Welcome to our annual World Cup of Stations Competition where 48 shortlisted stations battle it out head-to-head in a public vote. In this year’s World Cup of Stations we celebrated the incredible local businesses on the doorstep of our wonderful stations, connecting our communities.
Thank you to everyone who voted and supported their station's local businesses!
2024 Winner - Maghull Station
Maghull station in Merseyside has been 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.
Founder of Holly & Co & Not On The High Street
This year’s World Cup of Stations competition highlights something I’m deeply passionate about – local businesses. Small businesses are the heart and soul of train stations, playing a vital role in serving their communities while creating job opportunities for local residents.
The variety of businesses located in or near stations is remarkable, and judging by the shortlist, this competition will be a tough one. I encourage everyone to support their favourite station and make their vote count because the station with the most votes will come out on top.
Monday 14th October
London
South East
South West
East of England
Tuesday 15th October
East Midlands
West Midlands
North East
Yorkshire & the Humber
Wednesday 16th October
North West
Scotland
Cymru | Wales
Community Rail Bonus
Thursday 17th October
Semi finals
Semi-final 1
Semi-final 2
Semi-final 3
Friday 18th October
The Final
WINNER
National Chair at the Federation of Small Businesses
Railway stations up and down the country are home to a huge range of small firms, serving their local community, regular commuters and day trippers on a daily basis. These businesses contribute such a lot to our local economies and are a great source of employment. Not only do railway stations house an array of businesses, they are vital for providing visitors with easy access to local high streets, upping footfall and fostering trade.
This competition is a great way to shine a light on the excellent and varied small firms based in and around transport hubs across the UK, showcasing the products and services they have to offer.
See the value of rail
2023 UK's best loved station - Wemyss Bay
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.