Chongqing East Railway Station is a massive infrastructure in the Nan'an district of Chongqing, China. Covering 1.22 million square meters, it is currently the largest high-speed railway station in the world by total floor area.
This station is roughly equivalent to 170 football fields. Construction on this mega-hub began in 2022, and it officially opened for service in 2025 with a total cost of around 7.8 billion US dollars.
The station is built for heavy crowds. It is capable of handling 16,000 passengers every hour during peak times. It also supported by 29 platforms and 15 active tracks.
Built on a Mountain
What makes this station unique is its location. Instead of flat land, engineers built this station on top of a mountain. The construction crew had to cut down and flatten the mountain using 3D mapping and controlled blasting before laying down the foundation.
Surprisingly, China finished the whole build in just 38 months. They did it by using advanced construction robots alongside human workers.
Laser-guided robots leveled the concrete floors and other specialized robots installed massive glass panels weighing 800 kilograms each. Automated welding systems and 24-hour security robots kept the site safe and efficient. In total, the station used 2 million cubic meters of concrete and 366,000 tonnes of steelSmart and Green Design
The station is split vertically into eight different floors. Inside the main hall, there are giant 41-meter-tall steel columns. These columns look like local Huangjue trees, but they are engineered to protect the building from earthquakes.
The roof is also amazing. It features a massive steel structure weighing over 4,400 tons and a giant glass wall. This wall lets in plenty of natural sunlight, so the station does not need to use as many electric lights during the day.
The station uses a smart air conditioning system to protect the environment. This system cuts energy loss by over 20 percent and meets top green building standards.
All-in-One Travel Hub
Chongqing East works as an all-in-one transit hub. Passengers can switch between high-speed trains, the city metro, local buses, and taxis without ever stepping outside the building.
The station connects southwest China to 14 major cities, including Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou. It is part of China's "six-hour commuter circle" plan
This means, travelers can reach most major coastal cities within six hours. Shorter trips to nearby cities like Chengdu or Guiyang take only an hour.
Getting to the station from downtown Chongqing is also easy. It only takes about 30 minutes by car.
Moreover, the waiting hall comes with over 5,000 seats, and about 1,000 of them have built-in USB ports for phone charging. Free high-speed Wi-Fi is available throughout the building.
If travelers get hungry, there are plenty of familiar choices like McDonald’s, KFC, Lawson, and 7-Eleven. One of the best features is the air-rail integration, which lets passengers check in for their flights right at the train station before heading to the airport. The station also includes clean baby care rooms and premium business class lounges for a comfortable wait.
