Old Kuala Lumpur Railway Station

The station opened in 1910 to a design by Arthur Benison Hubback, a British architect working in the Public Works Department who had spent time in India, and it shows: white domes, chattris, minarets, keyhole and horseshoe arches applied to what is structurally a perfectly ordinary iron-and-glass train shed. The Malayan Railway Administration Building opposite is by the same hand and in the same manner, and the pair face each other across the road. For decades this was the main terminus, until KL Sentral took over intercity services in 2001, since when the old station has handled commuter trains and a good deal less traffic - which means it is often quiet, and you can walk the platforms without much company. The building has had periods of visible neglect between restoration efforts.

What you'll find

• Indo-Saracenic detailing - domes, minarets, chattris and horseshoe arches.
• An iron and glass train shed - the plain Victorian structure under the ornament.
• The Railway Administration Building - Hubback's matching block across the road.
• Working commuter platforms - still in use, but quiet since KL Sentral opened.

When to go

All year; morning light on the west front. An hour.

Practical notes

Parts have been shabby and under repair for long stretches. There is little to do beyond looking at it - no museum inside. The road between the two buildings is busy and awkward to cross.

Nearby

The National Mosque and Islamic Arts Museum are a short walk; Merdeka Square is north.