The Most Passenger-Friendly Railway Stations in Europe
Many people are actively striving to travel by train rather than fly these days as a means of reducing carbon emissions. With that in mind, it may be helpful to know the railway stations that have been voted most passenger-friendly in Europe.
The Consumer Choice Center ranked Europe’s 50 largest railway stations for its first annual European Railway Station Index in terms of passenger experience. This ranking covered various factors, ranging from how crowded platforms are and accessibility to the number of destinations and cleanliness. Moreover, it also considered the availability of ride-hailing services, competition amongst train companies, on-site restaurants and shopping, number of international destinations, quality of signage, average strike days, existence of first-class lounges, and overall convenience in accessing the platforms.
Based on these criteria, it ranked St. Pancras International in London as the top station. This was largely due to its low number of strike days, high passenger convenience, and international connectivity. Consequently, it sets a benchmark for passenger experience. Furthermore, Zürich and Leipzig Central Stations were ranked second and third, respectively. Roma Termini in Rome secured fourth place, while München Central Station in Munich tied for sixth with both Hamburg Central Station and Berlin Central Station. Additionally, Milano Centrale in Milan ranked eighth, while both Moscow Kazansky and Frankfurt Central Station tied for ninth position.
Half of the top ten were German railway stations, thanks to their low numbers of strike days, access to numerous destinations, wheelchair accessibility, and diverse food and shopping options to enhance waiting times. “While we at the Consumer Choice Center uphold choice and technology neutrality, we aim to leverage the growing interest in long-distance train travel as a platform to showcase the most convenient railway stations in Europe for travelers,” the report states.
You can check out the complete European Railway Station Index here.
