What do you think is the best train station in Europe? Stumped? The Consumer Choice Center, considered the American equivalent ofUFC-Que Choisir, has the answer. As reported by BFM Business, this consumer advocacy group has rated and ranked Europe's best and worst train stations for the fourth time.
Several criteria were taken into account, such as the variety of tickets available for purchase, average waiting time, train delays, availability of free Wi-Fi, station information, presence of elevators and escalators, availability of wheelchairs and disabled-accessible toilets, number of stores and restaurants, and interconnectivity with urban transport.
So, who takes the prize for Europe's best railway station? Zürich Central Station in Switzerland came out on top, winning 102 out of a possible 123 points. Vienna Central Station in Austria takes second place, followed by Berlin Central Station in Germany.
What about France? Only one station features in this Top 10 of Europe's best stations. It's Paris's Gare de Lyon. This famous railway station, located in the 12th arrondissement and serving the south-east of France as well as Italy, comes 9th in this ranking drawn up by the Consumer Choice Center.
What about the Gare du Nord, Europe's leading railway station in terms of passenger numbers? This railway station, which also serves London, Brussels and Amsterdam, only came 13th in the ranking with 80 points. Gare Saint-Lazare came 15th with 79 points, while Gare Montparnasse was 18th with 77 points. Bad news for Gare de l'Est, which didn't even make the Top 50. Conversely, the Châtelet-les-Halles RER station is among the 10 worst in Europe.
