The East Midlands railway station named UK's quietest - list of five least used stations

Elton and Orston named UK's quietest railway station

A Nottinghamshire railway station has been named the quietest in the UK, with just 68 passengers recorded during the 2024-2025 period. Data from the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) shows that Elton and Orston station, located between two small villages in the Rushcliffe district, has become the nation's least-used railway stop.

The figure marks a dramatic drop from the previous year, when the station recorded 212 entries and exits during 2023-2024. The total is largely calculated using ticket sales information.

Despite the low numbers, the station retains a minimal service: two East Midland Railway services call there daily, Monday to Saturday, with one train heading to Nottingham and the other to Skegness. The station, which operates without staff or a ticket office, originally opened in 1850, but passenger usage began to decline throughout the 20th century, according to the Derby Telegraph, Leicester Mercury, and Nottinghamshire Live.

The latest census data indicates Orston has a population of 512 people. The station continues to function because it is typically easier to maintain sporadic train stops than to obtain approval for permanent closure.

Previous title-holder sees visitor boost

Before Elton and Orston took the title, Denton station in Tameside, Greater Manchester, held the distinction of being the UK's quietest station, recording just 54 entries and exits during 2023-2024. Denton has only two weekly train services, linking the locality with Stockport and Stalybridge on Saturdays.

Notably, passenger figures at Denton have risen over the past 12 months. The latest figures show 100 entries and exits at the station throughout 2024-2025, and the Office of Rail and Road believes that receiving the title of Britain's least-used station may have paradoxically boosted visitor numbers.

An ORR spokesperson said: "In previous years, usage at some of the least used stations presented as part of these statistics has increased the following year. We understand that highlighting the least used stations within these statistics can encourage people to visit them."