With the rapid development of China’s railway system, high-speed rail has become a prominent symbol of national progress. It has profoundly transformed people’s lifestyles, reshaped urban structures, and further stimulated socioeconomic development. Throughout this process, China’s railway stations have undergone multiple stages of iterative upgrades, with station-city integration emerging as a critical topic in current urban and transportation planning discourse. The evolution of the four generations of railway stations in Guangzhou offers a microcosmic view of the modernization of China’s railway infrastructure. Through comparative analysis of these four generations and their respective transfer models, supported by visual diagrammatic methods, this study uncovers the transformation trends in integrated transport transfer systems centered on railway stations. These systems have evolved from two-dimensional expansion models to locally stacked, three-dimensional forms, reflecting a clear progression toward more compact, fully threedimensional transportation integration. This development trend increasingly solidifies the role of railway stations as the nucleus of comprehensive transport hubs. This research introduces the concept of topological equivalence into architectural design as a novel analytical perspective. By employing the principle of “homeomorphism” from topology and focusing on the spatial topological structure of transfer flows, a comparative study of Guangzhou’s four generations of railway stations helps identify the fundamental attributes of integrated transport hubs as critical nodes within broader transportation networks. Based on these findings, a basic spatial topological model of transfer flows for comprehensive transportation integration centered on railway stations is proposed. While maintaining the constancy of the topological structure, this approach emphasizes the reconfiguration of spatial connectivity to improve spatial continuity, accessibility, and systematic coordination. Such reconfiguration enables new strategies in spatial design innovation. Practically, optimizing passenger flow paths and constructing more logical and efficient spatial layouts can shorten transfer distances, enhance transfer efficiency, and improve the adaptability and flexibility of functional spaces. Furthermore, topological transformation facilitates the creation of public spaces that are not only functional but also human-centered and experience-rich. The spatial topological model developed in this research offers a theoretical basis for further studies employing space syntax theory. Through the analysis of spatial structure topology and visibility, researchers can explore the implicit relationships between form and function in complex urban spatial systems, and understand the interplay between transportation functions and urban public space. Moreover, the model supports the application of simulation tools to dynamically model passenger flows, identify bottlenecks, propose spatial optimization strategies, and generate quantifiable performance indicators for comprehensive evaluation. Integrated transport is the cornerstone of station-city synergy. The efficient integration of multiple transport modes is a prerequisite for the coordinated development of railway stations and surrounding urban areas. In addition to supporting high-performance transportation functions, transport complexes can stitch together fragmented urban spaces through overhead developmentprojects, repurpose underutilized land, and facilitate high-density commercial activity. Such integrated land use significantly enhances urban efficiency. The Guangzhou Baiyun Station Complex exemplifies this model, pioneering a development strategy in which high-speed rail hubs drive large-scale urban renewal and integrated station-city construction management—offering a distinctive “China solution” for global urban development challenges. To support this integration, Guangzhou has pioneered a unified construction and management model. A dedicated implementation company was established to oversee the comprehensive planning, design, and construction of associated infrastructure projects, including municipal roads, hub-supporting facilities, and reserved metro infrastructure. This integrated approach has proven highly effective, providing robust institutional support and overcoming previous coordination barriers such as land boundaries, property rights, and operational governance. It significantly reduces project interface complexities and coordination difficulties, avoids redundant or abandoned construction caused by misalignment, and facilitates cost control and construction scheduling. These outcomes collectively enhance the systematic functionality and integrative value of the project, achieving true synergy between transportation and urban development. At the operational level, several innovative design strategies have also demonstrated notable success. For example, rather than placing entry points along a central symmetry axis, a fourcorner entry model was introduced, offering a more distributed and efficient flow. A multi-level automobile drop-off platform was constructed, allowing all public and private transport passengers to transfer on a single level with door-to-door, zero-elevation-change access. Additionally, a multi-level pedestrian corridor system was developed to mend urban fractures caused by railway infrastructure, creating a walkable, livable urban fabric that supports high-intensity overhead property development and fosters an environment suitable for both living and working. In conclusion, drawing upon the extensive experience of the authors’ design team in railway station planning and development, this study selects representative engineering cases to examine integrated design strategies. By offering new theoretical perspectives and practical references, it aims to support the design of similar projects and contribute to the deeper integration of comprehensive transportation systems with urban spatial form.