Fright Train: The three most haunted train stations in the world

When it comes to the supernatural, we assume spirits roam the halls of insane asylums or hide in the corners of attics, only presenting themselves at the spookiest of occasions (like Hallowe’en). We can blame Hollywood, or the good old fashioned ghost story, but when it comes to the supernatural, sightings are anything but predictable, and encounters with spirits can take place at random places like the supermarket, a movie theatre, and even a train station. So in keeping with the spirit of the season, I further investigated supernatural experiences at train stations, and what I found were plenty of stories that left me scared in my tracks.

Casper the friendly ghost

Leamington Spa Station in the UK, may look like your typical train station, but it’s severely haunted. Random doors slamming shut, electrical seizures like lights flicking on and off, and the sounds of footsteps are considered child’s play. Described to be one of the most haunted buildings in Britain, Chiltern Railways felt the need to hire Nick Rees, a patrol officer who specializes in dealing with the supernatural. He walks the stations grounds daily, communicating with the spirits and insuring they stay to themselves. He says the ghosts are friendly, but I’d never want to meet them.

A 47-year-old ghost story

One night in 1967, a loyal station employee was making his rounds at the Begunkodor Train Station in India, when he noticed a woman wearing a white sari. This woman was in fact a spirit that was rumoured to have died in a nearby train accident. A few weeks later, the man who encountered the ghost suddenly dropped dead, and as word got around, employees stopped going to work in fear they would be next. The station lay abandoned for over 40 years when it finally reopened in August of 2009 after local residents pleaded for an easier mode of transportation in and out of Begunkodor. To this day, a few still believe the spirit of the woman in white lingers the station.

Vancouver’s most haunted building

Waterfront Station in Vancouver is considered one of the city’s most historic and haunted buildings. Speak to any night guard and they’ll surely tell you they’ve witnessed signs of paranormal activity like hearing soft voices and footsteps, and even spotting a woman in 1920s clothing dancing by herself in a corner of the station. Staff also believe these spirits enjoy playing tricks on them. There was one documented case where a night guard ventured into a storage room that contained old desks, and when he turned around the desks had suddenly moved and trapped him in the room. Plenty of travellers make sure to stop at Waterfront Station in hopes of having a memorable encounter.

If you don’t believe in the supernatural or just love a good ghost story and want to learn more about haunted train stations, just turn to the internet. Plenty of tales can be found about places all over the world, like Mexico’s Panteones metro station or Macquarie Fields railway station just outside Sydney. You’ll be left with goose bumps.

Happy Hallowe’en, everyone!

Getting There

G Adventures runs a number of rail adventures encompassing a wide range of departure dates and activities to cater for different tastes. We’re thrilled at the prospect of showing you this big blue planet of ours— check out our rail tours here.