Rail travel to cities tops pre-Covid levels but rush hour crowds ease

The number of rail passengers travelling into cities in England and Wales has overtaken pre-Covid levels, but changing work and travel patterns have eased overcrowding on the morning commute, according to official statistics.

- Gwyn Topham

Almost 1.9 million people took trains into cities on a typical weekday last autumn, the highest figure since the records were first collated in 2010.

However, there were still about 13% fewer passengers arriving during the morning peak than in 2019, showing that the return to traditional nine-to-five office working remains some way off, despite recent pressure on staff from some employers.

Arrivals into every station in London increased in the 12 months to autumn 2024, with particularly rapid growth at Paddington and Liverpool Street stations, both served by the Elizabeth line.

The data suggests that the line, which was fully opened in 2023, has taken the pressure off other trains, with overcrowding in the capital down from 2019 levels.

Busier trains into Birmingham are matching London for the squeeze on commuters, according to the Department for Transport.

Five Thameslink and West Midland services were the most overcrowded, with the 7.30am Bedford to Three Bridges having an 184% load factor - or almost twice as many passengers as seats - when it reached London St Pancras.