Welcome to our annual World Cup of Stations Competition where a group of shortlisted stations in Britain battle it out head-to-head in a public vote.

With 2025 marking 200 years since the birth of the modern railway, this year’s World Cup of Stations will see us celebrate the most life-changing station of the last 200 years. This theme will spotlight the many stations that have touched lives in unforgettable ways, from moments of hope and heroism to new beginnings.

There are two phases to the competition:

Nomination phase (1 to 22 August) - The public shared stories and nominated stations that have made a life-changing impact.
Public voting phase (13 to 17 October) - Cast your vote for your favourite shortlisted station, with the station with most votes to be crowned the winner.

Voting is now open!

Discover the stories behind this year’s 20 finalist stations and vote for your favourite to be crowned Britain’s most life-changing station using the form below.

Voting closes at 23:59 (GMT) this Friday 17 October.

Latest update

Alice Loxton

Historian, Author and Broadcaster

Britain’s railway stations are so much more than bricks and mortar — they are places where history and everyday life meet. From moments of personal joy to events that shaped the nation, each station has a story to tell. The World Cup of Stations is a wonderful way to celebrate that legacy, and I’m delighted to see the public getting involved in choosing the stations that have truly changed lives.

Our 2024 winner: Maghull

Maghull station in Merseyside was crowned the 2024 World Cup of Stations champion, and ‘Station with the Best Local Businesses.’

Station staff, volunteers, train operators', and passengers from across the country embraced the competition, with over 100,000 votes cast throughout the week. Maghull’s success was driven by its thriving local businesses, The Coffee Carriage café, and the station’s vibrant green space, which has been maintained by dedicated volunteers.

The competition shone a spotlight on the variety of stations and the creative ways they are used, often with help from Community Rail volunteers who work tirelessly to improve our great stations for local residents, the environment and the local economy.

The previous winners

Wemyss Bay

2023

In 2023 we teamed up with Community Rail to find the UK's best loved station. Out of the 1,200+ stations across Britain that are supported by station adoption groups, made up entirely of volunteers, to improve the station for their community, Community Rail selected 48 to feature in the tournament.

Wemyss Bay station managed by ScotRail, won for their great volunteers work in developing a vibrant and colourful community garden as well as opening the Station Bookshop.

Worthy runners up were Denmark Hill and Leamington Spa.

Find out more