Rails of glory: Zurich crowned Europe’s finest train station

In the pursuit of aiding travellers in their decision-making process, attention is shifting towards identifying Europe’s most favourable railway stations.

More attention is being given to the railways, especially with the rise of train travel as a viable alternative to air travel.

The annual European Railway Station Index evaluates Europe’s 50 largest railway stations by passenger volume, assessing various factors such as waiting times, delays, transportation connections, ticket offers, in-station services, accessibility, and technological amenities.

Zurich Hauptbahnhof in Switzerland holds the top spot as Europe’s best train station, offering extended ticket office hours, minimal waiting times, and a low train delay rate.

Berlin Hauptbahnhof in Germany and Bern in Switzerland follow closely behind, with Utrecht Centraal in the Netherlands also ranking high.

On the other end of the spectrum, were Essen Hauptbahnhof in Germany, Birmingham New Street in the UK, Châtelet-Les Halles and Haussmann Saint-Lazare in Paris, France, Helsinki Central in Finland and Firenze Santa Maria Novella in Italy.

Due to falling passenger numbers, London’s St Pancras International station was not included in the ranking.