Deutsche Bahn is not necessarily known for its punctuality; it was only in November that it broke its own unpunctuality record: every second train was late. This means the company has achieved its worst reliability score in eight years. Unfortunately, this not only affects the company and the journey of many commuters, but also the image of German train stations, as the current “European Railway Station Index 2023” shows. Accordingly, German train stations are in last place in a European comparison when it comes to passenger satisfaction.
For the analysis, which has already taken place for the fourth time, the 50 largest train stations in Europe in terms of passenger volume were examined in more detail according to certain criteria. These include, among other things, the opening times of the ticket counters, the supply options on site, the condition of the sanitary facilities – and the waiting times at the platform. Especially in the last point, German train stations performed significantly worse than their competitors in other countries. Although a total of 21 of the train stations analyzed are in Germany, Germany still represents the bottom of the ranking.
The most passenger-friendly train station is therefore in Switzerland. With 102 points, the main station in Zurich comes in first, followed by the main station in Vienna and the main station in Berlin. Frankfurt Central Station comes in sixth place with 87 points – after which no German station appears in the ranking. It continues with Leipzig (13th place), Cologne (18th place) and Munich (22nd place). This is bad news for Germany, but overall the index does contain positive trends. Because: According to the study authors, all train stations improved over the course of the year and thus achieved a higher score than in the previous year.
Germany, however, repeatedly occupies the last places. And the authors also have an idea of what is still lacking at German train stations. They see one reason in the introduction of the Deutschlandticket. As a result, local transport was stretched significantly beyond its capacity, which led to greater overall congestion and longer waiting times at the station. And of course this in turn reduces passenger satisfaction in the long term – apparently especially in Germany.
1st place: Zurich
2nd place: Vienna
3rd place: Berlin
4th place: Bern
Platz 5: Utrecht Central Station
1st place: Bremen
2nd place: Munich Pasing
3rd place: Berlin Zoological Garden
4th place: Berlin Gesundbrunnen
5th place: Berlin-Ostkreuz
