Most and least used train stations in south west Hertfordshire

Millions still choose to use the train to get around for business and pleasure – but in many places, passenger numbers remain way off pre-pandemic levels.

Figures released by the Office for Rail & Road (ORR) in late November have shown which stations were the most popular and which ones were the quietest in 2021/22.

The data provided by the ORR is based on the total number of entries and exits, which means the actual passenger numbers could well be around half, if most are coming to and from the station.

New data for station usage has been published (Image: PA)

Unsurprisingly, Watford Junction is the busiest station in Hertfordshire – and third busiest in the whole of the eastern region of England.

Between April 2021 and March 2022, just over 4 million entries and exits were recorded. This is up from 1.6 million between April 2020 and March 2021, but more than half of the nearly 8.5 million recorded in the year before the country went into lockdown due to Covid.

Read more: What's the latest on plans to regenerate Watford Junction?

Watford Junction railway station is the most-used in Hertfordshire (Image: Stephen Danzig)

The next busiest station in south west Herts is St Albans City, with just over 3.8 million entries and exits recorded in the latest annual period, followed by just under 2 million at Elstree & Borehamwood.

The least-used stations are predictably all on the Abbey Line, which is the local line that runs between Watford Junction and St Albans Abbey.

The quietest stop of all is Park Street where just under 10,000 entries and exits were recorded in 2021/22. This is the lowest of any station in Hertfordshire – and down from around 21,000 in 2019/20.

Park Street station was the quietest station in Hertfordshire in 2021/22 (Image: Google Street View)

How Wood and Bricket Wood were the next least busy, followed by Garston and Watford North.

In particular, Garston has seen a huge reduction in passengers with 18,412 entries and exits in 2021/22 compared to 75,218 in 2019/20.

Read more: Bid for 'passing loop' on Abbey Line fails to win Government backing

See our table below for the total number of entries and exits from your local station.

Park Street may be quiet but it is still some way off the least officially used station in the country.

This honour belongs to Elton & Orston in Nottinghamshire where just 40 entries and exits were recorded in 2021/22.

Overall, four stations in Hertfordshire are in the top 20 busiest in the east, with Watford Junction third, St Albans in fourth, Stevenage in sixth and Elstree & Borehamwood twentieth.

Seven of the 10 busiest stations in 2021/22 were in London, including at Waterloo with just over 40 million entries and exits.

London Euston placed seventh with around 23 million.

London Underground usage data was not provided by the ORR.

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