But elsewhere in the world, some stations are so beautiful that they are worth a visit even if you don’t take a train. In fact, some are so impressive that they have received a prestigious award from the Prix Versailles, a series of architectural competitions in which airports, hotels and other buildings also participate. Now it has released the 2025 edition of its ‘World’s Most Beautiful Passenger Stations List’. From grand old halls to modern glass monuments, these are some of the most beautiful train stations in the world. Many of these can be found in Europe and just a short journey from Britain.
The station is spread over nine floors and expects to accommodate a quarter of a million passengers per day – comparable to Châtelet-Les Halles, the largest metro station in the world. The station was designed by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, who was selected following an international architectural competition.
Also in France is the impressive Villejuif-Gustave Roussy station, which is located 40 minutes south of Paris and opened its doors on January 18, 2025. It is a metro station that serves lines 14 and 15 (the latter of which is expected to fully open at the end of next year) of the Paris Metro and is also part of the Grand Paris Express Project like Saint-Denis Pleyel.
The station was designed by architectural firm Dominique Perrault Architecture. It is an underground cylindrical station with an open-air multi-storey roof, built in the style of an “upside-down skyscraper”. It is also one of the deepest passenger stations in France.
A recent visitor to Gustave Roussy even described it as a “masterpiece”. “Public money well spent,” they said, adding: “It’s absolutely brilliant! A big win for Parisian public transport and urban planning!”
Across the border in Belgium lies the Mons train station, with a hanging canopy that is a nod to the Galerie de la Reine shopping arcade in Brussels. The station originally opened in 1841, but underwent an impressive transformation this year. The jury said: “It is a streamlined style composed of steel and dazzling white to form a cathedral-like walkway”.
Other stations receiving the award include Gadigal Station in Sydney, Australia. The name honors the Aboriginal people who were the original custodians of the land in the area. The inside of the station is decorated with cheerful tiles in colors such as yellow, purple, red and blue. Baiyun Station in Guangzhou, China, also won the award for its recent transformation, which added shops and even a city park. It is dedicated to no fewer than 24 high-speed train lines, six metro lines and three bus terminals.
Like France, Saudi Arabia claimed two stations on the list, both in the central city of Riyadh. One of them is KAFD Station, which covers an area of almost 88,000 square meters. Designed by British Zaha Hadid Architects, inspiration was taken from mashrabiya screens and patterns generated by desert winds in sand dunes. It opened to the public in December 2024.
The last spot on the list goes to Qasr Al Hokm Station, also in Riyadh, which is described as a ‘periscope’ due to its glass roof that reflects light throughout the station. Designed in 2012, it covers an incredible 211,000 square meters and even houses a courtyard garden.
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