The most interesting railway lines in the world. The most unusual trains in the history of the world's railways. The most dangerous railway

Championships for close observation of trains have been held in different cities and countries for several decades. Thanks to the admirable enthusiasm of amateurs and professionals for capturing the beauty of railways, history has preserved for us film and photographic documents - all that remains of the glorious locomotives and trains, to which the epithet “strange” is quite applicable.

It has evolved continuously over the past two centuries, and through an uncompromising selection process, only the best examples - in design and functionality - have achieved success. In terms of timeliness, finally. The rest were sometimes preserved only in the form of memory on the pages of history books, or as museum exhibits and monuments. Many of the unusually strange trains are endowed with unique functions, which is why it may seem strange that this miracle technology is not used for the needs of humanity in our time.

Armored trains

Armored trains first appeared on the face of the Earth during the American Civil War (1861 - 1865), when General Joseph Hooker decided to use a train lined with armor to transport almost 20 thousand soldiers to protect military passengers from the insidious enemy and his ambushes spitting fire and metal. . Around the same time, guns installed on railway platforms by the northerners were successfully tested on the American front. Soon, armored trains (AP) began to transport not only manpower, but also guns with ammunition.

Enemy cavalry and tanks were not particularly dangerous for armored trains, but they turned out to be easy targets for the very first military aircraft, and to dismantle or destroy railway lines in general, the strength of one trained person was enough. In response to the dangers, anti-aircraft guns appeared in the armored cars, and a warehouse on wheels was added to the train, where spare sleepers and rails were stored, which the soldiers learned and knew how to install instead of dismantled ones in the shortest possible time.

After World War II, due to the rapid development of aviation and tanks, the fashion for armored trains died out. In the Soviet Union, these colossuses were used until 1953, and seemingly disappeared into history forever at the end of the stylish and space-age 50s, but were suddenly revived due to worsening relations with China. Even today, four armored trains are still on the move in service with the Russian railway forces. These are the so-called “special trains”, originally from the war in the North Caucasus.

In 1929 - 1931, in pre-Hitler Germany, technical wizards tried to create “the fastest train in the world.” The result of their work was a futuristic self-propelled carriage, which received the name “Rail Zeppelin” (“Schinenseppelin”) because it turned out to be surprisingly similar to the famous German airship.

The experimental Schinenzeppelin motorcar was equipped with a propeller similar to an airplane. The lightweight (20 tons) and fast train set a railway speed record in May 1931 - 225 kilometers per hour. This achievement remained unbroken for 23 years.

The railway “airship” was released in only a single copy - in the form of a record-breaking prototype. The proliferation of "Shinenceppelins" was prevented by fears about what harm the self-propelled propeller could cause to people on station platforms, often overcrowded. In addition, the position of the propeller itself significantly constrained the train, making it impossible to reverse, extend the train with cars, and also maintain the driving torque when lifting the air car uphill. As a result, the competitors of the engineer Krukenberg, who was trying to land aircraft technology on rails, managed to offer the Germans something less dangerous, and the propeller carrier “Rail Zeppelin” itself was dismantled in 1939 for the sake of aluminum, from which raging Germany created combat aircraft.

Horse-drawn trains

The invention of the steam locomotive back in 1804 did not promise anything to thousands and millions of potential railway customers. The first models were heavy for cast iron rails, which were widely used at that time, since the price of reliable iron alloys would make the development of railways difficult. Things are ungodly costly, and therefore devoid of any optimism. For almost everyone was afraid of steam carriages. It so happened that even before more or less working models of steam locomotives appeared in the world, trains using smokeless horse traction made themselves known.

The first horse-drawn railway with regular passenger transportation arose in 1807 in Great Britain. But two centuries earlier, a simple railway with horse-drawn trolleys began to transport coal in England between two mining villages. The cart was accompanied by draft animal drivers. The road was named the Wollaton Wagonway.

With the technology of the 19th century, it became convenient to use horse traction for transporting people - at a speed of about 10 kilometers per hour. Since railways were, as a rule, one-way, in many corners developed by railway workers, trains with cargo had official and inevitable priority. Passengers who paid for their tickets had to get out of the carriages and collectively remove them from the rails, and then put them back on.

Horse-drawn trains were gradually replaced by steam engines; with the advent of the 20th century, very few horse-drawn trains remained. But you can still use the services of a one-car horse-drawn tram in the city of Douglas, in the American state of Maine. On unusual public transport there are 45, who in our time are not forced to work in bad weather, so the Douglas horse-drawn tram operates only in the summer.

General Motors Airtrain

This miracle of freethinking was designed by an auto industry giant in the United States in the 1950s at the request of several railway companies that needed fast locomotives in order to squeeze out competitors and discourage rushing passengers from the rapidly developing civil aviation.

Considerable hopes were pinned on the strange-looking “air train” produced by General Motors in 1956. It was given beauty by the famous designer of stylish “cars” and concept cars, Chuck Jordan.

There was almost nothing new in the design of cars under the Aerotrain brand. Automotive specialists simply took several of their buses and replaced the chassis. But at the same time, the air train was fast and light, more than twice as light as the steam trains of that time when fully loaded.

General Motors released two prototypes of the new transport, which were provided to several railways. companies for testing. All of them were unanimous in their diagnosis: the air train has an engine that is too weak, which does not allow it to reach the maximum possible speed or lift the train to a hill. At the same time, the locomotive was difficult to maintain, much less repair. An additional cruel joke was played by the lightness of the train, in which passengers felt as if they were riding in the back of a truck along a not very smooth track. The prototypes managed to cover 970 thousand kilometers and were written off in 1966. Nowadays, the air trains from the auto giant are enjoying a well-deserved rest in American museums.

Jet train "Black Beetle"

The M-497 product, which went down in the history of railway transport under the nickname “Black Beetle,” was the brainchild of an experiment to convert locomotives from diesel or electric traction to jet traction, like in airplanes. The Black Beetle was designed and assembled in 1966 for the New York Central Railroad.

Designed to carry passengers, the Black Beetle took two used jet turbines from a B-36 bomber. During testing, the chimera locomotive set a speed record of 295 km/h, which remained unbroken for forty years.

New York railroad workers were dissatisfied with the likely high cost of the Black Beetle self-propelled jet car. Even despite the fact that the prototype of the miracle train was assembled from second-hand parts and therefore was not very expensive. In addition, experts tested the condition of the rails and precision equipment inside the M-497 and came to the conclusion that the use of jet traction on the railway. transport greatly wears out the transport itself. That is, the “Beetle” would have turned out to be even more expensive than it seemed. As a result, the turbines were removed from the rail car that served as their substrate, and the car itself served on its regular engine until 1984, after which it was turned into a mountain of scrap metal.

Since the start of the first branch of public railway transport, which took place in 1825 in England, humanity has created an extensive and very diverse network of railway communications. Nowadays, rail transport remains one of the most popular types of passenger and freight transportation. VSviti spoke about the most interesting and unusual railways in the world.

The railway that passes through Maeklong Market, Thailand

The Napier to Gisborne rail route is unique in that it crosses the main runway of Gisborne Airport. Trains are forced to stop and ask air traffic control for permission to cross the airport.

Train in the clouds, Argentina

Train to the Clouds is a tourist railway in Salta Province, Argentina. It runs along the eastern part of General Manuel Belgrano's C-14 railway line, which connects northwestern Argentina with the Chilean border at the Andes mountain range. Located at an altitude of 4220 meters above sea level. The railway line passes through 29 bridges, 21 tunnels, 13 viaducts, 2 spirals and 2 zigzags.

Tunnel of love in Klevan, Ukraine

This is the name of the network of railways connecting Moscow with the Russian Far East and the Sea of ​​Japan. This is the longest railway line in the world. The railway has branches that connect it to Mongolia, China and North Korea. It has been connecting Moscow with Vladivostok since 1916 and continues to expand.

Landwasser Viaduct, Switzerland

Swiss railway engineers of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries had to be very inventive, creative and daring to build a complex and efficient mountain railway system. This included not only the planning and construction of complex mountain routes, but also the construction of many of the bridges needed to cross mountainous areas. The Swiss still invest heavily in their railway network, making it one of the most efficient and advanced in the world. One of the most impressive feats was the construction of the Landwasser Viaduct, which was completed in 1902.

Georgetown Circle Railroad, USA

The Georgetown Loop Railroad became Colorado's first landmark. The section of track, less than a meter wide, built in 1884, was considered an engineering marvel of its time. The mining towns of Georgetown and Silver Plume lie 3.2 kilometers apart in a steep, narrow mountain canyon. To connect them, the railway builders developed a route in the form of a “corkscrew”, which covered twice the distance, gradually rising to a height of more than 183 meters.

Thai-Burma Railway or Death Road, Thailand

The Thai Burma Railway, also known as the Death Road, is a 415 km railway between Bangkok, Thailand and Rangoon in Burma. More than 90,000 employees and 16,000 prisoners of war died during the construction of the railway - a horrific event that served as the basis for David Lean's film The Bridge on the River Kwai. A trip along this route is now the most popular attraction for visitors to the city of Kanchanaburi, located northwest of the capital of Thailand. The train skirts the side of sheer cliffs and passes over several very fragile wooden bridges.

The railway that passes through the Maeklong Market Railway (Thailand)

Food market in Maeklong (Thailand), located on the railway tracks. Several times a day, merchants quickly pack up their food trays and lower their awnings to let the trains pass. After the trains pass through the market, the boxes of vegetables, fish and eggs are placed in their original position and shoppers return to the tracks that serve as a passage through the market.

Napier-Gisborne Railway (New Zealand)

The Napier to Gisborne rail route is unique in that it crosses the main runway of Gisborne Airport. Trains are forced to stop and ask air traffic control for clearance to cross the runway and continue along the line. A 1939 steam locomotive in the middle of the runway is not an ordinary sight!

Train to the Clouds (Tren a las Nubes) (Argentina)

Train to the Clouds is a tourist railway in Salta Province, Argentina. The railway runs along the eastern part of Ferrocarril General Manuel Belgrano's C-14 railway line, connecting northwestern Argentina along the Chilean border at the Andes mountain range. Located at an altitude of 4220 meters above sea level. This is the third highest railway in the world. First built for economic and social reasons, the railway now primarily serves as a tourist attraction as well as a railway heritage site. The railway line passes through 29 bridges, 21 tunnels, 13 viaducts, 2 spirals and 2 zigzags. Because of the designers' decision not to use a rack and pinion transmission system for traction, the route must be designed to avoid steep slopes. Zigzags allow trains to ascend by running left and right parallel to the mountainside.

“Tunnel of Love” (Klevan, Ukraine)

“Tunnel of Love” is a beautiful place near the village of Klevan, Ukraine. A three-kilometer stretch of railway leads to a fiberboard factory. The train runs three times a day and supplies wood to the factory. This alley is formed by trees. The green corridor attracts many couples in love, as well as photographers who want to preserve this beautiful piece of nature. It is believed that if you and your significant other come to the “Tunnel of Love” and sincerely make a wish, it will definitely come true.

Trans-Siberian Railway, the longest railway in the world (Russia)

The Trans-Siberian Railway is a network of railways connecting Moscow with the Russian Far East and the Sea of ​​Japan. This is the longest railway line in the world. It has branches connecting it to Mongolia, China and North Korea. It has been connecting Moscow with Vladivostok since 1916 and continues to expand. Construction of the Trans-Siberian Railway began in full force in 1891, under the orders and supervision of Sergei Witte, who was then Minister of Finance. As with the First Transcontinental Railroad in the USA, Russian engineers began construction at both ends and brought the road inland.

Landwasser Viaduct (Switzerland)

Switzerland has a huge amount of mountainous land. Until the 19th century, the presence of mountainous terrain meant that travel throughout the country was difficult and therefore communications were relatively poor. Swiss railway engineers of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries had to be very inventive, creative and daring to build a complex and efficient mountain railway system. This included not only the planning and construction of complex mountain routes, but also the construction of many of the bridges needed to cross mountainous areas. The Swiss are still investing heavily in their railway network, making it one of the most efficient and advanced in the world. One of the most impressive feats was the construction of the Landwasser Viaduct, which was completed in 1902. A section of the railway passes through the viaduct. This is perhaps one of the most famous railway viaducts/bridges in the world and can be seen in most Swiss tourist/holiday brochures.

Georgetown Loop Railroad (USA)

The Georgetown Loop Railroad became Colorado's first landmark. Completed in 1884, this interesting section of track, less than a meter wide, was considered an engineering marvel of its time. The prosperous mining towns of Georgetown and Silver Plume lie 2 miles apart in a steep, narrow mountain canyon. To connect them, the railroad's builders designed a "corkscrew" route that covered twice the distance, gradually rising to a height of more than 183 meters. It included horseshoe curves of up to 4 degrees, and four bridges over Clear Creek, including the mighty Devil's Gate High Bridge. Colorado & Southern Railway owned the line from 1899 to 1938 until it ceased operation. In 1973, the Colorado Historical Society began restoring the railroad as part of its 395-hectare Georgetown Loop and Mining Park. Historic Mining & Railroad Par) A replica of the High Bridge was completed in 1984 to mark the 100th anniversary of the original structure.

The Trans-Siberian Railway or the Great Siberian Road, which connects the Russian capital Moscow with Vladivostok, until recently bore the honorary title of the longest railway in the world. But when the New Silk Road was launched, it moved the Trans-Siberian Railway to second place, since it became noticeably longer than the previous record holder. The longest railway routes include unique routes with a length of many thousands of kilometers, during the journey along which a person can learn a lot of new things about our planet.

1. Madrid-Iwu, or “New Silk Road” (13,052 km)

Nowadays, delivering goods from the Middle Kingdom to Europe does not require dangerous months-long off-road journeys on horses and camels. However, to avoid this, huge investments are required. The Chinese have historically dreamed of making the direction to the West profitable, fast and reliable, and at some point they attracted Russian specialists to cooperation.
The length of the railway with the great name “New Silk Road” was 13,052 kilometers. This is exactly how much railway track was needed to connect the capital of Spain with the small Chinese town of Yiwu. After completion of construction, this railway became the world record holder in terms of length. The Chinese government did not skimp and spent about $40 billion to improve the railway infrastructure and increase the tonnage of goods transported along it.
At the end of 2014, a train from the Chinese city of Yiwu, located on the Pacific coast, solemnly set off, and 21 days later it finished in distant Madrid. This was the beginning of the world's longest railway line. Unfortunately, the quality of the track does not yet allow comfortable passenger express trains to run along it; the movement of trains is strongly influenced by weather and other natural factors, but despite this, the beginning of the operation of this highway allowed the world economy to rise one step higher.

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2. Moscow-Vladivostok, or Trans-Siberian Railway (9,289 km)

This road runs exclusively through Russian territory; it was the first to globally connect Europe and Asia. The construction of the Trans-Siberian Railway began in 1891. Returning from a months-long sea cruise from Japan, the heir to the throne Nikolai Romanov (the future last Emperor Nicholas II) laid the first stone of the Ussuri Railway in the vicinity of Vladivostok. The longest railway in Russia, like beads, strung 87 cities, 5 federal districts and 8 time zones. 81% of the length of this route is in the Asian part, and the rest is in the European part.
The Soviet builders of the BAM could have envied the speed of construction of this railway line - the route from Kotlas and Miass to Port Arthur and Vladivostok appeared in just 13.5 years (1891-1904). Basically, the “cast iron” passed through undeveloped lands and areas of permafrost. Many bridges were thrown across large rivers. The construction of the Trans-Siberian Railway was completed on October 1 (old style) 1904. But even after the official completion, construction continued for many years. For example, only in 1938 was the second track completed. This legendary railway, with a length of 9289 kilometers, was launched at the height of the First World War - in 1916.
To get from the capital to Vladivostok, a traveler will need to spend 167 hours on the train, which will make 120 stops during this time. Traveling along the Trans-Siberian Railway is akin to a long tourist voyage - during the journey passengers will see many famous settlements, natural attractions of incredible beauty and pristineness. In addition, while winding up kilometers, the train gradually crosses 8 time zones.

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3. Moscow-Beijing (8,984 km)

Russia and China are long-time partners with common interests not only in politics and economics, but also in culture. It is not surprising that the capitals of these huge countries were connected by a direct railway line, which stretches for 8984 kilometers. The journey from one capital to another lasts about 145 hours. A significant part of the train route travels along the already mentioned Trans-Siberian Railway, but in Chita, cars heading to China turn towards the Chinese border. This is followed by a 6-hour stop in Zabaikalsk, where border control and a change of wheelsets are carried out, since the track width in the two countries is different.

4. Far Eastern Railway (6,826 km)

The length of this route is 6826 kilometers. The railway management is located in Khabarovsk. Throughout the journey, the train passes through 416 stations, as well as 3 state border crossing points. Travelers sitting on the train will not get bored, as they can admire the nature of the reserves and the view of permafrost zones.

5. Gorky railway (5,296 km)

In 1936, the Gorky Railway with a length of 5296 kilometers was formed. This highway is being modernized all the time, for example, in 2010, Sapsan, a high-speed electric train produced by the German company Siemens, began running along it, which began delivering passengers in a shorter time. For example, with its help it became possible to get from Moscow to Nizhny Novgorod in 3.5 hours. Every year over 52 million passengers travel along the Gorky Railway. For Russia, this direction has long been an important economic and political factor; historical cities are located along its route, along the way you can see large forests and picturesque landscapes.

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6. Lhasa-Guangzhou (4,980 km)

Inside China there is another long railway with 4980 kilometer pillars. It connects the port city of Guangzhou and the continental Lhasa, located in the Tibetan Plateau. Train T264 covers this epic journey in 54.5 hours. The guides tell passengers about the sights flashing outside the windows in three languages. The train has a 24-hour restaurant where you can sample Tibetan and Chinese cuisine.
In recent decades, China has taken a leading position in the world in organizing modern railway networks. The Chinese are using the latest construction technologies, putting modern high-speed trains on the rails, capable of racing much faster than ordinary cars.

7. Yining-Shanghai (4,742 km)

In 2014, traffic was opened on a new railway route connecting Shanghai and Yining, 4,742 kilometers long. Passenger trains move along it, and they successively cross 7 Chinese provinces, in which they make 32 stops. The travel time is 56 hours, during which passengers cross most of China and have the opportunity to admire its beauty, of which there really is a lot.

8. Urumqi-Guangzhou (4,684 km)

This railway connects the northwestern lands of China with its southeastern regions; its length was 4,684 kilometers, and it would take 49.5 hours to overcome them. There are three trains operating here, which most often carry businessmen, politicians and just travelers who want to get to Guangzhou.

9. Toronto-Vancouver (4,466 km)

In Canada, VIA Rail trains run between Vancouver and Toronto along a route of 4,466 kilometers. They make 66 stops along the way. But passengers sitting in comfortable carriages do not have to be bored, as the snow-capped peaks of the Rocky Mountains, the untouched Canadian taiga and various natural attractions flash past the windows. Passengers often manage to not only admire the scenery, but also see deer, elk or bears.

10. Chicago - Los Angeles (4,390 km)

The transcontinental American highway connects Los Angeles and Chicago, which are on opposite sides of the North American continent. This route is operated by the state-owned Amtrak. The length of the route is 4,390 kilometers, which trains cover on average in 65 hours. During their journey, they cross 7 states and make 40 stops along the way. For the convenience of travelers, the train cars have a special design - there are windows not only on their sides, but also on the roof.

Ibrasheva Diana

The work presents material and a slide presentation about the most unusual railways in the world and the most interesting railway stations

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The most unusual railways in the world

There are several examples in the world of outstanding achievements in the field of engineering, the labor invested and the audacity of man in the exploration of nature...
Baikal - Amur Mainline. Russia. North Muisky bypass.

The bypass of the Severomuysky tunnel is considered the most beautiful section of the entire BAM. In order not to exceed the maximum permissible slope when ascending the Angarakan Pass, the railway line winds in knots along the mountain slopes, rising upward in a serpentine manner. Where the daytime surface is only 22 km, the train covers almost 57, ascending and descending almost half a kilometer. On the detour you can see several unique engineering objects. The most famous “Devil's Bridge” is a high overpass on two-tier supports, curved and located in an incline. When heavy trains passed, this bridge even swayed a little.

Beijing - Lhasa. China

The highest mountain steel line in the world is a new railway laid through the most picturesque provinces of China. An engineering structure that stands on a par with the Great Wall of China. Of course, the most interesting part of the journey begins already on the Tibetan Plateau, where the train overcomes a pass at an altitude of 5072 (!) meters. Before this, railways had never climbed so high. When traveling through high mountain areas, oxygen is supplied to the cars.

Lima - Huancayo. Peru

The most extraordinary steel lines are concentrated in South America. So, here there is an amazing road with serpentines and return dead ends, zigzags in the shape of the letter Z, when the train hits a dead end, goes backwards along the descent down to the next such dead end, and then forward again. It was precisely these cunning engineering tricks that the builders distinguished themselves when the steep slopes of the magnificent mountain peaks of the Andes stood in their way.

Llantas Porterillos. Chile.
One of the most “special” cases of railway construction. The mined iron ore is sent along a freight line high into the mountains to a processing plant at an altitude of 3,300 meters. The road passes through completely dry highlands, where precipitation almost never falls. An ordinary rainstorm, if it happened here, would wash away the area located right on the steep slope of the mountain.

Japan

Japan's railway system is rightfully considered the safest and most punctual in the world. Trains run strictly on schedule.
In Japan, arriving at your destination within a minute is considered on schedule; more than one minute is considered late.

Vehicles, in terms of complexity, are approaching the products of the aerospace industry.
Outwardly, with their elongated shapes, they resemble supersonic aircraft more than trains.
In Japan, the professionalism of the staff is to keep themselves externally and internally below the client in any situation and not rise to them under any circumstances. Japanese railway workers even undergo a proper smile test .

Usually the conductor walks through the entire train, entering the car, closing the door behind him and stopping. Then he takes off his uniform cap, bows his head and addresses the passengers: “I’m sorry for the trouble.” Then he puts on his cap, walks through the carriage and stops at the opposite door. He turns back to the passengers, bows slightly, repeats the words “I’m sorry for disturbing you,” and moves on to the next carriage.
This is Japanese transport etiquette: The basic rule: respect others if you want them to respect you.

Monorail - a type of rail transport, the peculiarity of which is that the train moves along a single rail, in contrast to traditional transport, where movement is carried out on a pair of rails. Highways for the monorail are built above highways at a height of five to seven meters.

The cars move along the monorail using air or magnetic levitation of the cars. Traditional monorails, in addition, are not only mounted, with cars moving on top of the monorail, but also suspended, where cars are suspended under the monorail beam.

The main advantage of a monorail is that it does not take up space on congested city highways and is much cheaper to build. A monorail train can negotiate steeper vertical grades than any two-rail vehicle. The speed developed by a monorail, in theory, can significantly exceed the speed of traditional rail trains, since there is no danger of the train derailing. In addition, the likelihood of a collision with other road objects is negligible.

The largest monorail system is in Osaka, its length is 23.8 km. The total length of Japanese monorails is 102 km.

Monorail transport, according to many experts, is the transport of the future.

"The most unusual train stations in the world"

Railway station - this is the gate of the city, the place where visitors form their first impression of the locality where they arrived. Therefore, many modern train stations are beautiful, chic, and functional. In our review we will see the most unusual train stations in the world.

Hong Kong Land Gate

Soon it will be possible to get to Hong Kong via a new bridge, which will be at the same time an airport, a railway station, and a bus station, serving both Hong Kong and Shenzhen (a Chinese city neighboring Hong Kong.

Outside - a park, inside - a train station

In San Francisco, the train station is located right in the city center. This is very convenient from a transport point of view, but not entirely rational from the point of view of using urban space. But in 2014 everything will change. No, this station will remain in the same place, but it will turn into a multifunctional complex, the decoration of which will be a park located on the roof of the building.

Train station in Lyon

The last thing Lyon train station resembles is a train station. It is rather a huge bird spreading its wings to take flight.

Green platform in Auckland

Britomart Station in Auckland has decided it doesn't need a rooftop park. They created a green meadow right inside the station, on the platform. To do this, they had to deploy 1,250 square meters of artificial turf there.

Spanish railway jungle

But at Madrid's Atocha Station they probably think that artificial turf is for weaklings. After all, right on the platform they have set up a real jungle with palm trees and other tropical plants growing there.

Cool station in Spain

The Spanish seaside town of Huelva is one of the most popular seaside resorts in the country. For this reason, it will soon be connected to Madrid by a high-speed rail line. And for its opening, a new railway station will appear in Huelva - very simple in appearance, but not in meaning. After all, the special shape of the station building was created specifically to catch the sea breeze and, thereby, create natural air conditioning inside the station with fresh air full of salt and iodine.

Station Bridge in Wales

The railway divides the Welsh town of Newport into two approximately equal parts. And there are not so many bridges for their communication in the city. It was especially difficult for those who came to this settlement by rail. It was possible to exit only on one side of the city. But the new station in Newport solved this problem. It serves as both a railway station and a pedestrian bridge connecting the two parts of the city.

Denmark: Copenhagen Central Station

Located in the heart of the Danish capital, the station was rebuilt three times and was inaugurated in 1911. King Christian X invited about 800 distinguished guests from all over Europe to the opening, and thousands of locals filled the streets to see the grand spectacle. The station building was designed by the architect Heinrich Wenck in the style of traditional romanticism. Indeed, romantic moods reigned here for many years - the huge clock in front of the main entrance became a favorite place for first dates.

Belgium: Antwerp Central Station

The American magazine Newsweek awarded this station 4th place in the ranking of the best railway stations in the world. Construction of the station, with its huge iron and glass canopies, ended in 1905, and in 2007 the 10-year reconstruction of the conventional station into a high-speed transit station came to an end. The building gained worldwide fame in 2009 when it hosted a huge flash mob: 200 dancers performed a new television talent show there. The video instantly spread around the world, demonstrating, along with the country's talents, the remarkable architecture of the station.

Belgium: Station in Liege

The station in the country's third largest city took 13 years to completely renovate, but the skill and talent of Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava has made it extremely stylish. In addition, he was able to rebuild the station without delaying the 36,000 passengers who passed through the station every day. Since 2009, the structure made of steel, glass and white concrete has 9 tracks, 5 platforms with an exhibition area and a curved arch, which is 160 m long and 32 m high. The total construction costs reached 312 million euros, but this brilliant futuristic station remains in the memory of passengers forever.

Spain: Atocha Station in Madrid

Labyrinths of palm leaves, exotic plants, and even a pond with shells are definitely not what you expect to see when getting off the train. But that was the vision of architect Rafael Moneo, who renovated the station in the 1980s from its original 1889 appearance. The largest transport hub in Spain is covered with a glass and metal canopy, under which there are shops, cafes, a nightclub and an unusual tropical garden, covering an area of ​​more than 4,000 square meters. An 11 meter high memorial was erected on the station grounds to commemorate the 191 victims who died in the 2004 train bombings.

France: Paris train station

The busiest station in Europe is located in the 10th arrondissement of the French capital and receives 190 million passengers annually. The station complex was designed and built during 1861-1864 by the French architect Jacques Hittorff. Mentions of the station are also found in art: from French books and the film "The Da Vinci Code" to Hollywood films, including "The Bourne Identity", "Ocean's Twelve" and the less intellectual "Mr. Bean on Holiday".

Portugal: Rossio Station, Lisbon

This station, located on Rossio Square, which is always jam-packed with noisy tourists and locals, can easily be confused with a palace or an opera house. The station was designed by architect José Luís Monteiro, who completed its construction in 1887. The traditionally romantic facade of the building is decorated with two massive sculptures - horseshoes, which serve as entrance doors. Trains arrive at the station through a 2,600-meter underground tunnel, which is recognized as one of the main engineering solutions of the nineteenth century.