Howrah railway station is a railway station located in the city of Howrah, West Bengal, India. It is the largest and busiest railway complex in India as well as one of the busiest and largest train stations in the world. It is also the oldest surviving railway station complex in India. Howrah is one of six intercity train stations serving the Kolkata metropolitan area, the others being Sealdah, Dankuni, Santragachi, Shalimar and Kolkata railway station.

George Turnbull was the Scottish engineer responsible from 1851 to 1863 for the construction of the first Indian long-distance railway line: Calcutta to Benares up beside the Ganges river, 541 miles, . The main line was later extended to Delhi. He had some 100 British civil engineers and 118,000 Indian workers. All railway lines, engines etc etc were brought from Britain in ships -- most then went in Indian ships up the Ganges river, despite monsoons.