The Department for Transport (DfT) has reported a slight decrease in train overcrowding across England and Wales, with an average of 1% of passengers, or approximately 16,800 individuals daily, travelling in excess of capacity during autumn 2025. This marks a marginal improvement compared to the previous year.
The DfT attributed the reduction to a 4% increase in seating capacity over the past twelve months. A spokesperson stated that the "vast majority of passengers – 98.9% – typically travel on services that are not overcrowded." Efforts are underway to address "pinch points during peak hours" to improve capacity. Operators like GTR have added carriages to their busiest commuter services, while South Western Railway has increased capacity by nearly 30% in the last year through the introduction of new trains. The upcoming integration of track and train under Great British Railways is expected to further enhance services.
Despite the overall improvement, a quarter of passengers travelling into and out of London during peak times still had to stand. In other cities, however, only 5% of passengers reported being unable to secure a seat.
The ten busiest commuter train services in England and Wales, based on passenger counts from Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays between September and December 2025, were identified. Leading the list was Thameslink's Bedford to Three Bridges service via London St Pancras, which operated at 176% capacity at 08:09. Other highly congested routes included West Midlands' London Euston to Crewe service (170% at 17:46) and Transport for Wales' Bridgend to Rhymney service via Llanishen (161% at 16:45).
A Thameslink spokesperson noted that their trains are designed with ample standing room on busy commuter routes and that the company continuously monitors service usage to make adjustments. They highlighted recent efforts, such as lengthening trains on some Bedford to London services and introducing additional peak-time services, to provide more space and choice for passengers.