Worcestershire Parkway Railway Station celebrates five years of success!

Since opening its doors on 23 February 2020, the station has proudly seen more than two million journeys made* – the kind of volume not expected to be achieved until after 13 years.

In just five years, Worcestershire Parkway has become a cornerstone for both regional transport and local economic growth. The station has experienced a significant rise in passenger numbers, linking thousands of travellers to key destinations such as London, Birmingham, and beyond. What began as a vision has now flourished into a thriving hub, not only benefitting daily commuters but also attracting tourism and boosting local businesses.

Councillor Marc Bayliss, Worcestershire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport, said: "The opening of Worcestershire Parkway marked a turning point for regional travel, and I am thrilled to see the station continue to thrive five years on. As the first new station in Worcestershire in over a century, it has played a vital role in transforming connectivity across the region.

“Many doubted its potential, but today, those doubts have been proven wrong. The station is exceeding expectations and performing far ahead of what we had hoped for in terms of passenger numbers.

“Rail is critical to the ongoing economic development of Worcestershire, providing low carbon travel choice and the potential for enhanced connectivity to high growth economies throughout the country for businesses and residents in Worcestershire."

Built and designed by Worcestershire County Council with the expertise of SLC Rail Consultancy, Worcestershire Parkway is situated just east of Junction 7 of the M5 and is managed by Great Western Railway (GWR), with services also provided by CrossCountry. Passengers can travel directly to London Paddington via GWR services or take the CrossCountry route from Cardiff to Nottingham, with even more services set to be added later this year.

GWR Regional Development Manager Eleanor Wills said: "New stations such as Worcestershire Parkway are vital in bringing the railway closer to people as we all become more mindful to live and travel more sustainably.

“These figures exemplify just how much this station is a real success story, clearly showing how important good transport links are for the local economy, to local people, businesses and the wider community.

"We're not stopping here either. We continue to work with the County Council on plans to improve parking facilities here; as well as plans for further new stations at Okehampton, and in the Bristol area."

The station’s commitment to sustainable travel is further highlighted by its enhanced bus connections, including the X50 Worcester–Evesham–Pershore service, now running every 30 minutes. The station is also served by the Worcestershire on Demand bus service in Malvern. In response to growing demand, Worcestershire County Council is also looking into options to provide further car parking capacity to accommodate more visitors.

* Figures supplied by GWR, based on Worcestershire Parkway being the origin, destination or interchange station. Figures for the period between 23 February 2020 and 1 February 2025