From Dante’s Inferno to desert dunes: The 7 most beautiful train stations in the world

The Prix Versailles organization recently unveiled its list of the world's most beautiful train stations for 2026. Secretary General Jérôme Gouadain stated that the chosen seven stations prove that modern passenger stations can serve as bridges to a more desirable future.

Three projects on the list will receive additional World Titles in December. The selection process, held since 2015, involves an international jury of architects, designers, artists, and public figures evaluating architectural excellence, innovation, responsiveness to cultural context, and commitment to sustainability.

The seven train station projects included in the top list are:

1. Monte Sant Angelo Station in Naples, Italy, designed by Anish Kapoor in collaboration with Future Systems and AL_A. The 48-meter underground station features monumental corten steel and aluminium openings, inspired by the Cumaean Sibyl and Dante's Inferno.

2. Colosseo - Fori Imperiali Station in Rome, designed by Andrea Grimaldi and Filippo Lambertucci. The station resembles a theater and aims to reveal archaeological remains still present underground through construction.

3. National Museum Station in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, designed by Arup. Located within the Qasr AlHokm district, the station entrance wraps in a lattice concrete shell formed on the Tuwaiq mountain's landscape, with triangular openings inspired by traditional Najdi architecture.

4. Town Hall Station in Melbourne, Australia, designed by the architects behind St. Paul's Cathedral. The station's underground open space supports tree branch-shaped steel columns, resembling the cathedral's architectural style.

5. Arriyadh Metro Western Station, designed by Omrania. Inspired by desert sand dunes, the station provides natural shading and pedestrian entry points, linking buses and the city's light rail system while embodying the culture of the city.

6. Lyon Part-Dieu Station in France, designed to evolve a 1980s station into an integrated, transparent, and pedestrian-friendly multimodal city gateway. The transformation includes massive expansions, transparency, and strong integration with the surrounding urban fabric.

7. LAX/Metro Transit Center in Los Angeles, USA, designed by Grimshaw, Gruen Associates, and Arup. The eleven-acre facility redefines local transit infrastructure into an iconic entry point for the city, providing a climate-responsive, light-filled civic gateway.