Why are these people travelling by train?

Why are these people travelling by train?

Posted by grahame at 05:33, 1st June 2026

Why do people travel by train? How can we attract more to train travel?

Here is a selection of pictures of passengers whom I have - in many cases hence the crap picture quality - caught in my lens in the last few days. Worthy of thought to ask "why are they travelling", "why are they using the train" and "How [in the UK] can we encourage more passengers travelling for what me might guess are these reasons".

Re: Why are these people travelling by train?

Posted by CyclingSid at 06:39, 1st June 2026

Leisure, business, commute? How you grow these different sectors can be in conflict. Having this weekend travelled from Reading to Brockenhurst, for Lymington. Cross Country have reinstated the Brockenhurst stop, quite a few got off.

The return journey by SWR was telling on a 444 or 450 didn't check which, classic commuter trains and not suited to most passengers seeming to have two massive suitcases and possibly a buggy. Not to mention an old geezer with a bike cluttering up the place because of inadequate and inappropriate bike storage.

Re: Why are these people travelling by train?

Posted by Witham Bobby at 10:21, 1st June 2026

I'd suggest that

Dependable timetables

Great connections

Seats for all travellers

Aircon & heating that actually worked; sufficient fresh air and no toilet pong

Welcoming stations

Great information

Affordable fares

Service frequency to match demand

Information and back-up for when things don't go to plan, with hold-ups resolved fast

Comfortable seats

Clean trains

Would all work to bring more people to travel by train, for whatever reason

But, as things stand at present, I can't see much encouragement to bring about a shift from personal to public transport beyond present levels

Re: Why are these people travelling by train?

Posted by ChrisB at 14:49, 1st June 2026

Need to deal successfully with capacity pinchpoints first.

There are far too many currently which will severely hinder any attempt to encourage travellers

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