The golden days of the railroads are long gone, but many train stations still stand in São Paulo to tell the story. Most of them are a legacy of the coffee-growing period, from the mid-19th century to the first half of the 20th century, when the state of São Paulo invested heavily in railroads. After all, at that time, trains were the best way to transport the grain to the Port of Santos!
Nowadays, some stations are still operating – others have (almost) fallen into oblivion. In any case, they retain the luxury and elegance of the time when they were built, with architecture that compares to that of large terminals abroad. So here are some of the most beautiful train stations in SP!
Which are the most beautiful train stations in São Paulo?
Luz Station
Of course, the most famous train station in São Paulo has to come first! Estação da Luz was inaugurated in 1901 and is an architectural masterpiece, inspired by the English stations of the Victorian era.
Imposing chandeliers, colorful stained glass windows and neoclassical columns add a touch of elegance to the atmosphere and transform a simple wait for the train into a journey back to the golden age of Brazilian railroads.
The place, which was once the starting point for train journeys to other states currently receives CPTM lines 7-Rubi and 11-Coral. It also offers the Tourist Express to Paranapiacaba, integrates with Line 4-Yellow of the metro and is home to the Portuguese Language Museum.
Campinas Railway Yard
In the golden days of the railroads, the Pátio Ferroviário was an important crossing point for travelers from São Paulo. Despite its imposing architecture, the historic building ended up abandoned for many years, until it was revitalized in 2022 to host a temporary design event.
Despite this, the Pátio Ferroviário de Campinas remains permanently unoccupied to this day. Earlier this year, PUC-Campinas presented the City Council with a project to revitalize the space, which could become a commercial center and a hub for technology companies. Is it coming?
Júlio Prestes Station
Next up, another representative of the São Paulo capital. The Júlio Prestes Station was inaugurated in 1872 by the Sorocabana Railroad, one of the most important at the time. For a long time it served as a landing point for hundreds of sacks of coffee coming from the countryside to the capital, becoming a symbol of São Paulo’s coffee economy.
Its architecture was inspired by New York’s Grand Central and Pennsylvania terminals. With the decline of the railways, it was abandoned until it received a stop on Line 8-Diamante and became the headquarters of the São Paulo Symphony Orchestra.
Jundiaí Station
The station dates back to 1867 and still retains its English architectural style, with high ceilings, lots of bricks and wood. It was once an important transit point for Italian immigrants arriving in São Paulo, as well as helping to transport coffee from São Paulo. Today it is one of the stations on Line 7-Rubi of the CPTM.
