Worcestershire Parkway, a station that only opened in 2020, has been named the UK's worst-rated train station in a new ranking based on passenger reviews posted on Google over the past year. The list was compiled by travel experts at Ski Vertigo ahead of the October half-term getaway, when many families begin their holidays with a train journey.
How the ranking was compiled
The experts analysed Google reviews for the UK's most-reviewed train stations, those with at least 200 reviews, and ranked each one by the average score of reviews posted over the past year. Worcestershire Parkway, on the outskirts of Worcester, averaged just 3.43 stars from the 77 Google reviews it received in the last 12 months, with almost one in five reviewers giving it a single star.
Passenger complaints
Reviewers complain about parking, exposed platforms and having few places to buy food or a drink. One reviewer wrote: “I think this place might be purgatory.”
Peckham Rye in south London came second, averaging 3.54 stars from 56 reviews. The lack of lifts comes up repeatedly, with one passenger calling it a “really poor station, no step-free access at all”.
Stansted Airport station, where many holidaymakers start and end their trips, ranked third with 3.71 stars from 119 reviews. One passenger complained of “extremely slow barriers at Stansted Airport railway station”.
Expert advice for travellers
Alex Dyer, managing director at Ski Vertigo, said: “Station reviews tend to get written in the few minutes someone spends waiting on a platform, so that's really what these scores are judging.
“Plenty of holidays start on a platform too, and those minutes feel a lot longer with a pushchair, a big suitcase and a lift that isn't working. That's why the same gripes keep coming up, far more than complaints about old buildings, and nearly all of them could be fixed.
“Leaving a bit of extra time for a change of train at one of these stations makes sense this autumn, especially for parents travelling with small children.”
