London St Pancras has been named the best train station in Europe in a new comprehensive report compiled by the Consumer Choice Centre (CCC).
The European Railway Station Index scored Europe’s 50 largest railway stations out of a possible 139 points across criteria including accessibility for wheelchair users, cleanliness, signage, platforms and range of destinations served.
They were also scored on the choice of restaurants and shops and first-class lounge facilities, plus points were subtracted based on the number of days affected by rail strikes.
German stations
St Pancras placed top with an overall score of 116, with Birmingham New Street (12th), London Bridge (15th) and London Victoria (20th) also making it into the top 20.
German stations ranked the best overall, with five of the top 10 based in Germany: Leipzig, Munich, Hamburg, Berlin and Frankfurt.
Italy also had two entries, with Roma Termini and Milan Central Station ranking fourth and eighth respectively.
At the other end of the spectrum, Magenta station in Paris achieved the lowest score (41), followed by Nørreport station in Copenhagen and Haussmann-Saint-Lazare in Paris.
Strike days, passenger convenience and international connectivity
“Train travel has received a more important role in Europe in recent years,” said the CCC.
“Policy makers and consumers have oriented toward train travel as a means of reducing carbon emissions.
“While we at the Consumer Choice Center stand for choice and technology neutrality, we want to use the rise of interest in long distance train travel as an opportunity to show which railway stations in Europe are the most convenient for travellers.”
The CCC attributed St Pancras’ win to its low number of strike days, high passenger convenience and international connectivity.
“The fact that it also hosts the longest champagne bar in Europe did not influence this ranking,” it added.
Europe’s 10 best train stations
St Pancras, London, UK
Zürich Central Station, Zurich, Switzerland
Leipzig Central Station, Leipzig, Germany
Roma Termini, Rome, Italy
München Central Station, Munich, Germany
Hamburg Central Station, Hamburg, Germany
Berlin Central Station, Berlin, Germany
Milan Central Station, Milan, Italy
Moscow Kazansky, Moscow, Russia
Frankfurt Central Station, Frankfurt, Germany
Europe’s 10 worst train stations
Magenta, Paris, France
Nørreport, Copenhagen, Denmark
Haussmann-Saint-Lazare, Paris, France
Châtelet–Les Halles, Paris, France
Torino Porta Nuova, Turin, Italy
Oslo Central Station, Oslo, Norway
Dortmund Central Station, Dortmund, Germany
Berlin Friedrichstrasse, Berlin, Germany
Wien Mitte, Vienna, Austria
Helsinki Central Station, Helsinki, Finland
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