Train stations are transit stations where you never want to stay long. However, delays or train cancellations often force long waiting times. Then you can see how good the environment really is: are there enough restaurants, shops and lounges?
The consumer protection organization Consumer Choice Center based in Washington DC has now presented its annual European Railway Station Index for 2022. For the third time, the 51 major railway stations in Europe and their infrastructure are examined in more detail.
Criteria such as the number of passengers, the number of national and international connections, the signs and lounges and the number of elevators play a role in the evaluation. Barrier-free access for wheelchair users, the connection to local public transport, the number of restaurants, shops for supplies and rideshare options and Internet access are also taken into account and included in the index.
In the overall evaluation, five train stations in Germany made it into the top ten. But number one is in Europe’s best rail country: Zurich’s main station scored 93 out of a possible 108 points, “although the station does not have the highest number of international and domestic destinations,” the statement said. But the selection of shops, restaurants and take-away places is particularly extensive for travelers.
The tail lights are also interesting, which, in addition to the stations in Berlin Alexanderplatz, London Waterloo, Firenze Santa Maria Novella, also include two in Paris: Haussmann-Saint Lazare and Châtelet-Les Halles.
Source: https://consumerchoicecenter.org
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