While the Gare Montparnasse was recently voted France’s best train station, two other major stations in the capital have today received new honors. Compiled by The Telegraph, this ranking of the world’s 20 most spectacular stations honored two Parisian buildings, one for its majesty, the other for its modernity.
Two Paris stations in the top 10 of the world’s most spectacular stations
A week ago, the travel section of the famous British daily The Telegraph presented us with a new list that would make any railway enthusiast blush with pleasure. Sifting through the biggest hubs as well as the most intimate stations on five continents, this ranking was drawn up to celebrate the grandeur and ambition of international rail.
For all you chauvinists out there, not only is France in the ranking, but two of its stations are also proudly in the top 10! The first is the majestic Gare de Lyon, which simply takes third place. With its monumental Clock Tower, its bubbling open spaces and the legendary Belle-Époque restaurant Le Train Bleu, its historic setting and unusual features are sure to win you over.
In an opposite but equally appreciable style, the famous Villejuif – Gustave Roussy station ranks 9th among the world’s most spectacular stations. Already winner of the Prix Versailles 2025, the new Grand Paris Express station has caught the eye of many. Organized around an enormous concrete cylinder bathed in natural light, this futuristic-looking station continues to win accolades!
So much for French stations, but to find the world’s most spectacular stations, you’ll have to turn to our British neighbors. London quite simply occupies the top two places in the ranking, with Saint Pancras and Paddington stations respectively.