Grand Central Madison named 'World’s Most Beautiful Passenger Station' interior

Although it took decades to build and “miscellaneous remaining work” is ongoing, Grand Central Madison – the transit hub where the Long Island Rail Road stops on Manhattan’s East Side – has the “World’s Most Beautiful Passenger Station” interior, according to an international panel of award judges.

The cavernous terminal, which opened in January 2023 after years of delays, received UNESCO’s 2024 Prix Versailles Interior Award for its “innovativeness, creativity, reflection of local heritage and ecological efficiency” in a recently opened or renovated station, according to the MTA. The awards were announced in a ceremony at UNESCO's headquarters in Paris on Tuesday night.

In a written statement, MTA CEO Janno Lieber congratulated the teams of designers and architects that worked on the “world-class” station.

“The project team seamlessly blended innovative engineering and architectural grandeur to create a worthy addition to Grand Central – New York’s temple of mass transit,” he said.

At 700,000 square feet, Grand Central Madison was the largest passenger rail terminal to be built in the country in more than 60 years. Its opening allows the Long Island Rail Road to carry 40% more passengers, bringing its weekday rider total to 260,000, according to the MTA.

Grand Central Madison’s ridership quickly exceeded that of other major iconic facilities — like Boston’s South Station and Chicago's Union Station — to make it the country's third-busiest commuter railroad hub, the MTA said.

Over the summer, the MTA put out a notice seeking contractors to complete further work on the terminal, including elements of fire alarm systems, modifications of doors and installation of security cameras. It was also making provisions for retail spaces in the underground station, which remain largely empty. Those finishing touches were projected to cost between $10 million and $50 million, and take a little over a year to complete.

The UNESCO award focused on the station's architecture and design.

Grand Central Madison was selected in September for the competition’s World’s Most Beautiful Passenger Stations 2024 List alongside Schafbergbahn Station in St. Wolfgang, Austria; Bell Station in Melbourne, Australia; Beijing Station in Beijing, China; Matabiau Station in Toulouse, France; and Chiaia Metro Station in Naples, Italy. From the list, the panel of judges awarded three World Titles: Prix Versailles, Interior and Exterior.