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Favorite International Stations

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Csalem

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Berlin Hauptbahnhof is indeed great, however I wish they hadn't built the unsightly hotel next to the southern entrance.

As for things to see in Berlin, I like the u-bahn bridges over the north-south railway line between Nollendorf Platz & Gleisdreieck (U1/U2). Also, the way U1 goes through the BVG building after Gleisdreieck and then past the Deutsches Technical Museum, with it's Dakota suspended from the roof.

The Deutsches Technical Museum is worth a visit too, it has a load of steam engines and a prototype ICE power car, plus ships, planes & cars and a doodle bug (V1)

Dunno what it is like now, but when I was in the museum in April, most of the modern stuff was absent. I think it was in Leipzig taking part in the 175 years anniversary.
 
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Teaboy1

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Tickhill SY
Has to be Trento in Dolomites, Italy. Modern clean & crisp plus its dual gauge for interest. 1m system that runs into Male and the mountains, its a proper beaut hill railway with 1:35 gradients and not a rack rail either.

Check it out here;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obcyzKbv9fk
I'm up here working now (non railway work) and should ride it this weekend 21st Aug hopefully. There is another 1m system in eastern Bilboa, Spain again very modern & crisp plowing up & down ridiculous gradients.

Anyway, mine is Trento. Here's the time table, worth a 1/2 day if ever passing this way!!

http://www.ttesercizio.it/Orari/Ferrovia/Default.aspx
 
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W-on-Sea

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Antwerpen Centraal is (as others have observed) quite breathtaking.

Roma Termini is a great, smooth-lined bit of concrete modernism, way better than anything of the type in the UK (bizarre fact: the 1961 rebuilding of Barking station was based upon Termini. It doesn't quite work, though, and has got more cluttered up subsequently, some of the clear lines and paths lost to shops, etc)

The main station in Kyiv/Kiev is quite impressive too - a cross between Antwerp Central and Clapham Junction, perhaps, sort of, and then a great big ultra-modern bit at the other end . Some grand baroque touches and impressive staircases, great chandeliers, and passages that stretch over the many, many railway lines
http://uk.wikipedia.org/wiki/Київ-Пасажирський

But 1st place to Antwerp
 

stuartmoss

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1. Koln Hbf - just an amzaing gothic structure with the drama of the cathedral and bridge nearby.
2. Leipzig Hbf - Impressive structure and huge well maintained area with amenities and shops.
3. Prague Hlavni Nadrazi - loads going on, plenty of loco hauled and freight.
4. Dresden Freiberger Strasse (there's nothing to it, but its brilliant for photos and filming and I feel emotionally attached to it!!!).
5. Ciudad Real (again there's nothing to it, but its brilliant for photos and filming)
 

Mvann

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Kimberly station was very quaint when I went there. Seemed strange having the local radio station played over the tanoy.
 

Clip

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Kuranda? wow, never expected to see that name mentioned. I went there last December, did the Kuranda railway trip when I was in Cairns. Nice enough place, and glad to see its one of your favorite stations.

My favorite international stations, there are not too many I've been to, so the first one is Hua Lamphong station in Bangkok, Thailand and Victoria Station in London, I have a vauge memory of it and from what I can remember, I was really impressed.

Kuranda is nice yes..It was closed due to Landslide when i went though so was quite annoyed at not being able to travel on it though im surprised you never mentioned flinders street as per yoru avatar.. Stunning bit of architecture - though lacking on the inside :lol:

12321_10150173222865192_604370191_12172606_5614945_n.jpg
 

LouJ

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A recent visit to Berlin Hauptbahnhof lived up to expectations. I have a gallery of the images taken during the trip = Berlin Hauptbahnhof images

Other stations that I have found pleasant places to watch trains include the main stations in Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok plus Bloemfontein in the days of steam.

I guess Newcastle and York must also be considered as great stations too.
 

route101

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A recent visit to Berlin Hauptbahnhof lived up to expectations. I have a gallery of the images taken during the trip = Berlin Hauptbahnhof images

Other stations that I have found pleasant places to watch trains include the main stations in Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok plus Bloemfontein in the days of steam.

I guess Newcastle and York must also be considered as great stations too.

Agree Berlins impressive . The sound of the S bahn and DB Regio.
 

159jim

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I like Berlin-Alexanderplatz, With A HUGE shopping centre/travel interchange below the mainline platforms, I always stay near it when i go there on holiday...
 

class313

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I have not been to many international stations, but Helsinki has to be my favourite- it is just such a huge building, and the statues on the front are a nice feature- Photo
 

route101

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I like Berlin-Alexanderplatz, With A HUGE shopping centre/travel interchange below the mainline platforms, I always stay near it when i go there on holiday...

Agree , all the main berlin stns are like that.
 
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I recommend Barcelona Estacio de Franca - classic all-over roof and the station has recently been restored - it's wonderful. Avoid Sants, the main station, though - dingy hell-hole along the lines of New Street.
Yep, I'd second that. People keep mentioning Madrid's Atocha. I found it to be a typical modern concrtete souless lump. The original Atocha which is adjacent but closed to trains has now become the most amazing sub-tropical gardens with a really nice restaurent over it. Well I liked it.
 

STEVIEBOY1

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My favourite is definitely Amsterdam Centraal. I love the grand design, the bustle outside by the tram stops, the smell of the broodje's in the main subway under the tracks...ah, memories!

I also have a soft spot for Luzern...

Yes I like AMS Centraal, great station & location, I like Luzern too, been there many times on some great Swiss Rail Holidays, it's so handy for the trolley busses and lake steamer connections. Soem of the little stations in teh south of France going towards Nice, Monaco & Italy are great too, right by the sea. Rgds Steve.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
I guess Douglas on the IOMR and MER doesn't count.

Second to that, Grand Central in New York is the only foreign station I have been to, and by chance its quite an impressive building.
You would have expected it to have high security, but I walked right down the platforms and had a good look at a Genesis (they're HUGE!) unchallenged. In contrast, we had to take off our shoes for the security check at the Empire State building.

Do they still use NYC Grand Central & Penn Station for mainline public trains now?
 

stuartmoss

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Here is a video I took a few years ago of Interior Plaza at Madrid Atocha Renfe:

[youtube]KW7m5DWeTFg[/youtube]
 
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1. To echo everyone else here, Antwerp

2. Another favourite of everyone so far, Liege

3. Again another mention for the old shed, which has now been converted into a greenhouse at Puerta de Atocha.

4. Gent Sint Pieters

5. Strasbourg, I like the fact the facade is protected under a bubble of glass.

6. Rossio, Lisbon

7. Barstow Station "Casa del Desierto", California. (Now a Route 66 Museum)

8. Gdansk Glowny

For the poster who put down Chamartín in Madrid... I know they're meant to be rejuvenating it, but I don't think it's pretty.
 

185

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1. Washington Union
2. Grand Central Station, NYC
3. Barcelona Estacion Franca
4. Liverpool Lime Street
5. Berlin Hauptbahnhof


2342676. Ardwick
 

WestCoast

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4. Liverpool Lime Street
2342676. Ardwick

They're about as foreign as Black Pudding.

Another vote for Berlin Hauptbahnhof here - spectacular in every way. A few people have mentioned Amsterdam Centraal as well, the exterior is great but I find the lower floor interior a little dingy to be honest!
 

MCR247

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Not been there yet, Did Berlin HBf used to be called something else and when renoavted/enlarged?

It was just an S-Bahn station on the Stadtbahn called Lehrter Bahnhof, it was then rebuilt and became Berlin Hbf with platforms for the S-Bahn and ICE/Regio tracks on the upper level and tracks on the lower level which serve the North - South tunnel
 

185

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Liverpool Lime Street is in the People's Republic of Merseyside.

Ardwick, is in the wild west. I seem to remember seeing bullet holes in the only remaining station sign :o
 

TGVDUDE

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San Diego, so original, for me un-spolit, surrounded by modern buildings with the seafront not far away infront, wonderful! Photo found on google as i have lost my shots from there
 

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