10 Oldest Train Stations in the World

The first train stations as we know them today originated in England in the early 19th century. While many of these first stations are now gone, all of the train stations on this list date back to that time period. Surprisingly, all of these train stations, except for the oldest, are still in operation. Because trains are still widely used in England, nearly all of the world’s oldest train stations are located in the country.

As of July 2020, the information on this list is as accurate as possible and will be updated as needed.

10. Paddington Station

photo source: Wikimedia Commons

Paddington Station was built in 1838 by famous English civil engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel, to serve as the London terminus for the Great Western Railway (GWR). Brunel had grand plans for the GWR and Paddington Station, but the building costs got away from him and a temporary station was built first. Eventually, Brunel was able to continue his work on the permanent Paddington Station and his design of the station was heavily influenced by the Crystal Palace for the Great Exhibition of 1851. During the 1990s, Paddington Station was extensively refurbished to meet the needs of modern passengers.

Did You Know?

If the name “Paddington” is familiar its because the popular children’s book character Paddington Bear was named after Paddington Station. A statue of Paddington Bear is located under the clock on platform 1.

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9. Vitebsky Railway Station

photo source: Wikimedia Commons

The Vitebsky Railway Station is the only old train station on this list that is not located in England. The station was originally called the St Petersburg-Tsarskoselsky station and it was the first train station built in the entire Russian Empire. Vitebsky Railway Station was inaugurated in the presence of Nicholas I of Russia on October 30, 1837 when the first Russian train, named Provorny, departed from its platform for the imperial residence at Tsarskoe Selo. At the turn of the 20^th century the train station received its current name, Vitebsky, and was transformed into a masterpiece of Art Nouveau architecture.

Did You Know?

In 1987, to mark 150 years since the first opening of the Russian railways, a replica of the Provorny was installed at Vitebsky Railway Station – it was moved in 2017 to a site alongside the Small October Railway on the way to Tsarskoe Selo.

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8. Harrow & Wealdstone Station

photo source: Wikimedia Commons

The Harrow & Wealdstone Station is another old station in the London metropolitan area. The station was opened in the summer of 1837 by the London and Birmingham Railway. At the time, the area was very rural and the largest nearby settlement was Harrow on the Hill. By the end of the 19^th century, the area expanded and Wealdstone was added to the station’s name. In the 1960s, parts of the Harrow & Wealdstone Station were rebuilt as part of the West Coast Main Line electrification.

Did You Know?

The Harrow and Wealdstone rail crash of 1952, which killed 112 people, occurred at the station and remains Britain’s worst peacetime rail disaster.

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7. Euston Railway Station

photo source: Wikimedia Commons

Although Euston Railway Station goes back to 1837, the original was completely rebuilt in the 1960s. Euston Station serves as the southern terminus of the West Coast Main Line to Liverpool Lime Street, Manchester Piccadilly, Edinburgh Waverley, and Glasgow Central. Because the original Euston Station building was so distinct and featured a grand arch gateway, the 1960s remodel was pretty controversial. The new design reflected the modern aesthetic of the 1960s and no major changes have been made to Euston Railway Station since then.

Did You Know?

Euston Railway Station was named after Euston Hall, the ancestral home of of the Dukes of Grafton, the main landowners in the area before the train station was built.

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6. London Bridge Station

photo source: Wikimedia Commons

The London Bridge Station is the oldest operating train station in the main part of England’s capital city and dates back to the end of 1836. As its name suggests, the station is located immediately south-east of London Bridge. As a frequently used station, the London Bridge Station has been updated and modernized several times. The station was most recently redeveloped between 2009 and 2017 and cost around £1 billion (about $1.25 billion).

Did You Know?

The London Bridge Station is the fourth busiest train station in London, handling over 50 million passengers annually.

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5. Liverpool Lime Street Station

photo source: Wikimedia Commons

The Liverpool Lime Street Station opened in August 1836 and is considered the oldest still-operating grand terminus mainline station in the world. The original terminus of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway was on Crown Street, but it was too far from the city center and Lime Street was chosen for the new terminus location. Since the original Liverpool Lime Street Station was just a wooden shed, it has been replaced, remodeled, and renovated several times over the last 184 years.

Did You Know?

In 2019, following a massive renovation, three stone slabs which formed part of the original 1836 platform surface at Liverpool Lime Street Station were put back on display to celebrate the station’s long history.

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4. Deptford Railway Station

photo source: Wikimedia Commons

The Deptford Railway Station might seem like a small nondescript station, but it is an important part of London’s history as it is the oldest operating train station in the city. The Deptford Station first opened in early 1836 as part of the London & Greenwich Railway, which is widely considered the first suburban passenger railway. The Deptford Station was closed from 1915 to 1926 and the original building was eventually demolished. This second building was also torn down in 2011 and replaced by the current Deptford Railway Station Building.

Did You Know?

A unique feature of the Deptford Railway Station was that it had a carriage ramp so that carriages could be lifted up to the station since the platforms were built high above street level.

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3. Hexham Railway Station

photo source: Wikimedia Commons

Hexham Railway Station is the third oldest extant train station but the second oldest in continuous use in the world. The station was opened in 1835 is located on the Tyne Valley Line which runs from Newcastle upon Tyne to Carlisle. Most of the stations and lines on the original route have been closed, which has led to the Hexham Railway Station being downsized. In recent years, the nearby area has been redeveloped to help revitalize Hexham Railway Station.

Did You Know?

In early 2016, the Hexham Railway Station and its services were briefly shut down because 35,000 tonnes of rock had to be removed after there was a landslide between Corbridge and Riding Mill.

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2. Broad Green Railway Station

photo source: Wikimedia Commons

The Broad Green Railway Station was also opened on September 15, 1830 – along with the Liverpool Road Station on this list – as part of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway. Although the site has been in continuous use since 1830, none of the current station buildings are original and only date to the 1970s. This is why the Broad Green Railway Station is second on the list despite being the oldest train station still in operation. All of the original Broad Green Station platforms have also been replaced.

Did You Know?

Broad Green Railway Station has unfortunately been the site of several gruesome tragedies, including several deaths, during the 19^th century.

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1. Liverpool Road Station

photo source: Wikimedia Commons

The Liverpool Road Station was opened on September 15, 1830, making it the oldest existing train station in the world. Although the station building is still standing and has been well-preserved, it has not been in use since 1975. The Liverpool Road Station was built as part of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway, which was the world’s first steam-powered inter-ubran railway. Today, the Liverpool Road Station building and the adjacent historic railway warehouses are part of the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester.

Did You Know?

After the Liverpool Road Station ceased operations in 1975, it was purchased by Granada Television and used for the Granada Studios Tour and other parts were used for the set of long-running British TV soap Coronation Street.