New passenger numbers and Crowding figures published

[evergreenadam]

The dataset published last Tuesday is better for this than the origin and destination matrix, because it has the hourly breakdown through the day.

Earlier I devised a way of extracting the hourly arrivals and departures at Cambridge in 2025, to produce figures for net arrivals in each hour, so it was easy to repopulate my spreadsheet with the Reading numbers. And they are a bit strange!

In the evening peak 1600-1859 arrivals and departures at Reading are almost in balance over the 3 hours, but there are net departures 1600-1659 and net arrivals 1700-1859.

In the morning peak 0700-0959 departures exceed arrivals, but that's by a big margin 0700-0759, offset by arrivals slightly higher than departures 0800-0959.

I think that there are probably still more travellers leaving than entering Reading for work, but the gap isn't very big.

The figures for Reading presumably include passengers passing through the station on trains that stop there? It’s not flows through the gate lines.

 

[Magdalia]

The figures for Reading presumably include passengers passing through the station on trains that stop there? It’s not flows through the gate lines.

Netting off departures against arrivals, the passengers passing through cancel out, because they are counted in both.

 

[Class450/4DES]

No surprise at seeing the Alton line being SWR's busiest. It's time the line saw 3tph to Waterloo, with one service being non-stop from Ash Vale (shaving 15-20mins off peak journey times)

The 2nd track from Farnham to Alton must be reinstated too.

I strongly agree with this. But I bet nothing will happen sadly.

 

[Kite159]

3tph between Alton & Waterloo with 1 running fast from Ash Vale, ignoring the single track section between Farnham & Alton (with the loop at Bentley) which would make the timetable fragile, as it takes 10 minutes for a non-stop train to make it between Alton & Farnham. Throw in the Farnham terminators from Guildford and it has the potential of getting messy on the branch line.

Maybe make selected trains run nonstop Ash Vale/Brookwood* to Waterloo in the high morning peak to counteract the Woking commuters cramping onto anything which is fast

(*Allowing a connection for anybody wanting Woking to change)

 

[eoff]

I do wonder how the passenger's view of what an overcrowded service is tallies with the industry view of excess crowding based on capacity.

 

[JonathanH]

I do wonder how the passenger's view of what an overcrowded service is tallies with the industry view of excess crowding based on capacity.

Also, with trains having many fewer seats now than they did in earlier generations, standing passengers are expected, not necessarily a sign of overcrowding.

 

[Sonic1234]

I do wonder how the passenger's view of what an overcrowded service is tallies with the industry view of excess crowding based on capacity.

Leisure or commuter? Commuters are glad to be able to get on the train. Leisure travellers start getting tetchy when the carriage is half full.

The leisure market is expensive to provide for. They are the ones that want station staff, on board staff, ticket offices, bargain fares, seat reservations, will make enquiries and complaints.....

 

[AM9]

Leisure or commuter? Commuters are glad to be able to get on the train. Leisure travellers start getting tetchy when the carriage is half full.

The leisure market is expensive to provide for. They are the ones that want station staff, on board staff, ticket offices, bargain fares, seat reservations, will make enquiries and complaints.....

The commuter market is also expensive to provide for:

multi track approaches to city centres,​

signalling allowing minimal headways,​

large circulation areas and access routes at stations,​

extended platforms to accommodate the longest trains that the track and signal infrastructure can fit in,​

long trains designed for maximum capacity and snappy dwells and turnrounds.​

All in all, a lot of capital and high cost maintenance for 2-3 hours in the morning and evening.

 

[The exile]

I do wonder how the passenger's view of what an overcrowded service is tallies with the industry view of excess crowding based on capacity.

Inevitably far worse - as all the individual passenger sees is what is immediately around them (crowded carriage nearest the barrier - other 9 half empty!) and also doesn't "notice" all the times the train is not crowded / late / cancelled.

 

[Horizon22]

Also, with trains having many fewer seats now than they did in earlier generations, standing passengers are expected, not necessarily a sign of overcrowding.

Indeed. 20% over capacity is probably “more comfortable” than it was 20 years ago. In times gone by that might make it simply impossible to board.

That being said capacity of most metro stock normally includes a certain amount of standing in the calculation as standard, so you can still determine an excess over that.

 

[Bald Rick]

I do wonder how the passenger's view of what an overcrowded service is tallies with the industry view of excess crowding based on capacity.

Depends what the passenger is used to.

I remember a good friend from the West Mids having his eyes opened to Thameslink reality of 12 car units with more people standing than seated for 20mins plus, compared to his usual journey with 3-6 car units where he always gets a seat and standing is usually only for the last 5-20 mintues into Birmingham. He regarded the latter as overcrowded.

 

[evergreenadam]

Depends what the passenger is used to.

I remember a good friend from the West Mids having his eyes opened to Thameslink reality of 12 car units with more people standing than seated for 20mins plus, compared to his usual journey with 3-6 car units where he always gets a seat and standing is usually only for the last 5-20 mintues into Birmingham. He regarded the latter as overcrowded.

Just out of interest was it Thameslink on the Midland Main Line, ECML or south of the river?
Wondering if the Thameslink project actually solved the overcrowding issues or created new ones!

 

[Bald Rick]

Just out of interest was it Thameslink on the Midland Main Line, ECML or south of the river?
Wondering if the Thameslink project actually solved the overcrowding issues or created new ones!

MML. It certainly relieved overcrowding, in that passengers can now get on some trains where that was not possible before 2017.

 

[800002]

Im drawn to certain areas of improvement (as it were) by reference to previous years top 10 services for PiXC.

Is / has there been a concerted effort by TOCs to resolve the issue (by adding extra carriages or services / amending services) or has there been an additional intervention along the lines of restrictions placed on the services concerned?

 

[evergreenadam]

Im drawn to certain areas of improvement (as it were) by reference to previous years top 10 services for PiXC.

Is / has there been a concerted effort by TOCs to resolve the issue (by adding extra carriages or services / amending services) or has there been an additional intervention along the lines of restrictions placed on the services concerned?

A mixed bag, some improvements have been made where possible by lengthening trains, often to their maximum lengths. New rolling stock fleets have helped. However some train services are just very popular and cannot be lengthened any further and the tracks cannot accommodate any more trains (SWR and WCML in particular).

 

[800002]

A mixed bag, some improvements have been made where possible by lengthening trains, often to their maximum lengths. New rolling stock fleets have helped. However some train services are just very popular and cannot be lengthened any further and the tracks cannot accommodate any more trains (SWR and WCML in particular).

Something in the back of my mind says that in recent year(s) Chiltern featured quite predominantly in the lists, but they were already pretty much as long as could could be.
This year they are nowhere to be seen.
What can we make of that 'improvement' or 'demotion' from the "tip 10".?

 

[The exile]

Something in the back of my mind says that in recent year(s) Chiltern featured quite predominantly in the lists, but they were already pretty much as long as could could be.
This year they are nowhere to be seen.
What can we make of that 'improvement' or 'demotion' from the "tip 10".?

Lots of relatively well-to-do commuters who can be flexible with office attendance?

 

[800002]

Lots of relatively well-to-do commuters who can be flexible with office attendance?

Seems a bit sudden, though, without a somewhat major intervention.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

I can recall one a typically packed TLK train one hot and humid evening (319 days) - when a family group boarded a packed train and there was a wail from Tarquin Jr and Celeste Jr wailing that "mummy - all the family seats are taken - do something" - none of the exhausted and very tired commuters conceded of course .........

 

[evergreenadam]

One of the top ten is unlikely to feature next year as it has been lengthened:

A rail nightmare: what it’s like on England’s busiest commuter-only train

This evening service from London to Crewe is hot, sweaty and heaving with people, many having to stand or sit in the gangways

www.theguardian.com

 

[EMU303]

Scotrail recording record numbers since nationalisation:

ScotRail sets record with 2.1 million passenger journeys in single week

ScotRail has set a record for passenger journeys in a single week with more than 2.1 million made between Sunday, 26 July and Saturday, 1 August.The surge is the busiest week since the train operator was returned to public ownership in April 2022, with more people choosing ScotRail to travel to...

www.scotrail.co.uk

“ScotRail has set a record for passenger journeys in a single week with more than 2.1 million made between Sunday, 26 July and Saturday, 1 August.

The surge is the busiest week since the train operator was returned to public ownership in April 2022, with more people choosing ScotRail to travel to events and for business, retail, and leisure.

It comes hard on the heels of figures released four weeks ago which confirmed more than seven million passenger journeys were recorded in June, a six per cent increase on the same period in 2025.

And the upward trend is continuing with the most passenger journeys for a Sunday since public ownership being recorded yesterday (2 August) at 212,000.

This summer, the train operator has been operating additional services to support the Commonwealth Games Glasgow 2026 and huge musical events such as TRNSMT, Calvin Harris and Take That at Barclays Hampden, Zach Bryan and Luke Combs at Scottish Gas Murrayfield, and the Summer Sessions at Bellahouston Park in Glasgow.

And with more additional services already in place in the timetable for the Edinburgh Festivals, ScotRail is expecting even more customers to take the train during August.”

 

[eoff]

I can't tell, does that beat the Q3 2019 average?

 

[Adrian1980uk]

Scotrail recording record numbers since nationalisation:

ScotRail sets record with 2.1 million passenger journeys in single week

ScotRail has set a record for passenger journeys in a single week with more than 2.1 million made between Sunday, 26 July and Saturday, 1 August.The surge is the busiest week since the train operator was returned to public ownership in April 2022, with more people choosing ScotRail to travel to...

www.scotrail.co.uk

“ScotRail has set a record for passenger journeys in a single week with more than 2.1 million made between Sunday, 26 July and Saturday, 1 August.

The surge is the busiest week since the train operator was returned to public ownership in April 2022, with more people choosing ScotRail to travel to events and for business, retail, and leisure.

It comes hard on the heels of figures released four weeks ago which confirmed more than seven million passenger journeys were recorded in June, a six per cent increase on the same period in 2025.

And the upward trend is continuing with the most passenger journeys for a Sunday since public ownership being recorded yesterday (2 August) at 212,000.

This summer, the train operator has been operating additional services to support the Commonwealth Games Glasgow 2026 and huge musical events such as TRNSMT, Calvin Harris and Take That at Barclays Hampden, Zach Bryan and Luke Combs at Scottish Gas Murrayfield, and the Summer Sessions at Bellahouston Park in Glasgow.

And with more additional services already in place in the timetable for the Edinburgh Festivals, ScotRail is expecting even more customers to take the train during August.”

Although really good news, I'm not sure it can be applied to the rest of the country in regards to nationalisation, the Scottish government has invested in more services and pushed hard for that, that's not what the agenda is in England - probably the polar opposite

 

[JamesT]

Although really good news, I'm not sure it can be applied to the rest of the country in regards to nationalisation, the Scottish government has invested in more services and pushed hard for that, that's not what the agenda is in England - probably the polar opposite

Have they? Has the number of services a day returned to pre pandemic levels yet?

 

[London Trains]

GTR's busiest services (autumn 2025) - capacity refers to the maximum capacity (seating and standing) for all services, which is why the Thameslink services listed on the DfT's publication do not feature on this list:

Company

Dep.

Origin

Destination

Arr.

Coaches

Seats (std)

Standing

Capacity

Busiest Point

Busiest Time

Avg. Load

Load Factor (%)

SN

07:45

Epsom

London Bridge

08:28

10​

600​

352​

952​

London Bridge

08:28

1424​

149.6​

SN

16:52

Watford Junction

East Croydon

18:01

5​

276​

176​

452​

Imperial Wharf

17:29

632​

139.7​

SN

08:10

East Croydon

Watford Junction

09:21

5​

276​

176​

452​

Imperial Wharf

08:43

573​

126.8​

SN

07:10

East Croydon

Watford Junction

08:20

5​

276​

176​

452​

Clapham Junction

07:34

551​

121.9​

TL

07:46

Sutton (Surrey) via Hackbridge

St Albans City

09:07

8​

427​

575​

1002​

Elephant & Castle

08:19

1200​

119.8​

SN

17:52

Watford Junction

East Croydon

19:01

5​

276​

176​

452​

Imperial Wharf

18:29

530​

117.3​

TL

07:49

Sutton (Surrey) via Wimbledon

St Albans City

09:22

8​

427​

575​

1002​

Elephant & Castle

08:34

1155​

115.3​

SN

07:43

Beckenham Junction

London Bridge

08:21

6​

344​

246​

590​

London Bridge

08:21

679​

115.1​

SN

06:10

Littlehampton

London Victoria

07:59

8​

446​

290​

736​

Clapham Junction

07:52

819​

111.3​

SN

07:15

Epsom

London Bridge

07:58

10​

600​

352​

952​

London Bridge

07:58

1055​

110.8​

SN

06:52

Watford Junction

East Croydon

08:03

5​

276​

176​

452​

Kensington (Olympia)

07:21

498​

110.2​

SN

08:15

Epsom

London Bridge

09:01

8​

486​

290​

776​

London Bridge

09:01

839​

108.1​

TL

17:07

St Albans City

Sutton (Surrey) via Wimbledon

18:44

8​

427​

575​

1002​

Elephant & Castle

17:55

1073​

107.1​

SN

17:10

East Croydon

Watford Junction

18:21

5​

276​

176​

452​

Kensington (Olympia)

17:51

477​

105.6​

SN

07:55

Caterham/Tattenham Corner

London Bridge

08:43

10​

600​

352​

952​

East Croydon

08:26

990​

104.0​

SN

15:52

Watford Junction

East Croydon

17:01

5​

276​

176​

452​

Imperial Wharf

16:29

466​

103.2​

SN

07:39

Watford Junction

East Croydon

09:01

5​

276​

176​

452​

Shepherd's Bush

08:06

460​

101.8​

SN

06:36

East Grinstead

London Victoria

07:32

8​

446​

290​

736​

Clapham Junction

07:25

749​

101.8​

SN

07:25

Caterham/Tattenham Corner

London Bridge

08:12

10​

600​

352​

952​

East Croydon

07:57

965​

101.4​

TL

08:16

Sutton (Surrey) via Hackbridge

St Albans City

09:37

8​

427​

575​

1002​

Elephant & Castle

08:49

1014​

101.2​

GN

07:57

Hertford North

Moorgate

08:50

6​

362​

581​

943​

Finsbury Park

08:35

954​

101.2​

SN

06:52

Watford Junction

East Croydon

08:03

5​

276​

176​

452​

Kensington (Olympia)

07:21

454​

100.3​

TL

08:02

Orpington

Luton

09:50

8​

427​

575​

1002​

Elephant & Castle

08:44

993​

99.1​

SN

07:51

East Croydon

London Bridge

08:36

8​

486​

290​

776​

London Bridge

08:36

769​

99.1​

SN

06:40

Littlehampton

London Victoria

08:29

12​

669​

435​

1104​

Clapham Junction

08:22

1092​

98.9​

TL

16:18

Bedford

Brighton

18:45

12​

638​

902​

1540​

London Bridge

17:35

1507​

97.8​

TL

07:10

Haywards Heath via Redhill

Bedford

09:36

12​

638​

902​

1540​

London Bridge

08:20

1495​

97.1​

SN

07:28

London Bridge

London Victoria

08:24

8​

486​

290​

776​

Clapham Junction

08:16

749​

96.5​

SN

19:11

London Victoria

Dorking

20:07

5​

300​

176​

476​

Clapham Junction

19:18

459​

96.4​

SN

08:03

Norwood Junction

London Bridge

08:31

6​

344​

246​

590​

London Bridge

08:31

563​

95.4​

SN

17:16

London Victoria

Littlehampton

19:07

8​

446​

290​

736​

Clapham Junction

17:23

702​

95.4​

TL

07:32

Orpington

Luton

09:20

8​

427​

575​

1002​

Elephant & Castle

08:14

953​

95.1​

SN

17:42

London Bridge

Caterham/Tattenham Corner

18:24

8​

486​

290​

776​

London Bridge

17:42

738​

95.1​

TL

07:24

Horsham

Peterborough

10:07

12​

638​

902​

1540​

London Bridge

08:30

1441​

93.6​

SN

06:19

Hastings

London Victoria

08:36

8​

406​

282​

688​

Clapham Junction

08:28

643​

93.5​

SN

07:32

Littlehampton

Brighton

08:21

3​

172​

123​

295​

Brighton

08:21

275​

93.2​

SN

07:38

Epsom Downs

London Victoria

08:40

8​

446​

290​

736​

Clapham Junction

08:32

683​

92.8​

GN

06:56

Cambridge

London Kings Cross

08:22

8​

378​

272​

650​

Finsbury Park

08:14

600​

92.3​

SN

07:58

London Bridge

London Victoria

08:54

8​

486​

290​

776​

Clapham Junction

08:46

716​

92.3​

TL

07:00

Rainham (Kent)

West Hampstead Thameslink

08:51

8​

427​

575​

1002​

London Bridge

08:27

924​

92.2​

SN

07:52

West Croydon

London Victoria

08:33

8​

486​

290​

776​

Clapham Junction

08:25

715​

92.1​

GN

08:01

Gordon Hill

Moorgate

08:38

6​

362​

581​

943​

Finsbury Park

08:23

868​

92.0​

GN

07:58

Stevenage

Moorgate

09:04

6​

362​

581​

943​

Finsbury Park

08:49

868​

92.0​

TL

07:22

Sevenoaks

Welwyn Garden City

09:15

8​

427​

575​

1002​

Elephant & Castle

08:24

921​

91.9​

TL

07:19

Sutton (Surrey) via Wimbledon

St Albans City

08:51

8​

427​

575​

1002​

Elephant & Castle

08:04

918​

91.6​

TL

07:26

Brighton

Bedford

09:44

12​

638​

902​

1540​

London Bridge

08:35

1381​

89.7​

SN

17:55

London Bridge

Epsom

18:40

10​

600​

352​

952​

London Bridge

17:55

853​

89.6​

SN

07:14

Dorking

London Victoria

08:17

8​

486​

290​

776​

Clapham Junction

08:07

693​

89.3​

GN

07:26

Stevenage

Moorgate

08:32

6​

362​

581​

943​

Finsbury Park

08:15

842​

89.3​

TL

08:19

Sutton (Surrey) via Wimbledon

St Albans City

09:52

8​

427​

575​

1002​

Elephant & Castle

09:04

893​

89.1​

 

[bramling]

I can recall one a typically packed TLK train one hot and humid evening (319 days) - when a family group boarded a packed train and there was a wail from Tarquin Jr and Celeste Jr wailing that "mummy - all the family seats are taken - do something" - none of the exhausted and very tired commuters conceded of course .........

This amuses me, as it’s exactly what used to happen on the GN side with the 365s. Any arrogant family that tried that one would just be met with the most evil stares you can imagine.

Guess things are a bit different now with less of the hardened commuter types in existence.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

This amuses me, as it’s exactly what used to happen on the GN side with the 365s. Any arrogant family that tried that one would just be met with the most evil stares you can imagine.

Guess things are a bit different now with less of the hardened commuter types in existence.

Yes - very little sympathy from the tired and hot commuters - it is the "family table" term that really got me at the time !!!!!

 

[Class 170101]

PIXC has a 20 minute allowance. Hence the busiest train, 9T81 0713 Bedford to Three Bridges is in, because it is booked 21 mins from the last stop (St Albans) before London. The train after it, 9T13 0716 Bedford to Brighton, which in my experience is far more crowded (to the extent that I always let it go) is not on the list as it has only 12 mins St Albans to West Hamsptead, and a further 10 minutes West Hampstead to St Pancras.

By chance I was on 9T81 today, and there were spare seats approaching St Pancras (albeit more people standing than seats spare, but not many)

But shouldn't 9T13 also be on the list (and see below)

I should also say, whilst the methodology is clear, it is also a game of averages.

Doesn't your 9T13 example show that by inserting a stop that no one can physically board suggest that there are some trains are busier that should be looked at first before 9T81 (not saying that 9T81 shouldn't be looked at BTW) and inserting a stop to an given train hasn't actually made the crowding disappear just removed it from the statistics instead?

 

[London Trains]

PIXC has a 20 minute allowance. Hence the busiest train, 9T81 0713 Bedford to Three Bridges is in, because it is booked 21 mins from the last stop (St Albans) before London. The train after it, 9T13 0716 Bedford to Brighton, which in my experience is far more crowded (to the extent that I always let it go) is not on the list as it has only 12 mins St Albans to West Hamsptead, and a further 10 minutes West Hampstead to St Pancras.

By chance I was on 9T81 today, and there were spare seats approaching St Pancras (albeit more people standing than seats spare, but not many)

Yep, the figures don't really paint an accurate picture of reality when some trains are counted by seated capacity and others by their maximum capacity - notably those Thameslink services don't even make the top 50 busiest GTR services (I posted the list a few posts above) when the maximum capacity is used for all services. The busiest Thameslink services are (unsurprisingly) Sutton to St Albans services south of the river.

 

[evergreenadam]

Yep, the figures don't really paint an accurate picture of reality when some trains are counted by seated capacity and others by their maximum capacity - notably those Thameslink services don't even make the top 50 busiest GTR services (I posted the list a few posts above) when the maximum capacity is used for all services. The busiest Thameslink services are (unsurprisingly) Sutton to St Albans services south of the river.

Those Sutton loop services used to regularly feature in the top ten most crowded trains list produced by the DfT. Then the 319s were replaced by 700s which are given a very generous standing allowance when stopping within 20mins of the Central London passenger count cordon.

Amazing how a 12 car 700 can shift c.1500 passengers when full.