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Home > Travel > Holiday Essentials > Train > South West Trains

User Reviews

for South West Trains

Rating Summary based on 30 reviews

  • 5 Stars
    		2
  • 4 Stars
    		2
  • 3 Stars
    		9
  • 2 Stars
    		10
  • 1 Star
    		7

Detailed rating

  • Frequency of trains
  • On-board facilities
  • Speed of trains
  • Ticketing System
  • Value for Money
  		• 3.0
  		• 2.3
  		• 3.0
  		• 3.0
  		• 2.4

Review attribute filters

Previous page Next page Page 1 of 3 | 1 to 10 out of 30 Review(s)
  • 67 of 67 Ciao users found the following review helpful
    Picture of MRANDREWSJK

    MRANDREWSJK

    5 Stars I'm not using the Ferrari's much lately... 10/06/2002
    User recommends the product

    Advantages Advantages Reasonable price with a seson ticket

    Disadvantages Disadvantages Always stand at night for the first 50 minutes

    Here I am again doing yet another serious op for you, full of information and overflowing with detail. But first I must tell you that my daughter, Violent J has joined Ciao so watch out for more of the same if she can be bothered!!! Also I went with mrsandrewsjk to the Cotswolds at the weekend, and what a jolly weekend it was. Also I am privileged to exclusively reveal that Tony Blair is no relation to Lionel Blair, even though the fancy footwork is similar. Right, enough news, on with the facts, or my impression of South West Trains. Well....... Eeerrrr....they have a web site, www.swtrains ... more
  • 19 of 19 Ciao users found the following review helpful
    Picture of Royston1

    Royston1

    1 Star PLEASE END THE STRAIN ON THE TRAIN 28/09/2001
    User doesn't recommend the product

    Advantages Advantages None

    Disadvantages Disadvantages The worst mode of transport on the face of the planet

    I have to admit, writing this op is just a great way to let of steam and have a rant about the terrible state of South West Trains. I can hardly bring myself to pay for my train ticket nowadays when I know what type of journey I can expect. I use SW Trains to get into work everyday (early morning and evening), and travel from Guildford to Waterloo. My gripe lies not with the staff at SW Trains, I think they make the best of what they have and are usually polite and happy to help, but with the state of the trains which are absolutely disgusting. Everyday there is the usual battle with fellow ... more
  • 69 of 69 Ciao users found the following review helpful
    Picture of Modena

    Modena

    2 Stars This train dont stop here anymore 14/02/2002
    User doesn't recommend the product

    Advantages Advantages Acceptable when the service is running properly, new trains soon, new information system soon, frequency

    Disadvantages Disadvantages Delays, dated trains, peak hours, patronising, see stories section

    South West Trains (SWT) operate services between London Waterloo and the South West of England; reaching places like Reading, Exeter, and Southampton etc, it also runs a suburban network through south west London… I’ve been travelling one the “Reading” line for almost 4 years now, and this is what I think of them, I can only speak on behalf of this line, there is a chance I could mislead you on the general picture… ••The Consuming facts •The reliability of the service In one word, I think it has been awful, I have traveled on SWT for almost 4 ... more
  • 33 of 33 Ciao users found the following review helpful
    Picture of CareBear

    CareBear

    1 Star WHY THE RAIL COMPANIES WILL NEVER GET BETTER 23/08/2001
    User doesn't recommend the product

    Advantages Advantages I can get to work

    Disadvantages Disadvantages No choice over whether I use them and appalling customer service

    The 0730 semi-fast service from Woking to London Waterloo left on time this morning. The guard proudly announced that the service would be calling at West Byfleet, Byfleet and New Haw, Weybridge, Walton on Thames and London Waterloo arriving at 0808. Most unusual to get an announcement. But hang on, there is more. "I would like to inform you that we have on board today some of the board of management from South West Trains who will be passing down the carriages. If you have any questions please feel free to ask them." Ah-ha, so that is what they are up to. Then again, at our first stop, West ... more
  • 23 of 23 Ciao users found the following review helpful
    Picture of helendavis83

    helendavis83

    2 Stars Save Our Time, Save Your Time, Please Take The Bus 11/05/2001
    User doesn't recommend the product

    Advantages Advantages [below]

    Disadvantages Disadvantages [below]

    I myself travel using South West Trains very frequently, and in writing this opinion I also draw on the comments of father who daily catches the 0752 from Guildford to Waterloo, using a season ticket which cost him many thousands of pounds. Trains are frequently delayed, cancelled or short in carriages, causing much disruption, which people who have spent a lot on their ticket do not deserve. Having finally managed to get on the train, they are overcrowded and as a result there are not enough seats to go round. However, the First Class and smoking compartments are always virtually empty, yet ... more
  • 28 of 28 Ciao users found the following review helpful
    Picture of Cathy_Young

    Cathy_Young

    3 Stars our trains how good are they 04/07/2001
    User doesn't recommend the product

    Advantages Advantages you get to your to where you want quickly if you havent got a car and you can save petrol

    Disadvantages Disadvantages you dont know how relable they are

    I've been a train traveller all my life and as neither of my parents drive I have got use to what our trains were like but recently i feel they have been getting worse. For example i went to Southampton recently and the toilets were a total mess. There was no loo role as it was all over the floor, the tap water didn't run/flow properly, and the hand towels were non-existent. Also the door didn't close, as the lock didn't reach its fixing on the wall. It's not only the toilets that are bad. On a hot day you would like a drink if you were gonna be on a train for 2 hours. So you would think there ... more
  • 9 of 9 Ciao users found the following review helpful
    Picture of PaulRoss

    PaulRoss

    1 Star Absolutely bloody diabolical 27/07/2000
    User doesn't recommend the product

    Advantages Advantages none

    Disadvantages Disadvantages Expensive, uncomfortable, unreliable, impolite, chance of parasite infection

    Well, where do I start ? If you can avoid taking south west trains, then do. They can, at best, be described as a bunch of talentless clowns. The entire system is a shining example of how NOT to run a service. Well, let's start at the beginning with the ticket purchasing. Ok, I know it's not South West Trains, but hey it's all part of the SWT "experience" and you can GARAUNTEE that there will be a large queue when you go to buy your ticket. So get ready to stand in line, whoever said "Nothing lasts forever" has never been in a queue to buy a ticket for SWT. Einstein was correct, time dilation ... more
  • 15 of 15 Ciao users found the following review helpful
    Picture of leggb

    leggb

    3 Stars I only travel becuase I have to 16/07/2001
    User recommends the product

    Advantages Advantages Trains look good from the outside

    Disadvantages Disadvantages Trains look bad from the inside

    South West Trains run most of the trains in the south west, as the name suggests conveniently. When the network was privatised it was taken over by Stagecoach and since then i would have to say that the service has got worse. Weymouth is a small town that is surrounded by hills and only has one proper road out that is always ful of traffic. This makes the trains the only way out of the town without getting stuck in traffic jams. I am one of those "weird" people that dont own a car, so trains are the only way for me to travel over a distance. *The trains The trains that south west trains ... more
  • 18 of 18 Ciao users found the following review helpful
    Picture of TYoung

    TYoung

    2 Stars Get your act together SW Trains... 06/07/2001
    User doesn't recommend the product

    Advantages Advantages Good Staff, Gets you from A to B

    Disadvantages Disadvantages poor facilities and conditions. Very old fashioned and needs improving fast!

    After reading many opinions from other people regarding South West Trains, i have to agree with the people who havent given the SW Trains a good rating because they are very poor at the moment. From when i was a small kid (about 10 yrs ago) i hardly ever went on trains but when i did i used to love it and always wanted to be a train driver. Well havent those years changed my opinion drastically. Having been to a number of stations i feel that many train stations such as Southampton Central are becoming rather old fashioned and are really in need of a make over. With Southampton offering very ... more
  • 23 of 24 Ciao users found the following review helpful
    Picture of The_Walrus

    The_Walrus

    1 Star Pedants, the lot of them.... 01/02/2002
    User doesn't recommend the product

    Advantages Advantages Er......

    Disadvantages Disadvantages Too many to list in 15 words!

    Grrrr! South West Trains! Grrrr! I am lucky enough to live in the North so do not have to use South West Trains on a regular basis (‘regular’ not being a word I’d use to describe them however…), but as my partner lives in Guildford I occasionally use the service to travel from Guildford to Waterloo. On the whole I would describe the services as unreliable, and the trains as creaky and stuffed to the brim with passengers – despite the first class carriages being virtually empty. I will give them one praise which was when I was sitting in the corridor on a packed ... more
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