Surprising station facilities

[northwichcat]

Which stations have you been to where the facilities have been better than you expected?

For me one is Winsford, as it has a less than hourly frequency but it has a ticket office and toilets.

 

[gordonthemoron]

what surprised me when I first moved to Munich is 2009 is that a very high proportion of s-bahn stations and quite a few u-bahn stations have free toilets

 

[WestCoast]

what surprised me when I first moved to Munich is 2009 is that a very high proportion of s-bahn stations and quite a few u-bahn stations have free toilets

Never seen that anywhere else in mainland Europe!

On the South Fylde line, St. Annes-on-the-Sea has slightly fewer passengers than Blackpool South, yet it has a part-time ticket office and hall, with vending machines. Although, that's probably due to the type of passenger traffic.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Carstairs is still staffed despite there only being three trains that call there when the booking office is open!

 

[northwichcat]

Never seen that anywhere else in mainland Europe!

Algeciras station is Spain has free toilets and across the road at the bus station they also have free toilets. Ronda station in Spain has free toilets but you have to ask the ticket office attendant for the key! Although, saying about Spain I'm sure they charge at stations in the Barcelona area.

I think Cork and Cobh stations in Ireland have free toilets as well.

 

[WestCoast]

Algeciras station is Spain has free toilets and across the road at the bus station they also have free toilets. Ronda station in Spain has free toilets but you have to ask the ticket office attendant for the key! Although, saying about Spain I'm sure they charge at stations in the Barcelona area..

I was referring to the fact that metro/commuter stations don't usually have toilets, never mind free ones! It's not at all common outside of the UK and Ireland.

I'd expect toilets in somewhere like Algeciras, with it's port traffic. Possibly not free ones though!

 

[northwichcat]

I was referring to the fact that metro/commuter stations don't usually have toilets, never mind free ones! It's not at all common outside of the UK and Ireland.

I thought you were referring to the 'free' aspect being surprising. I don't think most metro/commuter stations in the UK outside of London have toilets now. Although, Cobh that I mentioned is served by a service referred to as a Cork commuter service.

Berlin has toilets at quite a few S-Bahn stations but they aren't free. There's a few odd stations with toilets on the Paris Metro and a public toilet near the Notre Dame Cathedral that looks like it's in a disused underground station.

 

[gordonthemoron]

Stuttgart has free toilets too, but I'm not that familiar with the local trains so don't know if they are also located in stations

 

[WestCoast]

I thought you were referring to the 'free' aspect being surprising. I don't think most metro/commuter stations in the UK outside of London have toilets now.

That's true, they are seen as too expensive and can be vandalised. Having said that, the UK does still generally provide far more free public toilets than most European countries, even after cutbacks.

 

[gordonthemoron]

do you get free toilets in the US?

 

[tbtc]

Carstairs is still staffed despite there only being three trains that call there when the booking office is open!

I can't understand that (especially when major stations like Rugeley are unstaffed). I used to spend teenage weekends at Carstairs (back when diesel portions from Edinburgh met with electric locos on the WCML to combine/ split services), but its never been a busy place for *passengers*

 

[Holly]

do you get free toilets in the US?

They mostly don't get train stations!

Joking aside, BART for example used to have free toilets but they closed after the 9/11/2001 thing as a security risk. (I realise that makes little sense but that is how it is).

In more recent times some have reopened (for example at San Bruno) after installing surveillance cameras to record comings and goings. BART is, of course, a notorious hangout for pickpockets who ride to and fro for hours. Beware any who visit San Francisco.

Now as to unusual facilities, time was that coal fires in station waiting rooms were commonplace in the depths of winter. I remember the one on the down platform at Acton Bridge station in particular. I doubt there are any left now. British Railways started into decline with the abolition of Third Class it seems to me.

 

[wintonian]

A ticket office at Thurso or indeed any form of civilisation.

 

[Yew]

Ive lived in mansfield for 18 years, and didnt know there was a ticket office on the station until last month

 

[lm321412]

East Midlands Parkway recently having opened a First Class Lounge.

 

[Mark_re]

Rannoch Station having a cafe, Mauldeth Road having a ticket office (hut). I got a grilling at Manchester Airport once. 'Why don't you have a ticket?' 'I boarded at Mauldeth Road'. 'And..?' Whoops.

 

[BestWestern]

A little cafe at Romsey is a nice suprise

Could I put a bit of a reverse spin on this, and just mention that I feel Gloucester is the most dissapointing 'big' station I've come across for 'creature comfort' facilities; a grotty dump with toilets and a Pumpkin and little else Although, they are doing it up soon apparently. Eastleigh also fails to meet expectations for such a busy interchange.

 

[wintonian]

A little cafe at Romsey is a nice suprise

Since when? Not that I have stopped off at Romsey for a while.

 

[swt_passenger]

Since when? Not that I have stopped off at Romsey for a while.

Dec 2009. It's just a 'stable door' one room setup, at the south end of P2. The local CRP have a piece about it:

http://threeriversrail.com/index_files/Page1159.htm

 

[12CSVT]

A few years ago Bargoed station had a television in the ticket hall (not sure if it is still there).

 

[MidnightFlyer]

East Midlands Parkway recently having opened a First Class Lounge.

Get it right - it's a business lounge - the only difference between the two is that business lounges are 1st only until midday then anybody thereafter.

A few years ago Bargoed station had a television in the ticket hall (not sure if it is still there).

I don't think Bargoed is manned. What was the booking office is now a taxi office, which may explain things, or indeed may not

 

[paulb1973]

Do many stations have Ladies Lounges? Coventry certainly does:

http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations/sjp/COV/images/photos/800/o1550-0000060.jpg

 

[First class]

Do many stations have Ladies Lounges? Coventry certainly does:

http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations/sjp/COV/images/photos/800/o1550-0000060.jpg

Think Stoke-on-Trent might have one?

 

[Skimble19]

I thought you were referring to the 'free' aspect being surprising. I don't think most metro/commuter stations in the UK outside of London have toilets now. Although, Cobh that I mentioned is served by a service referred to as a Cork commuter service.

Berlin has toilets at quite a few S-Bahn stations but they aren't free. There's a few odd stations with toilets on the Paris Metro and a public toilet near the Notre Dame Cathedral that looks like it's in a disused underground station.

A fair few FCC GN stations now have them after being refurbished by FCC.

 

[Eagle]

Do many stations have Ladies Lounges? Coventry certainly does:

http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations/sjp/COV/images/photos/800/o1550-0000060.jpg

I (a male, before you ask) have sat in there for about 20 minutes before and no one commented.

 

[Lampshade]

Deansgate has a strip club.

 

[OxtedL]

Deansgate has a strip club.

That threw me a little there

Errrrr.... Hurst Green has a ticket office! And toilets!

 

[Eagle]

Very surprising this:

Norton Bridge has a platform.

 

[yorksrob]

Manchester Victoria has a giant concert venue

 

[Crossover]

Stuttgart has free toilets too, but I'm not that familiar with the local trains so don't know if they are also located in stations

Stuttgart Hbf has toilets but you've to pay for them (or the ones we found were anyway) - €1 - makes the usual 30p in the UK look quite cheap!