Which preposition is correct in the following sentence?
Now I am at/on/in the railway station.
Best Answer
In addition to what @tunny wrote wrt on the platform and at the station:
In the station means that you are in the building that is at the station. If there is no such building, but only a platform, then using in is not an option.
At the station means anywhere in the close general vicinity of the railway platform(s). You could be in your car in the station parking lot, or you could even be a block away from the station, walking toward it.
Each region has a name for their transportation system, so it varies. For New York, I have mostly seen "subway", for DC it's "metro", for Boston and Pittsburgh it's "the T", for Chicago it's "the L".
In terms of strict dictionary definitions, both terms imply underground trains. Subway is a generic term, but metro is more localized to certain cities.
The train is traveling to Downwood, and you are looking for the train. Within the station, you may be moving in every possible direction, including directly away from Downwood, in order to reach the train. But the point is really that you are not going to Downwood directly under your own power, but rather seeking out something that will take you there.
Best Answer
In addition to what @tunny wrote wrt on the platform and at the station:
In the station means that you are in the building that is at the station. If there is no such building, but only a platform, then using in is not an option.
At the station means anywhere in the close general vicinity of the railway platform(s). You could be in your car in the station parking lot, or you could even be a block away from the station, walking toward it.