Are SWR's on board announcements excessive?

[reconvene]

I've noticed recently that South Western Railway seems to have taken on board announcements to a new level. On some journeys, there is barely a moment of quiet. Safety reminders, ticket checks,fine warnings, CCTV messages, suspicious luggage alerts, ...often repeated by both the automated system and the guard.

It feels constant and, to be honest, incredibly draining. I understand the need for safety messages and basic updates, but this is beyond reasonable. It makes the journey feel more like a public broadcast system than a train ride. At times, I have genuinely thought of 1984.

Am I overreacting, or are others finding this as frustrating as I do?

 

[Recessio]

What's even more annoying is the guards will then manually make most of the same announcements anyway. If it was one or the other then that would be fine I think. But sometimes it feels on the ten minutes stretch from Guildford to Worplesdon to Woking, there's barely two minutes of silence total between all of the manual and automated announcements.

 

[Craig1122]

To a large extent I can tune them out most of the time now. But recent journeys on Southern & South Eastern reminded me how nice it is to just be left in peace to watch the countryside going by.

 

[3141]

I don't notice this problem on the Class 159s to/from Waterloo. The visual display quite frequently runs through a cycle of showing the destination and stopping places, the warnings about patrolling RPIs and one or two other things, but mostly unaccompanied by sound.

 

[ls2270]

I've noticed recently that South Western Railway seems to have taken on board announcements to a new level. On some journeys, there is barely a moment of quiet. Safety reminders, ticket checks,fine warnings, CCTV messages, suspicious luggage alerts, ...often repeated by both the automated system and the guard.

It feels constant and, to be honest, incredibly draining. I understand the need for safety messages and basic updates, but this is beyond reasonable. It makes the journey feel more like a public broadcast system than a train ride. At times, I have genuinely thought of 1984.

Am I overreacting, or are others finding this as frustrating as I do?

Yes totally agree! They are totally over the top…far worse than any other TOC. The only announcements should be the calling points and next station on approach, together with any realtime information regarding a delay to the train if required. As the member in post 3 above says…SWR should learn from Southern and Southeastern’s example!

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 6 Aug 2025 ==

Oh and answers 3 and 4 in the poll are the same!

 

[fandroid]

I'm not impressed with being threatened with prosecution a few minutes after boarding every train. Those sorts of messages should be entirely restricted to legally required ones (ie as prescribed posters at all stations within penalty fare zones). Cut the audio pollution on this issue totally. I cannot believe it makes any difference. Once on the train, if you have no valid ticket, you've broken the law already and bloodcurdling threats are going to make little difference at that stage.

 

[ls2270]

I'm not impressed with being threatened with prosecution a few minutes after boarding every train. Those sorts of messages should be entirely restricted to legally required ones (ie as prescribed posters at all stations within penalty fare zones). Cut the audio pollution on this issue totally. I cannot believe it makes any difference. Once on the train, if you have no valid ticket, you've broken the law already and bloodcurdling threats are going to make little difference at that stage.

Yes exactly…honest passengers will buy a ticket without being threatened in this way and fare evaders won’t suddenly change their habits because of an annoying on train announcement.

 

[boiledbeans2]

The worst is the one about priority seating. I don't remember the exact wording, but it was a very long-winded announcement. "If you see someone.... OR if..... OR if..... OR if...."

 

[lxfe_mxtterz]

The worst is the one about priority seating. I don't remember the exact wording, but it was a very long-winded announcement. "If you see someone.... OR if..... OR if..... OR if...."

Whilst I do know exactly the announcement you mention (and agree that it is pointless and painful), I would contest the "worst" as being the various announcements informing you about out-of-station interchanges in excruciating detail.

From memory, these are triggered when approaching Ash Vale and Farnborough (and probably a handful of other locations) and describe how long the walk between stations takes, the distance in metres, and even informing you about "gradient changes" along the route - so OTT I find them rather humorous(!)

 

[ls2270]

I wonder if there’s an internal contest to see who can come up with the most pointless, verbose and annoying announcement? There’s certainly some stiff competition at the moment!

 

[styles]

Appreciate rail forum users are probably more likely to be annoyed by announcements than other passengers; but I do think SWR are one who go a bit over the top. I get safety announcements etc but some announcements are not that.

That said, when I used SWR regularly, I just put my earphones in and ignored them, so they didn't really bother me.

 

[ThisIsSurbiton]

I do think SWR are one who go a bit over the top. [...] I just put my earphones in and ignored them, so they didn't really bother me.

Way over the top! And so for you (and me) the announcements have no use at all. It's counter-productive.

I would contest the "worst" as being the various announcements informing you about out-of-station interchanges in excruciating detail.

I don't find that one particularly bad (except that they don't tell me why I'd want to do a 20-minute 1,300 metre walk to Farnborough North with some gradient changes, no mention of changing for Wokingham, Reading, Gatwick, etc.), it's the continual allegations that I'm a violent, ticket-less, forgetful priority seat occupier who might have seen something dangerous and/or terrifying but was considering keeping it to myself before not looking when I step off the train into the void (and some of that is of course useful, the last one I think) that wears me down. No auto announcements in the quiet coach would be a start - except perhaps one to explain why there aren't any others. Will be on Southeastern on Sunday, and I'm looking forward to it!

 

[styles]

Way over the top! And so for you (and me) the announcements have no use at all. It's counter-productive.

In fairness, I travel by rail regularly enough that the announcements don't tell me anything new. I know where to put my luggage, where the safety posters are, what's on the trolley, and how to contact BTP.

 

[londonmidland]

Their automated station announcements also seem both overly simplified, as well as extremely lengthy.

Half the time the train has already departed the station by the time the announcement has finished.

 

[Recessio]

Their automated station announcements also seem both overly simplified, as well as extremely lengthy.

Half the time the train has already departed the station by the time the announcement has finished.

There was something to be said for the very short and rapid announcement you used to get in the 455s. "This is Clapham Junction. The next station is Vauxhall. This train is for London Waterloo. "

 

[swrfanatic]

455 announcements were perfect

 

[Route115?]

One tip when speaking is to leave a space between sentences. Someone should tell SWR.

Too many onboard announcements is not a problem here in Chilternland (at least at the moment). A different philospohy?

 

[fgwrich]

I don't find that one particularly bad (except that they don't tell me why I'd want to do a 1,300 metre walk to Farnborough North with some level changes, no mention of changing for Wokingham, Reading, Gatwick, etc.),

Im glad you mentioned this! They have now also started putting this at Portsmouth too, reminding me how far the Hovertravel terminal is. It’s become an endless barrage on SWR now and it’s ridiculous. Thankfully I can just chuck my earphones in most of the time and try and ignore it.

 

[James H]

That said, when I used SWR regularly, I just put my earphones in and ignored them, so they didn't really bother me.

I was on a delayed SWR service a few months back that was terminated short - the guard instructed those of us listening to him to ensure anyone around us who had headphones in was also paying attention as what he was about to say could be very important to them.

 

[styles]

I was on a delayed SWR service a few months back that was terminated short - the guard instructed those of us listening to him to ensure anyone around us who had headphones in was also paying attention as what he was about to say could be very important to them.

Sounds like a good solution to me

There will always be people with headphones in, announcements or not, so a heads up to nudge people to pay attention seems like a good idea.

 

[Big Jumby 74]

This is said somewhat tongue in cheek perhaps, but if all these (regular) announcement issues (not out of course one's I would add) could be communicated to the purchaser of the ticket (ie with the ticket, as a condition of travel?) then the need to verbally remind everyone every few minutes would be reduced. Those free loaders who choose not to buy a ticket - have no rite to complain about not being informed - tough !

 

[GW43125]

Sounds like a good solution to me

There will always be people with headphones in, announcements or not, so a heads up to nudge people to pay attention seems like a good idea.

The problem is, you end up putting your headphones in because there's so much rubbish, then miss important things. Once found myself flying round the Hounslow loop when I wanted Richmond because I'd tuned it out as the standard post-staines drivel.

Once upon a time, if there was a manual announcement, it was because there was actually something important to say. Guards parroting Sonia is one of my absolute pet hates.

 

[styles]

The problem is, you end up putting your headphones in because there's so much rubbish, then miss important things. Once found myself flying round the Hounslow loop when I wanted Richmond because I'd tuned it out as the standard post-staines drivel.

Once upon a time, if there was a manual announcement, it was because there was actually something important to say. Guards parroting Sonia is one of my absolute pet hates.

There's two sides to this.

The first is how many passengers are putting earphones in purely or primarily due to announcements? I suspect very few. I put earphones in because I want to listen to David Nutt talk about LSD, not solely because I get bored of being told where to stow my luggage.

The second is, regardless of the number of passengers putting earphones/headphones in/on due to announcements, there will pretty much always be passengers who have them on regardless. In which case, it seems sensible to ask passengers to nudge their fellow travellers if they think they're not clocking an important announcement.

I have never been on a train where a guard has put out an announcement suggesting passengers ask other passengers to remove headphones, only to repeat a routine announcement.

I'm all for reducing announcements for what it's worth. But I think if the guard is going to announce an early termination, a shoutout to get people to remove headphones is pretty decent.

 

[Monty]

I've not been a fan of the new announcement types and their frequency. I often find it difficult to get a word in! By that point I question if anyone is still listening by the time I do make an announcement of my own.

I had fed it back, yet to hear a response though.

 

[diffarc]

Agree, was on a SWR service arriving into Waterloo the other day and between Vauxhall and Waterloo it felt like there was barely a moment quiet. Ironic given they're now part of DTFO which was surely meant to be reducing announcements.

Some of them are so obvious as well. Still unsure why we are reminded to mind the gap between the train and platform.

 

[reastreetmetro]

There are two types of PA announcements: necessary ones, and unnecessary and gratuitous ones.
The gratuitous and unnecessary ones reduce the effectiveness of the necessary ones.
If passengers are warned to mind the gap at each and every station, where is the warning for a station which has a massive gap? It effectively does not exist.
More and better training for staff is desperately needed.

 

[stadler]

Yes they are extremely excessive. SWR are by far the worst for excessive announcements. You rarely get any silence. I am getting so annoyed by this as i unfortunately have to travel on SWR a lot.

Not only have SWR increased the amount of See It Say It Sorted announcements playing at stations and on trains but they have also added dozens of other annoying safety announcements onboard their trains in the past couple years. It is getting ridiculous. We now have, the See It Say It Sorted announcements, no feet on seats, use the litter bins, safety information posters are in every carriage, keep your belongings with you, abusive behaviour will not be tolarated, cctv cameras are in operation, body worn cameras in operation, those without a valid ticket may receive a penalty fare or prosecution, uniformed and plain clothed revenue protection staff patrol our trains, take your belongings with you, do not leave anything unattended, etc. It is just non stop excessive automated announcements about stuff that we do not need to be told.

The thing that also annoys me so much with SWR is that they have so many guards who just repeat what the automated announcements say. The automated announcements will announce the calling pattern and destination and then a minute later the guard will come on the PA and just repeat it and tell us the destination and calling pattern all over again even though we just heard it sixty seconds ago. It is ridiculous. I have even heard some SWR guards repeat the various safety announcements that the automated announcements said a few minutes before. What is the point of having automated announcements if the guard is just going to repeat everything.

The only thing that the automated announcements should announce is the destination and calling pattern and the next station and any short platforms. Nothing else is necessary. All these safety announcements should be scrapped. Also the guards should not make any announcements at all unless the automated announcements are broken or there is some emergency or disruption to inform us about.

Lots of other TOCs do it better. It is so much more pleasant travelling on Southern and Southeastern and Thameslink where you get far less announcements. They do still have occasional safety announcements but nowhere near as much as SWR have. Also their Guards and OBSs and OBMs only make occasional announcements and never repeat the automated announcements. It is such a nicer experience on these TOCs without so many annoying unnecessary automated announcements. So why are SWR so obsessed with endless announcements when some other TOCs manage fine with far less.

This is really a British problem. Nowhere else in the entire world does this. Travel all around Mainland Europe and they have very short announcements and no safety announcements. I remember when Grant Shapps made that publicity stunt and told us that all these annoying announcements were getting removed but that plan seems to have just went out the window. In fact since then the amount of useless annoying announcements on the railway has increased. Nothing the government says ever happens and out current government is really no different than the previous one. So sadly i have no hope that announcements will be reduced. Nobody at the high levels seem to have any interest in listening to passengers and improving the onboard experience.

 

[lxfe_mxtterz]

This is really a British problem. Nowhere else in the entire world does this. Travel all around Mainland Europe and they have very short announcements and no safety announcements.

Whilst I do agree that train announcements in Britain are excessive, I have found Japan to be far worse in that respect, particularly onboard Shinkansen and Limited Express trains.

From memory, extremely long-winded automated announcements in both Japanese and English informing of the calling pattern followed by every detail imaginable about ticketing, the onboard experience, which coaches contain which amenities, etc. - all followed by another drawn-out manual announcement by the conductor.

On the plus side, at least the Japanese preface their announcements with a catchy unique jingle which makes it slightly more pleasant.

 

[Harpo]

I thought Grant Shapps had abolished repeat announcements? He was so keen to do it that he announced it several times.

 

[Craig1122]

One tip when speaking is to leave a space between sentences. Someone should tell SWR.

Is this the new automated ones? I suspect they're very badly implemented text to speech rather than traditional recorded ones. Feels like they were very much a case of "F*** it, that'll do"!