Gare de Laon, Railway station and historical monument in Laon, France

Laon station has a long, low building with a broad facade. A continuous band of tall, narrow windows with pale mullions runs across the upper section, above a solid light-colored wall. A round clock with a dark rim and pale face is centered on the glazing, with a red "SNCF" sign to its right and "GARE DE LAON" in capital letters further left. Dark recessed openings and doorways line the ground level.

The Compagnie des chemins de fer du Nord opened the station on 1 September 1857 with the Tergnier–Laon line, adding the Villers-Cotterêts–Laon section on 2 June 1862. It grew into a six-branch rail star and, in the early 20th century, was the town's largest industrial employer, housing staff in a cheminots' estate. Razed at the end of the Second World War, it was rebuilt; its rotunda and halle-atelier were listed on 30 June 2015.

The station's name appears in capital letters on the facade, beside a round clock and a red SNCF sign. Its former engine roundhouse and the halle-atelier were listed as monuments historiques by decree of 30 June 2015. From 1899 to 1971 the station was served by the Laon tramway, replaced from 4 February 1989 to 27 August 2016 by the Poma 2000, whose station was called Gare.

The station is easy to reach on foot and the platforms are clearly marked. Travelers should allow some time before departure to locate their platform and get oriented in the building.

The station was rebuilt after being razed at the end of the Second World War; only its roundhouse and the workshop hall survive from the earlier complex, and both were listed as monuments historiques on 30 June 2015. The signal box, built around 1925 by the Compagnie du Nord, used Mors mechanical lever technology.