The 5:46pm London Northwestern Railway (LNR) service from London Euston to Crewe has been identified as the busiest commuter-only train in England and Wales, according to Department for Transport (DfT) figures.
Last autumn, DfT analysis showed this service had a load factor of 170%, meaning the number of people on the train was 170% of its maximum capacity. LNR has since increased the number of seats on this specific service from 460 to 812.
Commuters on the service frequently report having to stand or sit in gangways due to overcrowding. Some passengers, like Nikhil Patel, 22, who commutes to Walsall, state they have never secured a seat on this train.
The service is described as hot, stuffy, and sweaty by passengers, even with air conditioning, due to the high number of people on board. Daniel Garrill, 23, who travels between London and Manchester, notes the difficulty of finding space for luggage.