Stepping off one of Europe’s famous night-sleepers, it’s tempting to hurry down the railroad platform and hit the city streets. But pause for a moment and look around. Europe has some of the most beautiful railroad stations in the world, so your sightseeing might already be underway. Traveling by train brings a sense of adventure when you’re vacationing in Europe. Sit back and enjoy being transported in comfort while taking in panoramic views of ever-changing scenery or resting your eyes as you anticipate your destination.
However you pass the time, Europe’s integrated rail network makes it quick and easy to cross the continent and get wherever you want to go relatively cheaply. And relish the feeling of choosing one of the most sustainable ways to travel, with a fraction of the environmental impact of a plane. Taking the train is an experience in itself and one that delivers you straight into some of the most iconic architecture in Europe.
Finland
Standing outside Helsinki Central, Finland’s crisp air seems to reflect the crisp lines of an epic façade that demands to be admired. You’ll easily recognize its origins in early twentieth-century design, combining Art Nouveau with a Nordic twist! Its mighty granite walls and distinctive glazed arch are flanked by four colossal statues called the Lyhdynkantajat – the Lantern Carriers with their spherical lamps that light up the station at night. And night is when its illuminated clock tower is at its most impressive – a beacon of punctuality for travel throughout Scandinavia.
Belgium
Arriving in Belgium at Antwerp Central, you’re probably taking photos before the train even pulls to a stop. Built in 1905, this station is one of the most impressive buildings in the city, perhaps even the country. Gazing up at the vast steel and glass canopy that covers the immense expanse of gracefully soaring architecture, the effect is simply breathtaking. So many styles are blended so beautifully, you can understand why it’s been described as ‘Baroque-medieval eclecticism’ – it’s certainly easy to see why Antwerp Central is lovingly nicknamed the ‘Railway Cathedral.’
And as a pioneer of train travel, it’s fitting that Belgium has another of the world’s most iconic railroad stations –Liège-Guillemins. Recently rebuilt in contemporary steel and glass, your eyes are instinctively drawn in a sweeping arc over the futuristic curves of this ultra-modern building from the concourse. Struck by the prevalence of natural light, you become aware of how its glazed design cleverly connects the traveler to the outside, reflecting Liège-Guillemins’ purpose as a gateway to Europe and its popular description as a ‘Cathedral of Mobility’.
Spain
Heading south, for any transit through Spain’s Madrid Atocha, you’ll want to factor in a little extra time. Redeveloped in the late 1980s and 90s, the majestic architecture of the original station has been incorporated into a sophisticated modern expansion – the old building has been converted into a sprawling botanical garden filled with thousands of tropical plants and towering palms that soar towards the elegant iron-and-glass roof. And here you can unlock the unexpected upgrade of wonderfully sophisticated restrooms with touch-free technology and refreshing showers.
Portugal
At the heart of Porto’s UNESCO-protected historic city center is the world-famous São Bento Station. Here, on a former Benedictine Monastery, you’ll find the country’s history is literally embedded in the station’s atrium walls. In a jaw-dropping display of ingenuity, 20,000 hand-painted blue-and-white tiles blend into epic depictions of great moments from Portugal’s past.
Alongside fellow travelers and tourists, it’s easy to lose yourself in the nostalgic majesty of these impressive works of art that are so quintessentially Portuguese. Europe’s railroad stations can be the start or the end of a journey: efficient, functional gateways to destinations across the continent. But in a region steeped in history and architectural heritage, you’ll appreciate that some are much more than this: a destination in themselves and worth a visit even if you’re going nowhere!
