SWR Help Reviews 679

Can't get tickets through the app because of some random errors, the ticket machine on the station doesn't work, staff on the train doesn't care and gives a fine instead of helping. Worst train system worldwide. I hate privatised transport companies, they're always so bad and overpriced

Abruptly cancelled trains, inadequate crisis provision, paying passengers forced to stand in the aisles and thus no access to toilets for everyone else because of the overcrowding, over 45 minutes late, people running up and down the platforms trying to find a space to stand in a scrappy vestibule on a train.
No seat reservations ever offered. The most basic service delivery fail, again and again. How are they allowed to carry on getting away with it.

17/05/2026 8.30pm
Complete and utter incompetence of the highest level, their crisis management is none existent!! Even there staff were agreeing with me this evening at Waterloo!!

What an absolute disgrace that SWR have upgraded their website/app and decided it was a fine idea to not keep customers pre booked tickets in the app.
I've lost all my QR Codes for bookings over the next 11 weeks.. how the hell did someone approve that into production?

Furthermore Google pay is now not an option in the app and you cannot add your trips to your calendar like before.

You have just made it worse than it was before.

Truly appalling operator. Yet again train cancelled and had to work out for myself how to get home. Went to Paddingtom from Waterloo, ended up in Taunton station not Axminster, after 10pm at night, single female travelling alone, luckily had someone who could collect me. SWT refusing refund as I managed to get home even though 2+ hours after I should have done.

There’s a problem so often with services, it feels like every time I travel. Since last year out of the blue cancellations during the day (no reasons, just lack of staff). More recently signal failure problems at Brokenhurst have meant serious delays for literally weeks. Weekend train timetables add literally 1.5 hours to a 2 hour! journey, as a matter of course - no reason given - just a common event. Why?! For example a Sunday day return trip to London will take 7 hours instead of the normal weekday 4! Completely ridiculous. Today Thursday 9 April there was another incident, though this time at Queen’s Park (albeit original problem not SWT fault) but again, more chaos, delays and very overcrowded trains in evening. Also, the app doesn’t even work properly at the moment - keeps saying technical difficulties!!!!. I can’t even buy a ticket. Literally, always something.

I find it astonishing that the entire network of trains should almost come to a complete standstill due to a mortality which I believed occurred over 6-8 hours ago. Yes, the system is complex but perhaps the management should investigate strategic planning for such incidents (they are rare but do happen). Event reffered to affected services to everywhere via SWtrains on 9 April 2026. Announcements were broadcast about ‘you may be entitled to compensation’. I would hope so. Sort it out.

Absolutely SHOCKING customer service. They don't listen to you or value their customers or offer them any help. A train was extremely overcrowded so I had to buy a first class ticket and they wouldn't refund my economy tickets. For about two weeks they kept palming off onto a Train Line who kept palming me back onto SWR. They refused to help me or offer me any compensation for the fact that I had to purchase two tickets for the same journey. I showed them screen shots to show that the Train Line said I needed a refund from SWR because it was their train that was overcrowded but SWR could.not.care.less! Very patronising 'I understand your frustration' followed by their refusal to help is all I got for two weeks. I have never felt so unvalued as a customer. I have used their company to book tickets many times, but as soon as you actually need some help they will wash their hands of you. I will never be using them again. It seems that using Train Line instead of the actual train company directly means that they can just refuse to take any accountability and refuse to help you. Honestly feels like they're both laughing. Never use SWR.

We are now on the way to Clapham Junction from Bracknell. All toilets are filthy dirty and the toilet bowl are clocked.

It takes real effort to run a system this badly. Constant changes, repeated delays and frequent cancellations have become the norm rather than the exception.

This is not just inconvenience. It reflects a service that feels unreliable and poorly managed. Compared to transport systems in many other countries, the decline is clear.

It is deeply frustrating to see standards fall to this level. This needs urgent attention and accountability.

Not driving. Stuck in the middle of Esher on the track. Got places to be. Lady doesn’t know what she’s saying.

25 minutes delay getting into London today, now one hour delay getting home. Absolutely shite, I hope this company goes bankrupt....

SWR is the gift that truly keeps giving. I am absolutely sick to death at the consistent levels of incompetence. It never stops, if it's not signal issues, staff issues, passenger incidents, trees/cars on crossings, replacement buses, engineering works.Surely getting these constant signal issues sorted out is a priority.
I have several claims in waiting for money to cover taxis, and full refunds due to being regularly delayed by over 2 hour's.
In their wisdom they have updated their online system which we are pushed into using, yet to understand their ticket system you need to belong to MENSA, it confuses the staff so how are we meant to understand it. They love getting the heavies on the trains under the guise of revenue inspector's who gun for people who have inadvertently got the wrong ticket, it's very easy to get it wrong even as someone who has used the trains for over 50 year's. I have just wasted more time speaking to customer services who could not help me re the new ticket system! I am none the wiser but have lost more of my time and energy on this not fit for purpose company. So the chavs continue to get away with not paying, and we continue to pay for the privilege of using the Weymouth to London line. It's painful

So many complaints i see here and still nothing done! Just waited on the right platform in Putney for the train with my bike when you decided to change the platform in a very last minute not giving enough time to catch the train! I managed to be on the platform running wirh my heavy bike, i was by the train and it was still not moving for few seconds and drive off! Next in half an hour! Late to work stressed. Well done!

This train operator did not give me a refund when I was due one. On Wednesday 25th March the trains kept getting delayed and the timetabling had issues. My train was delayed about 2-3 times, and I experienced disruption in between. A train claiming to go to a station I needed, was just going to the terminating station directly. The train message board did not update, and 30 seconds to a minute before the train was about to leave, the driver said the train would go to the end station only. If I wasn't paying attention I would have got lost by going to a different station.

After I got off, the train announcer was also laughing as they were announcing the destinations for the next trains. This was annoying, and I was not sure if I could believe them if each train journey was going to change every few minutes. I tried using delay repay, using evidence, and they claimed the train was delayed by 5 minutes which was wrong. I tried again as I got a few details wrong, and now they are blaming another operator when it was actually their train making me late. I got to my end destination about 30 minutes late.

Isnt even worth the star i had to place in order to write this review.....for the third time in less than a month the train service was late....ok i can forgive this no one is perfect....on my journey to new malden from richmond...usually i place my headphones on just for some relaxative music before gym....the train descides its going to waterloo mid journey and im none the wiser as i have my headphones in....then for the coupe de grace obviously im charged more and to top it off i have to go to lengths to claim my money back....but this time i will make it a point to as this is beginning to give off scammer vibes....

Atrocious website forcing people to use the Trainline website! Then your staff get moody because we didn’t buy tickets direct.

The incompetence of your website and all involved is historical.

No trains from Wimbledon
No notice given
Service is unreliable

Wish could give 0 stars. Relentless pursuit of students at Brockenhurst Dorset, no leeway for those just turning 18 & not realising their railcard invalid. 16-17 saver card not lasting to cover whole education period meaning students age 18 are penalised with higher prices than peers! 18-25 card not valid for peak times, students need to be in for 9am sometimes! Awful customer service, trains always late / cancelled from this station

New shiny website.
They didn't bother to port across old passwords so you now have to enter the new password, no rules specified and don't forget you have to type it in twice.
1st attempt, must have number I am informed, 2nd attempt, must have special character, 3rd attempt must have capital. They hate their customers and love messing with us.
Also now 2 different passwords , one for booking tix and 1 for delay repay. I bet some idiot got paid a fortune for this.