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Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, India - This historic rail terminus in Mumbai is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Completed in 1888, it was originally known as the Victoria Terminus.

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Estacion de Madrid Atocha, Spain - Atocha's vast plaza resembles a tropical forest, with plants, flowers, and even rare turtles greeting commuters: it's one of the most originally conceived green spaces in the city!

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Grand Central Terminal, USA - One of New York City's great cultural landmarks and an iconic American building, Grand Central has a staggering 44 platforms, more than any other station in the world.

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St Pancras railway station, England -

The grandest of any British railway station, this Gothic masterpiece dates back to 1868 and is a London landmark.

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Gare de Strasbourg-Ville, France -

Contemporary meets traditional in the shape of a vast glass balloon that encloses the late 19th-century historical facade.

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Caminho de Ferro de Moçambique, Mozambique - Maputo's Beaux-Arts style railway station is regularly ranked as one of the world's most beautiful. Dating back to 1916, it's still in use today and remains a cultural focus of the city's old quarter.

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Dunedin railway station, New Zealand - Nicknamed the "Gingerbread House" by locals for its orange-red facade, Dunedin's Renaissance-style station, located on South Island, is, in fact, built using white limestone and black basalt rock.

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Antwerpen-Centraal railway station, Belgium - Often cited as one of the greatest railway stations in the world, Antwerpen-Centraal is dubbed the "Railway Cathedral" due to its monumental proportions. The luxurious marble and stone interior is dazzling.

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Kanazawa Station, Japan - Kanazawa Station in the country's Ishikawa province is dominated by the monumental Tsuzumi Gate. Inside, the platforms are complemented by a modern shopping mall.

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Hua Hin railway station, Thailand - Hua Hin serves the country's western Prachuap Khiri Khan Province. The decorative Royal Waiting Room lends the station—one of the oldest in Thailand—an exotic appearance.

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Yaroslavsky Station, Russia - Inaugurated in 1862, but rebuilt a number of times, this is one of nine railway station in Moscow and is arguably the most picturesque. It's notable as the western terminus of the world's longest railway line, the Trans-Siberian.

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Estação de São Bento, Portugal -

The interior of this Porto railway station is adorned with around 20,000 blue and white tiles (azulejos) that variously depict historic battles, religious processions, knights, monarchs, and noblemen, among other subjects.

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Sirkeci railway station, Turkey - Istanbul's Sirkeci station once served as the eastern terminus of the world-famous Orient Express. Although no longer used, the beautiful French Art Nouveau building has been carefully preserved and houses a railway museum.

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Kuala Lumpur railway station, Malaysia -

Inaugurated in 1910, this station is noted for its fusion of Eastern and Western architectural signatures. The Heritage Station Hotel is housed within.

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Milano Centrale, Italy -

Architect Ulisse Stacchini (1871–1947) drew inspiration from the Art Deco style of Union Station in Washington, D.C. for Milan's main railway hub. The building is decorated with mythological sculptures, neoclassical columns, and grand staircases.

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Helsinki Central Station, Finland -

Its granite cladding lends Helsinki's landmark station a formidable aspect, a look heightened by the sturdy clock tower and two pairs of statues that dominate the facade.

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Flinders Street Station, Australia - Completed in 1909, this is one of Melbourne's most cherished cultural icons, an Art Nouveau building that is listed in the Victorian Heritage Register.

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Berlin Hauptbahnhof, Germany - A modern steel-and-glass colossus, Berlin's main railway station is set on two levels. Around 1,800 trains pull in here every day, with approximately 350,000 passengers passing through.

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Ushuaia, Argentina - The "End of the World" station, Ushuaia serves the Southern Fuegian Railway, which today operates as a heritage railway into the Tierra del Fuego National Park.

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Luz Station, Brazil - Named after São Paulo's Luz district, the station is a fine example of 19th-century civic architecture. Housed within the terminus is the Museum of the Portuguese Language.

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Jungfraujoch railway station, Switzerland - An underground railway station situated below the Jungfraujoch in the Bernese Oberland, this station has not got the prettiest of interiors, but the views from the summit are simply breathtaking.

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Union Station, USA -

Chicago's neoclassical Union Station is the fourth-busiest rail terminal in the United States. Opened in 1925, it's one of the city's most iconic structures.

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Gare do Oriente, Portugal -

Built to accommodate Lisbon's Expo 98 World Exposition, the Orient Station was designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava.

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Gare de Metz-Ville, France - Handsome and solid-looking, Metz's railway station dates back to 1908, and is distinguished by its 131-ft (40-m) clock tower.

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Liège-Guillemins railway station, Belgium - Also designed by Santiago Calatrava, the Liège-Guillemins station is distinguished by a monumental arch that soars above commuters.

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Haydarpasa Terminal, Turkey -

Istanbul's historic Haydarpasa Terminal has been closed since 2013. But there are plans to reopen this late 19th-century gem. Meanwhile, archaeologists have unearthed a Byzantine-era fountain, among other exciting artifacts discovered during digs near the building.

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World Trade Center Transportation Hub, USA - New York City's magnificent Transportation Hub stands near Ground Zero and represents, in part, the city's rejuvenation after 9/11. Pictured is the "Oculus," which sits under a massive pair of winged steel ribs that adorn the exterior of NYC's new rail station. Santiago Calatrava also designed the WTC Hub.

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Gare du Nord, France -

Inaugurated in 1846, Gare du Nord in Paris is Europe's busiest railway station. Mid-19th century flourishes like the ornate Restaurant Le Train Bleu (pictured) can still be admired.

See also: The world's most breathtaking train journeys

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