Since the development of railways and railway stations in the 1820s, not only poets but everybody has been fascinated by trains and visiting the stations. This could be because people try to portray the romanticism of rail travel, or people find that a train voyage may have meaning beyond the literal.
Not only the railway journey but the railway stations also carry thousands of memories and beauty. Let’s fascinate you with the 5 most beautiful railway stations in India.
1) Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, Mumbai
First on our list of the most beautiful railway stations is Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, Mumbai. It is an outstanding example of Victorian Gothic Revival architecture in India. Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus in Mumbai, formerly known as Victoria Terminus Station, incorporates elements of Indian traditional architecture. If you love travelling or enjoy exploring beautiful architecture & history, there is nothing more pretty than exclusive historical building of past, there are so many marvels in the country but these Top 10 Historical Places in India top our list
The structure, created by the British architect F. W. Stevens, came to represent Bombay as India’s main international port of commerce and the “Gothic City.” The High Victorian Gothic design of the terminal, based on late medieval Italian models, took ten years to complete based on late medieval Italian models. Its impressive stone dome, turrets, pointed arches, and peculiar floor plan is reminiscent of ancient Indian palace architecture.
From the outside, it is a stunning gothic building that has been given UNESCO World Heritage Status. From the inside, it is jam-packed with people to get to or from work. CST is a landmark in Mumbai and one of the world’s greatest examples of Indo-Saracenic architecture. It was one of the first significant partnerships between British architects and Indian artisans.
In the middle of the eighteenth century, as the British East India Company started to have a significant influence on the appearance of cities in southern India, this architectural style which is a fusion of Indian Mughal and European Gothic architecture, arose from Chennai.
The Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus is a major tourist attraction in Mumbai. The Taj Mahal in Agra, Humayun’s Tomb in Delhi, and Agra Fort are the most well-known examples of Mughal architecture, which is characterised by its domes, turrets, and scalloped arches. The Gothic design of CST, however, is evident in its elaborate gables, pointed spires, and beautiful stonework, which are typical of European cathedrals. This project was so extensive and challenging that it took ten years to complete the station.
2) Old Delhi Railway Station, Delhi
Second on the list of most beautiful railway stations in India is the Old Delhi railway station, Delhi. In terms of frequency, it is one of India’s busiest railway stops. Every day, over 250 trains begin, end, or pass by the station.
It was built close to Chandni Chowk when railways from Howrah, Calcutta began running up to Delhi in 1864. Its current structure, which opened in 1903, was built by the British Indian administration in the design of the nearby Red Fort. It was a significant railway hub for the nation and existed for almost 60 years before New Delhi. It is close to the Delhi Metro station at Chandni Chowk.
In 1864, a wide gauge train from Calcutta was the station’s first train. Rajputana State Railway laid metre-gauge rail from Delhi to Rewari and then on to Ajmer in 1873, and metre-gauge trains began departing from this station in 1876.
Built in 1900, the current building station welcomed the public in 1903. In contrast to its humble beginnings with just 2 platforms and 1000 passengers, Delhi’s railway station currently serves more than 180,000 passengers each day, with roughly 190 trains beginning, ending, or passing through it.
Red stone was used in the construction of the Old Delhi Railway Station to evoke the neighbouring old Red Fort. Six clock towers made up the station building, and tower 4 is still in use today as a water tank.
The railway station was refurbished in 1934–1935 when platforms were lengthened and power signals were installed. In the 1990s, a new entry from the Kashmere Gate side was built, and new platforms were added.
In September 2011, the platform numbers were changed. Several platforms were combined to create long platforms to accommodate trains with 24 coaches. The numbers that started as 1A from the Kashmere Gate entrance and ended at 18 close to the main entrance were renumbered starting as 1 from the main entrance and ending at 16 at the Kashmere Gate entrance. 2012–2013 will see renovations to the station building.
3) The Howrah Railway Station, West Bengal
The third name on the list of the 5 best railway stations in India is backed by the Howrah Railway station, West Bengal. Howrah Junction, commonly known as Howrah Railway Station, is a railway hub in the Indian state of West Bengal’s capital city of Howrah. The largest and oldest railway complex is still in use in India. One of the busiest train stations in the entire world.
It was made when a contract was signed between the East Indian Railway Company and the East India Company in 1849 when a starting budget was aside for the inaugural segment connecting Howrah with Raneegunge via Pandooah and Burdwan.
In 1846, Frederick Walter Simms, an engineer who served as the Government of India’s consultant engineer, first envisioned a station on the right side of Hoogly. Howrah was chosen as the new line’s endpoint, though, based on the amount of funding approved.
At the time, building a bridge over the Hooghly River with a 1,700-foot (520-m) span was not practical. The issue of extending the rail line to Calcutta was regularly brought up in the years to come.
The Howrah railway station’s past and history are covered in a portion of the nearby Rail Museum, Howrah, which was established in 2006. The railway museum, which lies south of the station, features historical artefacts important to the growth of the Eastern Railway. The Fairy Queen, the oldest operating steam locomotive in the world, was on exhibit on a plinth within the station from 1909 to 1943.
4) Vijayawada Railway Station, Andhra Pradesh
Another place on the list of most beautiful Indian railway stations is Vijaywada Railway Station, Andhra Pradesh. It is designated as a Non-Suburban Grade-2 station.
The broad-gauge railway between Vijayawada and Chennai was built on November 1 of that year, opening up train travel between Chennai, Mumbai, Howrah, New Delhi, and Hyderabad. The Vijayawada train station was transformed into a junction throughout the ensuing decades until all of India’s independent railroads were nationalised in 1950, at which point Indian Railways was established as the Ministry of Railways.
Vijayawada Station has 10 platforms and the typical station design. Broad gauge and electrified tracks are present throughout the entire station. Inside the station, the traction on the trains is flawless. The station’s seventh platform is the biggest one. The stations of Howrah-Chennai and New Delhi-two Chennai’s major lines meet at Vijayawada.
5) Charbagh Railway Station, Lucknow
The last place on the list of India’s most beautiful railway stations is Charbagh Railway Station. It is one of Lucknow City’s five primary railway stations for broad gauge trains. the beauty of this railway station will take you to the great creation of British India. beyond bout we have crazy cool architectural masterpieces created even today for example the Pink Zebra: The Breath-taking And Quirky Restaurant Inspired By The Ideas Of West Anderson but what our history created is indeed a gem to the eyes.
After Delhi, Lucknow was the northern city of importance during the 19th century. It served as the administrative centre for the Oudh and Rohilkhand Railway, whose first line connecting Lucknow and Kanpur was constructed in April 1867. It is a section of the Northern Railway and is currently known as Lucknow Charbagh station.
Originally it cost 70 lakhs to build, which is now worth 2 million dollars or 14 crore Indian rupees. J.H. Horniman designed Lucknow Charbagh in 2021. In March 1914, work began on laying the railroad station’s foundation. Completed in 1923, the structure. Chaubey Mukta Prasad, a consulting engineer for Ms Lanebrown and Hulett, played a significant part in the design and planning of it.
Outside the structure, there is a sizable garden. It combines Rajput, Awadhi, and Mughal architectural styles and appears magnificent. [Needs confirmation] One of India’s most beautiful train stations, from an architectural standpoint. A certificate for ISO 9001 has the Government Railway Police station in Lucknow Charbagh.
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