New official figures have unveiled the UK's most and least frequented railway hubs, painting a picture of a rail network experiencing a significant post-pandemic rebound. The data, covering the 12 months to March, shows a clear dominance of London termini and a notable overall increase in passenger journeys across the country.
London Stations Dominate the Top Rankings
London Liverpool Street has successfully defended its title as the nation's busiest railway station. It recorded a staggering 98.0 million entries and exits over the year, marking a healthy 3.7 per cent increase in footfall. The capital's stations overwhelmingly occupy the leading positions.
Climbing one place to second is London Waterloo, which welcomed 70.4 million passengers. The transformative impact of the Elizabeth line is evident, with two of its key stations—London Paddington and Tottenham Court Road—taking third and fourth place respectively.
Regional Hubs and National Passenger Growth
Outside of London, Birmingham New Street retains its status as the busiest regional station. It is followed by the major northern hubs of Manchester Piccadilly and Leeds. In Scotland, Glasgow Central leads the way, while Cardiff Central is the foremost station in Wales.
The statistics reveal a robust recovery for the rail sector nationwide. A total of 1.73 billion passenger journeys were made across Britain in the year to March. This represents a substantial 7 per cent rise compared to the previous year's figures, signalling a strong return to rail travel.
The UK's Quietest Railway Halt
At the opposite end of the scale, the title of the least-used station in the UK goes to Elton and Orston in Nottinghamshire. This quiet rural halt saw just 68 recorded entries and exits across the entire year. It is served by a minimal schedule of just one train per day in each direction, and only from Monday to Saturday.
The stark contrast between the bustling platforms of Liverpool Street and the solitude of Elton and Orston highlights the vast diversity of Britain's railway network, which serves everything from global megacities to remote countryside communities.
