If you are stuck in a train station, try for…

Westbahnhof Station

Westbahnhof Train Station

In the list of train stations I wouldn’t mind being stuck in Westbahnhof train station in Vienna tops the list. There are 3 floors of stores, including a grocery store, a nice coffee shop, and several attractive places to eat. And it’s clean!

For beauty and options for distrations during a wait Union Station in Washington D.C. is also high on my list.

Unfortunately I’ve never been stuck in either of those train stations.

 

 

Of course, the train stations you end up spending the most time in are the very places you’d rather not be.

I’ve spent several hours in Budapest’s Kelti pu train station. They have restored one really beautiful room there, but it contains no seating. The rest of the place has the feeling of a slighly scuzzy subway station; A place you’re ok with being for a brief stop but not for the 2 hours you must actually spend there.

train station in Romania

train station in Romania

 

 

 

I have yet to find a train station in Romania where I’d voluntarially spend significant amounts of time. The rural ones get bonus points for being incredibly picturesque, but they aren’t places you’d want to hang out. McDonalds is the bright shining light of cleanliness and rationality in Gara de Nord in Bucharest. I’ve been stuck there and was thankful for the golden arches.

 

Chennai Train Station

Bottom on my list of placed I’d like to spend time in transit is Chennai India. There are only a few times in my life when I have been as physically uncomfortable as in that train station. Mass of humanity and heat they have. Comfort and cleanliness are sadly lacking.

No offense intended to these cities or their inhabitants. Most are lovely and well worth a visit. Just don’t expect much from the train station.