Lucerne, Switzerland: Railway Station

Stick Americans in Europe long enough, and they'll get around to admiring the train system there. They are fast, organized, easy and efficient. The reason is that Europeans have a higher population density than their American counterparts, and it makes it easier to take the train that to drive in many cases. The European plan only works in certain places on this side of the pond, such as the area between Boston and Washington.

Lucerne first got into the train business in 1856. It helps the city's commerce, as it was a link between boat traffic from Lake Lucerne from the Alps and the northern part of the country. A new station went up in 1896, and quickly became a popular destination. The facility is located right by the point where the lake turns into a river; it doesn't get more convenient than that. It stayed that way until 1971, when a major fire broke out. The railway station was more or less destroyed. 

Temporary facilities were rushed into service, and eventually Lucerne got around to thinking about something new. In 1991, the new place opened up. Not only is it a great place for trains, but there's something of a small mall in the basement. A supermarket is a highlight; it's a great place to buy reasonably priced food (unless you prefer the $22 hamburgers a couple of hundred feet away). A bookstore also was a nice surprise.

The developers made one interesting decision in the new project. They left the entrance to the old building up; it had survived the fire. It's not connected to the new place, which has a slightly smaller footprint on the ground. The gate is actually in a plaza across the street, which is where the major area for bus traffic is located. 

I'm not counting on many people watching a 5-minute video on a train station. But it's here if you want it.