Discovering such unusual pictures on the internet has always been quite an exciting and unique experience. It only takes a single image of an old train station to get you on a trip down memory lane. First, you think of your childhood, your schoolmates, your teachers with picky personality. Then you recall all the times when you had to ride the train to get to school.
Indeed, years and decades must have passed since the last time you rode the train. However, in reality, nothing particularly exciting has happened to those train stations, which used to be jam-packed with travelers. The sad truth is that the golden age of trains is long gone, and so is their role as a primary means of transportation. Below, you'll find a roundup of old and abandoned train stations around the world, condemned to desolation, submitting to time.
Initially, the sight of rusty railway routes and train engines may not seem quite compelling; however, you’ll soon realize how much beauty and reverence still reside in isolation as well.
If you dare to reveal more about these less visited and bizarre places, then just keep scrolling down the list.
20 Rochester Railway (New York)
Perhaps what strikes you the most about the Rochester railway is its gloominess. This gigantic railway station used to run for miles before heading into the most unexpected directions. Surely, Rochester isn’t really like the other lonely and deserted train stations lurking at the end of the tunnel. Rochester’s large tracks seemed to traverse through semi-flooded regions before running across concrete bridges and leading off into densely wooded areas on the fringes of the city. Today Rochester’s tracks do remain accessible despite the fact that the city wanted to block off most of the area.
19 Sukhumi (Abkhazia)
The disputed former republic of Abkhazia houses one of the rarest structures around the world, and it happens to sit on the fringes of the Caucasus region. Today, this old train station may seem like the most uninviting place on earth, but it served a significant role in the past.
Built a few decades ago, Abkhazia's train station used to connect the capital of Sukhumi to Russia until the early 90s when it fell into disuse.
Unfortunately for the regular train riders, the station was never repaired or put back to use, as it now merely stands there looming over the city like an ancient monster.
18 Canfranc International Station (Spain)
Built high up on the snowy wastelands of the Pyrenees, this old train station boasts a vast historical background which is now as insignificant as a grain of sand. Previously known as a magnificent building, Canfranc International Station is no longer the same slice of French masterpiece that it used to be back in the day.
In 1970, the train station shut doors for good after an unexpected train derailment. The story didn't exactly end below ground, though. In the late 90s, a group of Spanish physicists constructed a laboratory right under the station where they could run complex tests despite the rusty appearance of the building.
17 Liberty State Park Station (New Jersey)
Unlike some of the previous railway stations, this one in New Jersey is actually a historically-listed one. The previously crowded Liberty State Park Station in New Jersey is not only strangely beautiful, but it's super easy to get to. Liberty State Park Station was in full operation until the late 60s and has been fastidiously taken care of ever since. Interestingly, the interior of the building has been carefully preserved; only the exterior has had to suffer the wrath of time. And if you look beyond the lush vegetation penetrating through the floor, the entire appearance of the building is both mesmerizing and a bit threatening.
16 West Oakland 16th Street Station (California)
West Oakland 16th Street Station was once known as the Railroad King of California. Now it looks like a stone-faced creature lost in the middle of a concrete land.
In the early 90s, West Oakland 16th Street Station was absolutely one of the leading employers across the entire Bay Area. But later on, the train finally fell into disuse following a massive earthquake in the late 90s. Instead of rebuilding the old station, the authorities planned the construction of a new one that had to replace "The King". Naturally, this put an untimely end to the reign of the Railroad King of California.
15 Petite Ceinture Stations (Paris)
Hidden at the bottom of artificial valleys, this 20-mile stretch of foliage used to be the reason why the French marveled at it a few decades ago. Sadly though, this previously beautiful train station, which used to be a popular haunt for architecture lovers, is now nothing but an old railway memory. The formerly operating track would wind through the City of lights before coming to rest at the end of the day. Strangely enough, Petite Ceinture Stations remained quite unknown to most locals. Currently, Petite Ceinture Stations is off-limits, of course, but still manages to have rare visitors awe-struck by its wild grass foliage and mysterious tracks.
14 Helensburgh Station (Australia)
Despite the lack of any traces leading to a station building, Helensburgh Station (Australia) looks almost haunted. The old tunnel that the Australian train used to emerge from is still open as it surely welcomes a swarm of flies and glowworms at night.
Helensburgh Station was opened to the public in 1889 but operated until the 19th century. The station might have been a local site of historical interest to a certain point, but today it’s nothing more than another remnant left to rot amid rock formations. Even the worn-out welcome sign has been slowly fading away to, well, nothing.
13 Tintern Station (UK)
This mysterious station located just outside Monmouth, UK, has not only been abandoned but trains no longer run past Tintern Station. Today, Tintern Station doesn’t exist anymore but the rusty tracks running through the woodland, sort of add a touch of uneasiness to the place. Also, the old tracks lead to an ancient bridge and a turntable. Following the tracks would surely send chills down your spine, especially when you reach the ruined bridge that stood there for years before turning into a relic. Interestingly, such tiny stations once covered the entire region of Monmouth and the whole country.
12 Michigan Central Station, Detroit (Michigan)
Michigan Central Station, Detroit is, without a doubt, one gigantic building that really used to be quite impressive. But when you look at it now, you can only see an abandoned building lost in the middle of a dessert made of concrete and stones. Ironically, this place offered a job to at least three thousand people as the station operated over hundreds of trains while gathering twice as many travelers. This previously imposing building was never fully properly finished so the entire project went south. Michigan Central railway practically became something like an investment sinkhole.
11 A Lonesome Station In Buffalo, NY
Not to dishearten anyone, but the train may never arrive at this nearly collapsing train station in Buffalo, New York. The worn-out sign "To Station" and the desertedness of this place really make it less exciting for exploration. That almost ancient-looking lettering embedded into its bricks evokes images of stations bustling with passengers. Only now the station in Buffalo, NY, seems to be fully devoid of any human presence.
The idea of riding this train beckons you to think of this location as a welcoming place; however, this picture clearly shows how wrong you are. Well, "To Station" may look quite unfriendly now, but this picture perfectly captures the odd charm and fascination left behind such abandoned places.
10 The Rusty Train Station In Newcastle, Australia
Located in Newcastle, Australia, this formidable train station can surely fit the bill for any high-budget Hollywood thriller. The sight of it is not only quite chilling but the thought of how rusty it is makes it hard to break free from its cold grip. But when compared to the other train stations on today’s list, this one was quite recently shut down; therefore, it is a bit unclear how come it's started falling apart so quickly. And when you think of the rust, which has already begun to eat away at the railway lines, you’d best not come near this creepy place. With such a weakened structure, the building will soon be completely forgotten.
9 The Forsaken Train Station (Nizamabad, India)
This Indian train station, located somewhere in the small town of Nizamabad, has also been left to the vagaries of time. From today's perspective, it’s probably nothing more than just a relic that’s been forgotten because of the lack of demand, or perhaps, due to the population decline there. But either way, this train station in Nizamabad, India, has surely ended up in the grasp of disuse and loneliness. Today these rusty and old tracks are drowning in complete hopelessness, even though it’s not that rare to hear the whistle of a nearby train, winding through the Indian wastelands.
8 The Odd "Greenhouse" (The Former Train Station In Carlisle)
This deserted train station, located somewhere in Carlisle, didn’t need much time before transforming itself into a perfect greenhouse. This time, however, it’ll have much more space for its plants where they can begin their new life. But apart from its current state, it’s really fascinating to see the shell of such an old and forgotten train station, especially when it’s started to transform itself into a mysterious and wild greenhouse. Well, these plants may have a hard time growing in such an atmosphere, but it’s sure that the train station is slowly being dismantled.
7 A European Chaos Near Czechoslovakia
This forsaken train station, covered in little graffiti, seems to be at least 100 years old. These elements surely serve as architectural accents making the whole building quite unique, yet a bit freakish.
Given the poor condition of the building, it's really hard to imagine that trains still run nearby the old station. It really looks as though it's been cut off from civilization. Surely, it stands there like a unique relic, but it's definitely not the perfect place for newcomers. The interior of the building isn't as bad as the exterior. But still, it's hard to believe that it possesses features that are worthy of exploring. All in all, this train station could even mark the decline of an entire village.
6 City Hall Station (NY)
Opened in the early 90s, the previously famous City Hall Station in New York City used to be one of the most beautiful train stations around the globe. Sadly, though, its beauty and grandeur are barely even there these days. The debut of the train station was in 1904 and it was supported by the Interborough Rapid Transit Company. Originally, the station boasted incredible architectural designs, including massive chandeliers and gorgeous glass tiles; however, The City Hall Station ran until 1945 when it ceased to operate.
In fact, the arched platforms of the station might have been quite pretty at the time but were never really used like they were supposed to. In the end, the train station was sealed leaving its beautifully arched platforms to go to waste.
5 Croix-Rouge (Paris)
While the metro stations are regularly crammed with passengers, most of the railway tracks around the world are covered with thick layers of rust and dirt. The reason why most people prefer the subway to the train is quite self-explanatory, so it’s only natural that there are dozens of train stations looking like surreal ghost towns.
This one, in particular, was opened in the middle 90s because of its practicality and proximity to the Sevres-Babylon station. However, it seems that the station wasn’t actually popular with travelers at the time. As a result, this station looks more like a ghost town, rather than an old and abandoned building.
4 Cincinnati Railway (Ohio)
The Cincinnati Subway Station, located in the state of Ohio, was poorly created from the start. It was an architectural project, which had some sort of potential; however, it wasn’t properly finished. As a result, Ohio’s Cincinnati Subway Station was hardly ever up and running due to a couple of reasons like budget redrafts, which halted the construction process for quite some time. All in all, the Cincinnati subway station was eventually accepted as a failed attempt and quickly became America’s largest abandoned station. The underground subway is no longer operating, so there’s little else to see around here. It’s just too deserted and quiet anyway.
3 Porte Des Lilas-Cinema Station (Paris)
Porte des Lilas-Cinema Station is one of those train stations in Paris that used to be quite a popular destination for many French movie directors. Some of you might even recognize the station in the French 2001 movie “Amelie"; however, they used a different name for the same station. Sadly, the trains no longer operate as they’re only used for décor.
Porte des Lilas was built in the early 90s but wasn’t used by many people anyway. Therefore, the train was eventually disused somewhere in the middle 90s.
Apparently, it failed to serve its purpose, but at least it's still favored by many French movie directors, so that’s certainly a relief for many movie lovers.
2 Aldwych Tube Station (UK)
Aldwych Tube Station is London's abandoned version of Ohio’s Cincinnati Subway. Similarly to Cincinnati, London’s Tube Station operated for a few decades before it finally closed doors due to huge maintenance costs. Officially opened in 1907, Aldwych Tube Station was used as a hiding place for the British Museum treasures. Before it stopped operating, the tube also served fire brigades, train police, and many other organizations. Today’s version of Aldwych Tube Station is so creepy that it served well for some major Hollywood movies, such as “Atonement”. But other than that, there’s little else that could ever make you want to go there and explore its remnants.
1 Mapocho Station, Santiago (Chile)
Another awe-inspiring structure that deserves our recognition today is this mysteriously beautiful train station in Chile. Well, unlike most of the other old stations, this one is still operating, but not as a station. Thanks to its enigmatic presence and unique aura, Mapocho in Chile is now listed as a historical landmark by the country’s government, although it’s not exactly popular with tourists and locals. Actually, it’s still quite the opposite, but the Chilean country has been trying really hard to make it worthy of visiting just for fun and a few quick selfies. Last but not least, the station had a hallowed out platform area, which was actually used for lively art events.
References: urbanghostsmedia.com, hotcars.com, culturebox.francetvinfo.fr