We have a responsibility to make sure railway companies protect passengers from crowding health and safety risks.
We also oversee a number of obligations that train and station operators have to their customers, including making sure the railway is accessible for all.
As such, we take passenger concerns about crowding seriously. However, where the safety risks from crowding are being well-managed and train and station operators are meeting their responsibilities to customers, we don’t have the powers to require further action.
The Department for Transport (DfT) monitors rail passenger numbers and crowding across England and Wales.
Complaints about crowding on trains or stations should be made to the train or station operating company concerned in the first instance. The operator has a duty to respond to your complaint, explaining what went wrong and what they are doing to improve things.
If you are not satisfied with the response from the company, you can contact the Rail Ombudsman to raise your complaint with them. If the complaint relates to TfL or Eurostar – complaints should be directed to the operator first and then to London Travel Watch.
For further information see our section on station and train crowding.