United Kingdom railway station categories
Encyclopedia
The 2,535 railway stations on the National Rail
network in the United Kingdom
are classified into six categories and four subcategories by the Department for Transport
. The scheme was devised in 1996 and there was a review in 2009 when 106 stations changed categories. The categorisation scheme is owned by Network Rail
, the site landlord of most of the stations. Some stations are in multiple categories, for instance is in category A for the surface platforms and C1 for the Thameslink
platforms.
Category C stations are sub-divided into C1 (city or busy junction) and C2 (other busy railheads). Category F stations are sub-divided into F1 (basic) and F2 (below 100,000 journeys per annum).
National Rail
National Rail is a title used by the Association of Train Operating Companies as a generic term to define the passenger rail services operated in Great Britain...
network in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
are classified into six categories and four subcategories by the Department for Transport
Department for Transport
In the United Kingdom, the Department for Transport is the government department responsible for the English transport network and a limited number of transport matters in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland which are not devolved...
. The scheme was devised in 1996 and there was a review in 2009 when 106 stations changed categories. The categorisation scheme is owned by Network Rail
Network Rail
Network Rail is the government-created owner and operator of most of the rail infrastructure in Great Britain .; it is not responsible for railway infrastructure in Northern Ireland...
, the site landlord of most of the stations. Some stations are in multiple categories, for instance is in category A for the surface platforms and C1 for the Thameslink
Thameslink
Thameslink is a fifty-station main-line route in the British railway system running north to south through London from Bedford to Brighton, serving both London Gatwick Airport and London Luton Airport. It opened as a through service in 1988 and by 1998 was severely overcrowded, carrying more than...
platforms.
Categorisation scheme
| Category | Number (2009) | Description | Trips per annum |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 25 | National hub | over 2 million |
| B | 66 | Regional interchange | over 2 million |
| C 1 2 | 275 | Important feeder | 0.5–2 million |
| D | 302 | Medium staffed | 0.25–0.5 million |
| E | 675 | Small staffed | under 0.25 million |
| F 1 2 | 1,192 | Small unstaffed | under 0.25 million |
Category C stations are sub-divided into C1 (city or busy junction) and C2 (other busy railheads). Category F stations are sub-divided into F1 (basic) and F2 (below 100,000 journeys per annum).