Europe’s airports are regularly ranked from best to worst to help travellers make informed choices.
With train travel surging, it’s time to look at which European railway stations offer the best travel experience.
From connections to delays, the annual European Railway Station Index analyses Europe’s 50 largest railway stations by passenger volume.
Here are the top - and bottom - railway stations for passenger convenience in Europe in 2023.
The annual European Railway Station Index ranks 50 major train stations on the travel experience they provide.
Compiled by consumer advocacy group the Consumer Choice Center, it assigns points for waiting times, delays and transport connections - both locally and for onward train travel.
It also considers ticket offers, ticket booth operating times and availability of information, along with in-station services - like lounges, shops and restaurants - accessibility, smartphone apps, free wifi and the availability of ride sharing services like Bolt and Uber.
Reports from national authorities, online statistics, station maps, real-time updates and its own research on consumer expectations inform the analysis.
After taking the crown in 2022, Zurich Hauptbahnhof in Switzerland remains number one for passenger convenience, scoring 102 points.
Its ticket office stays open from 6am to 9pm. There are special ticket offers for children, large groups, young and elderly people, and those with disabilities. The station scored especially well on waiting times, with an average of one minute, while only three per cent of trains were delayed.
With 106 shops and kiosks and 53 restaurants and takeaways to choose from, though, you’d be forgiven for missing your train.
Despite only entering the rankings this year, Vienna Hauptbahnhof in Austria has landed straight in second place, scoring highly on in-station services, onward travel and accessibility.
Berlin Hauptbahnhof in Germany secures the third spot, which it shares with another Swiss entry - Bern - followed by Utrecht Centraal in the Netherlands.
Also in the top 10 were Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof in Germany, Napoli Centrale in Italy, Amsterdam Centraal in the Netherlands, Gare de Lyon in Paris, France, Oslo Central Station in Norway and Vienna Meidling in Austria.
Choosing one of these stations for departure, transit or arrival could mean less time waiting for trains, more ticket packages to choose from, more shops and first-class lounges and better connections.
Among Europe’s busiest train stations, Bremen Hauptbahnhof in Germany had the lowest score for customer convenience with just 39 points.
With an average waiting time of 11 minutes and 43 per cent of trains being delayed, travellers can expect a slow journey when travelling to or from the
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