They’re not in France or in Spain: These beautiful train stations can be found in the U.S.
One doesn’t have to travel to Europe to enjoy beautiful old fashioned art-deco train stations with the USA boasting some of the world’s finest.
Whilst it’s often thought that many European countries are home to some of the most beautiful train stations, despite not having an extensive nationwide rail network, the United States is home to a number of incredibly beautiful train stations, many of which are historic architectural masterpieces.
These stations often reflect the grandeur of the “Golden Age” of rail travel and the following are some of the highly regarded:
East Coast:
Grand Central Terminal (New York, New York): An absolute icon, known for its Beaux-Arts architecture, the celestial ceiling in the main concourse, the famous four-faced clock, and its sheer scale.
Hoboken Terminal (Hoboken, New Jersey): A stunning Beaux-Arts building with a patinated copper facade and a significant stained-glass skylight by Louis Comfort Tiffany. It’s the last surviving waterfront train station on the Hudson River.
Washington Union Station (Washington, D.C.): A majestic station with a grand Main Hall featuring spectacular gold-leaf barrel-vaulted ceilings inspired by ancient Roman baths.
30th Street Station (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania): A striking Art Deco building with a grand exterior framed by Corinthian columns and an impressive 95-foot coffered ceiling inside.
Boston South Station (Boston, Massachusetts): A busy hub with a gorgeous curved facade.
Midwest:
Cincinnati Union Terminal (Cincinnati, Ohio): An acclaimed Art Deco masterpiece with a distinctive semi-circular shape, a dramatic half-dome, and impressive mosaics.
Chicago Union Station (Chicago, Illinois): The third-busiest rail terminal in the country, known for its Beaux-Arts design and striking Corinthian columns in the Great Hall.
Kansas City Union Station (Kansas City, Missouri): Built in 1914, it has the appeal of a classic passenger station and is a prominent feature of the city’s skyline.
Denver Union Station (Denver, Colorado): A beautifully restored Beaux-Arts station, often called “Denver’s Living Room,” featuring detailed plasterwork and carved Colorado granite.
West Coast:
Los Angeles Union Station (Los Angeles, California): Often called “the last of the great train stations,” it’s a unique blend of Spanish Colonial, Mission Revival, and Art Deco styles (Mission Moderne), with beautiful courtyards and intricate tilework.
Portland Union Station (Portland, Oregon): The oldest major passenger train terminal still in operation on the West Coast, designed in the Romanesque Revival style with an iconic 150-foot clock tower and a “Go By Train” neon sign.
Santa Fe Depot (San Diego, California): A beautiful landmark reflecting Spanish Colonial Revival architecture, with white stucco walls, red tile roofs, and gold-domed bell towers.
King Street Station (Seattle, Washington): Built in 1906, its 242-foot tower mirrors Venice’s Campanile di San Marco. It underwent a significant restoration to bring back its early 20th-century elegance.
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