A NEW multi-million euro train station has opened in a major city – and it looks like something from Star Trek.
Belgium‘s Mons station has opened decades after it was first announced.
A futuristic train station has opened in Europe[/caption]
The train station had hoped to open in 2012 although has faced a number of delays[/caption]
The huge project cost €480million to build[/caption]
Having started in 2001, the initial €37million (£30.4million) cost has soared to the current €480million (£384million) cost.
It was designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava, also behind the the City of Arts and Sciences in Valencia and the World Trade Center Transportation Hub in New York.
Running years behind schedule – it had hoped to open by 2012 – it finally opened earlier this week.
The original station opened in 1841, connecting Brussels to Paris.
This was later replaced in 1874 due to capacity constraints, only for it to be destroyed by World War II bombings, in 1944.
Another new structure was built in 1952, only for this to close in 2013.
This was then demolished to make space for the new station.
The modern new train hub has five platforms, including for buses and taxies alongside trains.
Despite the huge station, it only sees just over 9,000 passengers every day, with 189 services in the week.
And new international services have been restored between Paris and Brussels.
Run by low-cost Ouigo, the three-hour journey between the capitals will cost between €10 (£8.22) and €59 (£48).
The city of Mons was once a European City of Culture status.
Brits can visit the city by hopping on the Eurostar at London St Pancras, getting off at either Lille or Brussels.
A direct train from either city then takes around one hour.
Or, Brits can travel from the UK via Eurotunnel, with Mons a two-hour drive from Calais.
Also in Belgium is whats considered the world’s most beautiful train station.
Antwerp Central Railway Station is said to be like “travelling back to the golden age of travel” with marble floors and stained glass windows.
First opened in 1905, it was inspired by the Pantheon in Rome.
Three scenic train journeys you can take in the UK
Cornish Coast – One trip that rail enthusiasts seem to love is along a stretch of the Cornish coast and takes just 10 minutes to complete.
The route from St Erth to St Ives only stops at Carbis Bay en route to its final destination, but the views out the window for the whole journey are pretty spectacular.
Another highlight of the journey is that St Ives station is situated right next to Porthminster beach, meaning the sand and sea can be accessed almost immediately.
Meanwhile, the station is less than a ten minute walk into town, where the harbour, shops, galleries and pubs can be explored.
Durham to Edinburgh – Another train route that people in the UK love is the East Coast train line between Durham and Edinburgh, with coastal views and city landscapes among the sights that can be seen out the window.
Newcastle, Berwick, Lindisfarne and Durham Cathedral are all among the highlights on that route.
Scotland’s West Highland Line – While Scotland is home to plenty of famous landmarks and top attractions, it also has one of the most breathtaking train routes in the world.
Scotland’s West Highland Line has previously been dubbed the best rail journey in the world by Wanderlust – and it’s easy to see why.
The journey from Glasgow to Fort William is one of my favourite train routes – and I’ve interrailed through mainland Europe.
With mountain landscapes, serene lochs, wistful moors, and wildlife all visible through the train window, it’s certainly a route all holidaymakers should consider doing at least once.
Another more modern beauty is Liege-Guillemins station, also in Belgium, which has a multicoloured glass roof and even features in some Hollywood blockbusters.
Here’s another new train station set to open in Europe in 2028.
New international routes will also restart[/caption]
