New official figures have revealed the stark contrast between Britain's most bustling transport hubs and its most tranquil railway stops. London Liverpool Street has held onto its crown as the nation's busiest station, while a tiny halt in Nottinghamshire recorded fewer than 70 passengers in a year.
London Dominates the Top Rankings
Data from the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) for the year to the end of March 2025 shows London Liverpool Street handled an estimated 98.0 million entries and exits. This represents a 3.7% increase from the 94.5 million recorded the previous year, solidifying its position at the top.
London Waterloo secured second place with 70.4 million passengers, a significant jump from its fourth-place ranking in 2023/24. The station, which was the UK's busiest for 17 out of 18 years, lost its title following the opening of the Elizabeth line.
The transformative impact of the Elizabeth line is further evident in the rankings. London Paddington (69.9 million) and Tottenham Court Road (68.1 million) took third and fourth places respectively, both key stops on the cross-London route that connects Reading, Heathrow, Abbey Wood, and Shenfield. London Bridge completed the top five with 54.7 million passengers.
Regional Leaders and National Trends
Outside the capital, Birmingham New Street was the busiest station in England with 36.6 million entries and exits. It was followed by Manchester Piccadilly (27.4 million) and Leeds (27.3 million).
In Scotland, Glasgow Central led with 25.3 million passengers, while Cardiff Central was the busiest in Wales with 12.5 million. Nationally, the ORR reported a strong recovery in rail travel, with 1.73 billion passenger journeys made across the network—a 7% rise from the 1.61 billion recorded the previous year.
The UK's Quietest Railway Halt
At the opposite end of the scale, Elton and Orston station in Nottinghamshire was confirmed as the least-used station in 2024/25. The remote stop registered just 68 entries and exits across the entire year.
The station's service is minimal: one East Midlands Railway train calls per day in each direction from Monday to Saturday, with one service heading to Nottingham and the other towards Skegness. No trains stop there on Sundays. The station is unstaffed and lacks basic amenities like seating or toilets.
Such stations are often kept open because it is administratively simpler to maintain an infrequent service than to navigate the complex legal process required for formal closure.
Future Developments at the Top
The future of the now-busiest station, Liverpool Street, is under discussion. Network Rail, which owns the Grade II listed terminus, is pursuing a £1.2 billion redevelopment project. The controversial plans include constructing a 97-metre mixed-use tower block above the concourse.
A previous, taller proposal for a 108-metre tower was scrapped after criticism from notable figures including Sir Stephen Fry and Tracey Emin. The City of London Corporation is expected to rule on the latest application next year.
The ORR's estimates are largely calculated from ticket sales data, providing a comprehensive picture of passenger movement across the UK's rail network and highlighting the vast differences in station usage from the heart of London to the countryside of Nottinghamshire.
