Transit stations are often a place to be passed through on the way to somewhere else. Several, though, are notable enough to warrant a visit.
Earlier versions of the descriptions of these transit stations first appeared in 1001 Amazing Places You Must See Before You Die, edited by Richard Cavendish (2016). Writers’ names appear in parentheses.
Union Station (Toronto, Canada)
Even to the jaded 21st-century eye, the facade of Toronto’s Union Station is still vast and magnificent in its cool proportions, classy decorative stone, and refined Beaux-Arts lines. Monumental it certainly is, because it occupies an entire city block on the south side of Front Street between York and Bay streets. It also recalls a past era of train travel when passengers passing through the lobby could detour to the station’s barbershop and even baths.
The four architects who steered this huge project were friends and admirers of the heroic proportions, sense of drama, and rational planning that constituted Beaux-Arts design. Care in the choice of materials was crucial. The massive 850-foot (260-meter) facade is clad in Indiana and Queenston limestone, and the centerpiece entranceway comprises a broad colonnade of Bedford limestone, each column weighing 75 tons and rising to 40 feet (12 meters). Walk between these huge pillars, and you enter the 25-foot- (80-meter-) long lobby with marble flooring, laid in a herringbone pattern, which complements the inside walls fashioned in Zumbro (fossilized) stone and echoes the splendidly tiled ceiling. The arching was added to avoid any dark shadows that a flat ceiling would project.
Look halfway up the north and south walls, and you will find the names of the cities served by the Canadian Pacific Railway and the former Grand Trunk Railway (that together formed the “Union”). The list alternates from side to side, naming the cities from east to west. This piece of “Canadiana” came from architect John Lyle’s desire to create a decoration expressive of Canada. (James Harrison)
Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (Mumbai, India)
The mighty Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus presents many visitors with their first impression of the huge metropolis of Mumbai, yet it is by no means typical of Indian architecture. To understand its colossal scale and ambition, the palatial structure must be read as a centerpiece of what was for more than a century the most important country in the British Empire. Its English architect, Frederick Williams Stevens, toured Europe for several months looking for inspiration, and similarities to many stations on the Continent are not coincidental. However, Italianate Gothic Revival architecture is forcefully blended with traditional Indian domes, turrets, and pointed arches to create a fusion style that accurately represented 19th-century Bombay’s role as the country’s gateway to the West. Internally, the ornamental railings, wood carvings, tiles, balustrades, and other ornaments owe much to students of the Bombay School of Art.
Despite the replacement of place and town names that derive from the British Empire with Indian names, Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus is still popularly referred to as VT, short for Victoria Terminus. The station is Mumbai’s main commuter hub, and rush hour encapsulates the city’s chaotic yet dynamic feel. Travelers cram onto the trains, even sitting on luggage racks, as they are drawn from outer suburbs to jobs downtown. The proximity to fellow passengers is far beyond what can be witnessed on the London Underground or Tokyo Metro. (Ashim Paun)
Vladivostok Station (Vladivostok, Russia)
Vladivostok is so remote that it is closer to China and Japan than to Moscow, seven time zones away. That is why it is literally “the end of the line” when it comes to the Trans-Siberian Railroad, which starts (or finishes) its magical marathon rail trip here at Vladivostok Station.
The city’s most recognizable landmark is the station’s faux-17th-century facade with its assortment of turrets and towers. It is a near replica of Yaroslavsky station in Moscow, 5,771 miles (9,288 km) away; the distance is marked by a milestone near the station. It resembles a palace fit for a tsar rather than a utilitarian terminus—indeed, in 1891 the cornerstone was symbolically laid by the man who would become Tsar Nicholas II. Construction then began following the designs of architect A. Basilevsky.
By 1907 the original structure was too small to serve Vladivostok’s booming economy. A new station was built, designed by N.V. Konovalov; he preserved the old towers and part of the walls and created the handsome châteaux-style building that stands today. Over one entrance arch was a panel of bright mosaic tiles portraying St. George slaying a dragon (the saint being the emblem of Moscow). This and other imperial flourishes were destroyed by the Soviets, who also cut off the heads of the two-headed imperial eagle. From 1958 to 1991 Vladivostok was closed to outsiders. In 1994 the outside of this architectural gem was painstakingly restored, including the cobblestones on the square in front. This was followed two years later by a delicate restoration of the grand interior.
The nearby square is the birthplace of the city, founded 150 years ago. A short walk from the terminus is the central (and first-built) street, Svetlanskaya, where most of the city’s historic sites are clustered—including the restored family home of Oscar-winning actor Yul Brynner, a native of Vladivostok. (James Harrison)
Grand Central Terminal (New York City, U.S.A.)
Quite apart from the breathtaking architecture of Grand Central Terminal (often referred to as Grand Central Station), its sheer size is a dramatic and impressive feat of engineering. However, the quality of the structure’s design merely complements the site’s larger cultural and historical significance.
Grand Central sits on a site that was home to two previous station buildings. The first was built in 1871 and the second between 1899 and 1900. Work began on the present structure in 1903, the first step being the demolition of the previous station. The firm Reed & Stem oversaw the overall design, whereas the beautiful Beaux-Arts styling and architectural details were handled by Warren & Wetmore. One of the major considerations was the electrification of the railroads, which enabled many of the former tracks approaching the station to be buried. The design incorporated a bi-level station with arriving trains going underground under Park Avenue. This in turn created a substantial area aboveground for property development and thus raised revenue for the railway company. One of the famous sights at Grand Central is the clock made of Tiffany glass that is surrounded by sculpted figures of Minerva, Hercules, and Mercury, designed by Jules-Alexis Coutan. At the time of its completion, this formed the largest sculptural group in the world, being 48 feet (14 meters) high. The ceiling, which was restored in 1998, is also of particular note. It was painted in 1912 by Paul César Helleu and depicts an astronomical sky that is more decorative than accurate.
By the 1950s automobiles had superseded the railways in popularity, and the station fell into decline. However, from the 1980s onward, a series of renovation projects sought to preserve this extraordinary building. (Tamsin Pickeral)
Union Station (Los Angeles, U.S.A.)
The Los Angeles Union Passenger Terminal—better known simply as Union Station—bears deliberate architectural resemblance to the Christian missions that opened California to settlers. This homage expressed the fact that the railway station was opening Los Angeles to a new generation of travelers. The building was designed by the architectural firm Parkinson & Parkinson, and it opened in May 1939. A highly significant part of railroad history, Union Station provided the meeting point for three important railway lines: the Union Pacific, the Southern Pacific, and the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe railways.
Alongside its necessary infrastructure of tracks, platforms, and associated structures, the station comprised well-designed public areas, including gardens, a restaurant designed by the architect Mary Coulter, and an elegant waiting room. Beautifully decorated in marble and terra-cotta, the station reflects the importance of the railway in the United States before the era of mass air travel. The building’s lavish décor also reflected the glamour that the movie industry had brought to Los Angeles. In 1950 the station achieved cinematic glory itself as the setting for the movie Union Station, a film noir thriller.
Today the building, an emblematic sight in downtown Los Angeles, has become part of the city’s subway system. It continues to play its role in everyday life in Hollywood, available for hire not only for films and TV series but as the setting for weddings and concerts. (Lucinda Hawksley)