The two big railway stations in India before 1947 were the most significant, oldest and the largest railway stations in India which were constructed before independence around 170 years ago.
Howrah Junction in Kolkata and Victoria Terminus in Mumbai were the two biggest railway stations in India before 1947.
Victoria Terminus in Mumbai: The original station Bori Bunder was established in 1853 where the first passenger train in India ran to Thane. The current building was completed in 1888 and was renamed as Victoria Terminus.
During British rule Victoria Terminus had served as the headquarters of the Great Indian Peninsular Railway (GIPR) which was the main gateway for the international trade in Western India. It was one of the busiest railway stations of that time.
Victoria Terminus was built in combination of Victorian Gothic Revival Architecture and Traditional Indian Architecture. British architect S. W. Stevens designed it and now it's a UNESCO World Heritage site. The terminal was built over 10 years which began in 1878 and got completed in 1888. The remarkable stone dome, turrets, pointed arches and eccentric ground plan are similar to Indian traditional palace architecture. Today it's known as Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT).
Howrah Junction in Kolkata was opened on 15th August, 1854 and this is referred as one of the oldest railway stations in India.
This was one of the largest and busiest railway stations that linked Kolkata to other major parts of India. By 1900 with the extension of the Bengal Nagpur railway it had become a joint station and was connecting to Bombay and Madras. It is a beautiful large building having red brick structure.