Letter: I Say The Train Service Isn’t Too Bad

Published on: 5 Dec, 2016
Updated on: 5 Dec, 2016

From David Smith

Generally speaking, as someone who uses the trains daily, I say the service isn’t bad.

Trains depart Waterloo for Guildford almost every 15 minutes – many with the first stop being Guildford. If you get there at least five minutes before departure you will almost always get a seat – if not, and a seat is so important, wait a few minutes and get the next train.

I get the 6.24 in the morning and nine times out of ten I will get a seat, and this at the front of the train which is usually busier. I have even got seats on trains as late as 7.34am but these are often those narrow middle seats where you often find yourself sandwiched between two people.

The rolling stock, which now has wifi, isn’t bad and its certainly better than most other train operating companies.

The biggest gripe for me is when something goes wrong and South West Trains don’t tell people what is going on.

More locally, a problem is the ticket barriers at Guildford, where one gate is always out and instead of telling people they let you make several attempts and before you are forced to back up into someone.

When I see what’s going on with Southern I am very grateful I don’t travel with them.