A railway station is an important part of the rail network, with millions of passengers travelling through them every day and tons of freight being carried. They are considered a shop window for the services provided, and should therefore be well designed to be both pleasing to the eye and comfortable and efficient in layout and operation. It should also create a seamless interface between passengers and the train, with clearly delineated spaces for different functions and ensuring safe passage between the two.
Most stations also offer interchange with local transportation, such as buses or trams. This can range from a simple bus stop across the street to an underground rapid-transit urban rail station. Some stations may even have a marketplace where food vendors and other small businesses operate.
With so much happening at a single point, railway stations are often the target of terrorist attacks due to their critical role in society and economy. [2] Understanding the nature of such attacks and the way they are carried out can help enhance rail security and protect passenger safety.
The architecture of a railway station has varied significantly over the years, reflecting changing trends in style and technology. Designs have included grand Beaux-Arts structures with decorative frescos and enormous decorated chandeliers, modern, minimalist structures that have a similar feel to airports, and more recent, more futuristic designs that aim to evoke the spirit of the future.
Early designs were usually dual-purpose, with separate passenger and goods facilities. As the industry moved towards a more passenger-focussed approach, many lines became either passenger or goods only and stations adapted to their new function. Some old stations retain their original, dual-purpose design and some of them are listed as cultural or historical monuments.
More recently, stations have been designed to resemble the sleek, abstract structures found in high-speed rail systems such as Japan’s Shinkansen and Taiwan’s High Speed Rail. They are characterised by straight platforms with a clear sightline and easy-to-read signage. Some of them have been sculpted into soaring white arches above the tracks, creating a striking image.
The best-designed stations are often those that blend the traditional with the contemporary. Japan’s Motenashi Station in Kyoto is a case in point, with its wooden hand-drum-shaped Tsuzumi Gate and glass umbrella-shaped Motenashi Dome that were initially controversial due to their clash with the castle town’s traditional neo-Japanese architecture. However, the station has become such a popular attraction that even some skeptics have come to appreciate its sleek modernism.
