The 'world's biggest train station' costing £5.8bn - the size of 170 football pitches

A massive train station built in a city that many in the UK haven't heard of is equivalent to about 170 football fields. Believe it or not, but China recentlyinaugurated a new train station with 1.22 million square meters, dwarfing many of its counterparts. The project has an estimated total investment of 52.8 billion yuan (approximately £5.82 billion).

Chongqing East Railway Station is located in Nan'an, Chongqing, a municipality in China. The station is part of China's ambitious plan to expand its railway network worldwide. This vast transport hub features 15 platforms with 29 tracks, making it the largest high-speed rail station in western China. Inaugurated in June this year, the station serves major high-speed lines, including Chongqing-Xiamen, Shanghai-Chongqing-Chengdu, and Chongqing-Wanzhou.

To put its scale into perspective, it's equivalent to two Guangzhou South Stations or about 170 football fields-a size larger than the central districts of some cities, reports wtfi/Live.

This makes it the largest high-speed railway station in terms of total built-up area.

The station's design showcases local nature and heritage: the ceiling mimics huangjue trees, vents look like flowers, and a bamboo-scroll welcome sign greets visitors. At sunset, the west entrance lights up in a warm glow that photographers love.

Chongqing East Station serves as a major high-speed rail hub, linking you to Chengdu and Guiyang in one hour, Xi'an, Wuhan, Changsha and Kunming in three hours, and Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen in six-making it a key gateway in one of the world's most advanced rail networks.

A standout feature at Chongqing East is its air-rail integration service, which lets you check in for domestic and select international flights at Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport right from the train station-making the switch between high-speed rail and air travel completely seamless.

Chongqing East Station offers full Wi-Fi, digital wayfinding, and real-time multilingual announcements to guide international travelers. Of the 5,000+ seats, 1,000 include USB ports and extra charging stations are scattered throughout the terminal.

Tourist information centers provide maps, local attraction tips, and help with onward travel plans. Dining spans global chains like McDonald's and KFC alongside authentic Chongqing specialties known for their spicy, numbing flavors.