The most overcrowded commuter train in England and Wales last autumn was a Thameslink morning service from Bedford to Three Bridges, West Sussex, reaching a load factor of 176% at London St Pancras shortly after 08:00, according to new Department for Transport (DfT) figures. Second on the list was a West Midlands service from London Euston to Crewe, Cheshire, departing at 17:46 with a load factor of 170%. The DfT said overall overcrowding on commuter trains serving major English and Welsh cities fell slightly for the first time since 2020, with only 1.1% of peak-time travellers on an overcrowded train. More than 1.2 million of the average 1.9 million journeys on a typical autumn day were in London.
The third most crowded service was a Transport for Wales train from Bridgend to Rhymney, busiest at Llanishen with a load factor of 161%. Four of the top ten services were operated by South Western Railway, and Thameslink appeared twice more. The DfT said seating capacity has grown 4% in the past year, and on an average autumn weekday 16,800 passengers (1%) travelled in excess of capacity. A spokesperson said: "The vast majority of passengers – 98.9% – typically travel on services that are not overcrowded. Where there are pinch points during peak hours, work is under way to improve capacity. GTR has added carriages to its busiest commuter services, while South Western Railway has boosted capacity by nearly 30% in the last year with new trains." The figures, based on passenger counts on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays between September and December 2025, represent travel on a typical autumn weekday. The spokesperson added: "Bringing track and train together under Great British Railways will support further improvements." The DfT says work continues to ease pinch points, but for thousands of passengers on these ten services, the morning or evening rush hour remains a cramped ordeal.
“Thameslink service from Bedford to Three Bridges tops list with 176% load factor as overall overcrowding falls slightly.”