Abstract The present paper reports on an experimental investigation on the aerodynamic and heat transfer performance of different platform cooling schemes: two based on cylindrical and shaped holes and one featuring a slot located upstream of the leading edge plane simulating the combustor to stator interface gap. Tests were run on a 6-vane cascade operated at an isentropic cascade exit Mach number of 0.4 and a significant inlet turbulence intensity level of about 9%. The cooling schemes were first tested to quantify their impact on secondary flows and related losses for variable injection conditions. Heat transfer performance was then assessed through adiabatic film cooling effectiveness and heat transfer coefficient measurements. The Net Heat Flux Reduction parameter was then computed to critically assess the cooling schemes. When compared with the cylindrical hole scheme, shaped holes outperform for all tested injection rates, while the slot alone is able to thermally protect only the front of the passage. Discrete holes are required to cool the platform region along the whole pressure side and the suction side leading edge region.