It always happens when you least want it to. When you’re already late for work, or when it’s raining and you forgot your umbrella. It always feels like train cancellations are out to get you personally, but, it turns out, some stations really do have it worse than others.
According to the Office of Rail and Road (ORR), just over 5 percent of train journeys between October and December 2024 were cancelled. That’s not great as far as national averages go, but at some stations that rate is much, much higher.
The ORR has never openly stated whereabouts you’re statistically most likely to be left stranded on the platform. It produces data, which is then presented to each national transport board which usually chooses to keep it to themselves, but this year, the Department for Transport has decided to publicise the ORR’s English findings. The Welsh and Scottish transport boards, however, are keeping as tight lipped as ever.
So who are the least lucky commuters? Anyone going to or from Ince and Elton station in Cheshire, where a whopping 22 percent of services never turn up. That’s nearly a one in four chance that any given train will be cancelled. Our hearts go out to the residents of Ince and Elton. We hope you have a reliable bus service.
In second (worst) place was Gathurst, near Wigan. Sixteen percent of their journeys in that time period ended up being cancelled. Definitely less than a quarter, but still not great odds. The data also revealed that in a four week period earlier this year, only 33 out of 18,000 English stations saw 0 cancellations. We’re no mathematicians, but that’s quite a low percentage.
The ORR says that the statistics don’t show when they manage to fill the gaps caused by cancellations with other services, and that many of them are out of rail companies’ control. That doesn’t make it any less annoying for the passengers, but it’s worth bearing in mind.
With that said, here are the 10 worst train stations in England for cancellations from January 5–February 1 2025.
The worst 10 train stations for cancellations
- Ince and Elton (Cheshire) – 22.8 percent
- Gathurst (Wigan) – 16.2 percent
- Earlswood (Surrey) – 11.7 percent
- Birchgrove (Cardiff) – 11.7 percent
- Rhiwbina (Cardiff) – 11.7 percent
- Whitchurch (Cardiff) – 11.7 percent
- Salfords (Surrey) – 11.7 percent
- Arram (Yorkshire) – 10.7 percent
- Hartlepool – 9.9 percent
- Ellesmere Port – 9.7 percent
Although it looks as if Cardiff has it particularly rough, if this list was extended slightly downward you would quickly start to see quite a few London stations in it. In fact, we did an entire rundown specifically dedicated to London’s least reliable stations – have a read here.
Train travel with Time Out
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