Bristol's main train stations, ranked

Bristol's main train stations, ranked

Posted on: 08 May 2024

Trains are, famously, excellent. Fast, powerful and impressive, they tamed the Wild West, and (to a lesser extent) the South-West too. While we may suffer from the hands of inept and greedy private operators, never forget - it's people to blame, not sweet innocent trains.

But how much thought do you lend to the railside hotels of the train world, the temporary accomodation of these locomotive wonders - stations? You may be thinking: "None at all. I have better things to think about." Well, it would seem that we don't - because we've got a red-hot ranking of Bristol stations from worst to best, right here:

 

14. Clifton Down

This station is in Clifton Down shopping centre. Let me reiterate – upon leaving the train, you are assaulted by a slightly outdated, claustrophobic monument to capitalism with that weird Sainsbury’s where you have to scan your receipt to be allowed to leave. Plus, the ticket inspectors seem to be a lot more aggressive around here, from what I’ve heard.

Very dystopian.

13. Patchway

Usually we’d give stations a thumbs up for servicing a further-out area, but the main downside of this drab station is once you get off, you’re in Patchway.

 

12. Severn Beach

 

A lot of this station has been demolished, leaving it fairly uninteresting. But points for servicing far-flung Severn Beach, and for being a terminus, if only because it gave me a chance to write the word terminus. What a word.

Terminus.

 

11. St Andrew’s Road

What is this? This exists? Wikipedia calls it “the least used railway station in Bristol.”

A relatively uninspiring and minimal station for an uninspiring and maximalist area – but if it contributes to no one having to take the dystopian Amazon bus, then godspeed, St Andrew’s Road. Or, rather, the speed that the trains are intended to go. Don’t want any accidents.

10. Bedminster

There’s nothing particularly wrong with Bedminster, there’s also just nothing particularly right with it. Does the job.

 

9. Parson Street

Bedminster, but slightly more interesting (and services a further out area).

 

8. Parkway

Technically quite big and important, but everyone knows that Parkway is just wannabe Temple Meads.

 

7. Redland

Redland is a gorgeous little old station, and a pleasing thing to look down on from Lovers’ Walk. That said, why on earth does it exist? It’s so close to both Montpelier and Clifton Down that it’s hard to fathom why you’d need to use it.

6. Sea Mills

I’ll be honest, I haven’t been to Sea Mills Station, and I don’t see myself having much reason to anytime soon. But points for being the furthest out of the stations. You keep on trucking, Little Station That Could.

 

5. Filton Abbey Wood

A cute little station servicing a far-out part of the ciry – you’re doing fine, FAW.

 

4. Lawrence Hill

While it may not be the most aesthetically inspiring station, big points for being pretty much attached to a Lidl. A genius solution for those without cars (or just fans of goat cheese and pesto bakes who are on the go).

 

3. Montpelier

A fairly pretty station, with street art and a community garden to boot. Plus two entrances, which lead swiftly into routes to plenty of different parts of the area. The inevitable hill climb to get there is unfortunate, though.

2. Temple Meads

Yeah, daddy’s home. Of course ol’ TM™ had to rank high on the list – it’s a gorgeous building, designed by local engineering/architectural hero Brunel, and is the main station for the whole city. Add in a riverside locale and you’ve got yourself a nifty (not so) little station.

 

Unfortunately, it’s also got an overpriced WH Smiths, and (by nature of being the main station) is constantly full of a hellish tide of people scurrying from platform to platform and in and out. Plus, it always seems to have very loud work going on.

 

 

1. Stapleton Road

More like Stape-top Road! Stapleton Road is a fairly pretty station, all things considered, and you get a gorgeous view over the city as you come down from it. Plenty of greenery, and the “Welcome to Easton” mural waving you on in.

 

Then, two exits in different directions for efficiency – and it leads straight on to the very excellent St Mark’s Road, as well of the rest of Easton and the surrounding area, which can be long and frustrating to reach on a bus. Stapleton Road, we salute you.

 

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Patrick Bate

Patrick is a filmmaker with so much Bristol in his blood the white blood cells are graffiti'd. Educated at the Northern Film School in Leeds, he’s returned home to be a Videographer and Reviewer for 365Bristol and BARBI. When he’s not messing about with cameras, he enjoys playing guitar, spending far too much time on tabletop RPGs, and being an awful snob about cider. Have a look at his work here, or get in touch at patrickb@365bristol.com.