Leipzig is the best train station according to a study

The train is a comfortable means of transport within Germany. If the train station is also a comfortable place, it is even better. Where is that the case?

A train journey can be comfortable, but also extremely stressful. There are many factors that make travelling by train an experience or a drama: punctuality, cleanliness and the supply of food or seasonal WiFi all play a role. Omio, a booking platform for transport connections, has now determined which long-distance train stations in Germany are particularly passenger-friendly and which are unreliable.

The winner among the 30 long-distance train stations examined is Omio after Leipzig Central Station (with 100 points), followed by the main train stations in Berlin (97.1), Dresden (77.3), Nuremberg (73.9) and Cologne (72.1).

The most unreliable and joyless train stations were Duisburg (22.3), Bielefeld (17.4) and Augsburg (16.4), Frankfurt Airport long-distance station (6.3) and Bonn main station. Bonn tops the negative list with zero points.

By the way: Stuttgart Central Station may be ranked 19th, but it proved to be extremely unpopular in Google ratings. With just 3.1 points, the station received a particularly low rating, which is probably due to the ongoing Stuttgart 21 construction site and the associated inconveniences.

Anyone travelling from Bonn Central Station needs strong nerves, says the Omio study. Trains here are particularly often delayed. Only 41 percent of all trains depart on schedule. In addition, there are hardly any opportunities to shop (only five shops) or eat something (only three restaurants).

In Bielefeld and Duisburg, the situation is also bleak: here, almost every second train leaves its destination late. The fact that a good selection of food and shopping opportunities is very important to travelers is evident from the top of the ranking.

Leipzig Central Station is a terminus station. This means that trains do not run through it. Around 120,000 travelers stream through the building every day and, according to Omio, find “all the important features here, including barrier-free access to all platforms, public toilets, free WiFi and a DB lounge.” And that's not all.

Leipzig is also the largest shopping station: With 69 shops and 21 stalls selling snacks and drinks, it offers the opportunity to do some shopping before the journey. But the most important thing, according to the information, is that 72 percent of all trains arrive in Leipzig on time. According to the study, this figure is significantly higher than the average of 63 percent.

15. Freiburg/Breisgau main station

21. Münster/Westphalia Central Station