
“Gare do Oriente” is the most modern Intermodal Transport System in Lisbon, and it’s divided in two areas with 5 zones (taxis\Bus, Metro, Train, parking lot, and the 5th one it’s the proper commercial area of the Gare itself, usually have Book Fairs and some stores) and popularly “Oriente” refers to this area only.
Both areas (the Gare do Oriente and the Shopping Mall Vasco da Gama) are geographically separated but they have an underground connection that it’s that referred commercial zone of the Gare, which goes under the avenue that separates both areas. That is the only “relation”, so to speak, between the different areas. Of course, the first area it’s considered public and the latter private.
Now, let me explain now the “Disney connection”: artistically speaking, the underground transport area of the Gare was related to the theme of the Exposition, “the oceans”, like you said.
Because of the universality of the theme, there were invited 11 international artists representing the 5 continents (the American one as a whole), and so in the station there are 11 panels. So the 4 panels you show are 4 sections of only one panel (or mural, like you said) made by the Icelandic (not the American one lol) artist Errö, a mixture of myths and legends about the sea, with other facts, like the Portuguese ocean travels, the Titanic and cartoon characters, like the Disney ones, among others. It’s an interesting post-modern panel.
Good travels!
Thanks for the fun facts about GIL and your helpful information Roberto.:)
Grand Central Station in NYC would be the one I’d most like to visit. You really got me thinking about trains stations today, Jan, and you’re right … they invoke feelings of an adventure, of new and exciting leaving from a place often of great history, whereas airports are for me, full of dread, and dreadful.
Ha ha – we’re kindred spirits on this one Jo.