Railway stations in Germany ranked among the poorest in terms of cleanliness, efficiency, and security.
In August 2025, the Consumer Choice Center, a US-based consumer advocacy organization, published the European Railway Station Index. The index evaluated 50 of the busiest train stations in Europe, considering factors such as ticket options, services, accessibility, free Wi-Fi, rail network coverage, and ride-sharing.
Zurich Hauptbahnhof secured the first place in the ranking, handling over 100 million passengers annually. The Swiss station is renowned for its punctual trains and well-maintained infrastructure. In stark contrast, Berlin-Gesundbrunnen, Germany's worst-performing station in the index, landed in last place, managing around 74 million passengers annually.
Travelers in Germany often experience longer waiting times and insufficient equipment at train stations. The average waiting time on the platform at Berlin-Gesundbrunnen is 10.83 minutes, and approximately 42 percent of trains are late. Berlin Ostkreuz, Dortmund Hbf, Bremen, Stuttgart, and Berlin Südkreuz are among the top 10 worst train stations in Europe.
The authors of the index attribute the poor performance of German train stations to expensive and time-consuming rail network renovation, newly defined punctuality limits, and partly outdated infrastructure. The responsible authorities for improving German train stations include the Deutsche Bahn (especially its infrastructure subsidiary DB InfraGO), which plans and implements infrastructure upgrades; federal and state transportation ministries overseeing funding and policy; regional public transport agencies (Zweckverbände) coordinating local improvements; and specialized planning and construction companies like DEGES for major infrastructure projects.
Countries like Switzerland and Poland are recognized for their customer-friendly train stations. Breslau Glowny in Poland is ranked second in the European Railway Station Index. No specific details about the identities or rankings of the six German train stations among the worst in Europe are provided in this paragraph. Vienna Hauptbahnhof ranks 8th among the best train stations in Europe, while Vienna Meidling is ranked 47th.
It's worth noting that only about 4% of trains arriving at Zurich Hauptbahnhof are late, the lowest rate in Europe. On the other hand, Zurich Hauptbahnhof boasts a variety of shops and restaurants, in contrast to Berlin-Gesundbrunnen, which only has three shops and seven restaurants.
The European Railway Station Index aims to encourage improvements in European train stations, fostering a more pleasant and efficient travel experience for millions of passengers each year.
