The latest report has unveiled the most crowded train services in England and Wales. According to recent data released by the Department for Transport (DfT), a morning Thameslink service from Bedford to Three Bridges registered a peak load of 176% upon arrival at London St Pancras at 8.09 am.
The evening rush hour also saw packed trains, with a West Midlands service from London Euston to Crewe reaching 170% capacity at 5.46 pm and a Transport for Wales train from Bridgend to Rhymney at 161% by 4.45 pm in Llanishen.
This data, collected on a typical autumn weekday between September 16 and December 13, 2025, reveals that one in five passengers, or 20%, had to stand during peak hours, with the figure rising to one in four in London.
Peak hours are defined as trains arriving in city centers between 7 am and 9:59 am and departing between 4 pm and 6:59 pm. Despite the crowding, the overall number of passengers exceeding capacity decreased, with an average of 16,800 passengers per day. This represents 1.1% of all travelers, a decrease of 0.2 percentage points from autumn 2024.
London saw the highest daily passenger arrivals, with 1,256,600 passengers, significantly more than Birmingham, which had around 116,700 daily arrivals, the second highest. Overall, there were 1,923,600 daily passenger arrivals on average, a 3% increase from 2024, indicating a rising demand post the COVID-19 pandemic.
A DfT spokesperson mentioned that 98.9% of passengers generally travel on services that are not overcrowded. Efforts are being made to address peak hour congestion, with various operators adding carriages to busy services and increasing capacity.
Thameslink highlighted that their services cater to one of the busiest commuter routes, with spacious trains designed to accommodate up to 1,750 passengers safely. They continuously monitor and adjust services to provide more space for passengers.
The move to integrate track and train under Great British Railways is expected to further enhance services, prioritizing passenger needs and improving overall travel experience.
