Train station

A train station or railway station (also called a railroad station, rail station, or depot) is a place where passengers of rail transport can get on and off trains and/or goods may be loaded or unloaded.

Train station in Sweden.

Early stations were usually built to handle passengers and goods. Today, goods are usually only unloaded at big stations. Stations are next to a railway line, or they are the terminus for a route. Usually there are platforms to let passengers get on and off the train easily and safely. Many stations have things such as shelters, ticket sales and benches.

The busiest railway station in the world is Shinjuku Station in Tokyo, Japan. The largest station is Nagoya Station in Nagoya, Japan. The busiest station in Europe is Clapham Junction in south London in the United Kingdom. At peak times, there is one train every 13 seconds there.

Terminus

Opened in 1830 and reached through a tunnel, Liverpool's Crown Street railway station was the first ever railway terminus. The station was demolished after only six years, being replaced by Lime Street station in the city centre. The tunnel still exists.

Opened in 1830, Liverpool Road station in Manchester is the oldest surviving railway terminus building in the world.

Opened in 1836, Spa Road railway station in London was the city's first terminus and also the world's first elevated station and terminus.

A "terminus" or "terminal" is a station at the end of a railway line. Trains arriving there have to end their journeys (terminate) or reverse out of the station. The public entrance to the station and the main reception are at the far end of the platforms.

Different types of railway stations

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  Luxulyan railway station in Cornwall, a basic station. Trains stop only on request. People who want to get off here must tell the conductor. The station was used by 2,522 people in 2022-23.
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  Terminal station (seen here is the Gare de Lyon, one of six in Paris). Trains that go through (and do not terminate) here must change direction. Passengers can walk from one track to another without the need to cross tracks.
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  Shinjuku is the busiest railway station in the world. It is in Tokyo. On an average day, 3.6 million people use it. This is what it looks like during rush hour.
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  Platforms at Leeds Station, Leeds, England.
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  Interchange station in Birmingham, England. Passengers can change from one train route to another, often without having to leave the station or even the platform, or pay an additional ticket.
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  A freight station in Germany.
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  A train station platform on the Elizabeth line of the London Underground in London, England
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  A train station platform in South Korea
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  A train station platform in Australia

Station facilities

Railway stations usually have either ticket booths, or ticket machines. Ticket sales can also be together with an information desk or a shop. Many stations have a shop or a kiosk.

Bigger stations often have fast-food or restaurants. In some countries these stations also have a bar, or a pub. Other station facilities are: toilets, luggage rooms, lost-and-found (lost property office), timetables, trolleys, waiting rooms, taxi ranks and bus stops.