Chiltern Railways announces timetable changes to ease overcrowding issues for Bucks commuters

The changes will come into effect from Sunday (2 June) with additional services now running between Princes Risborough and London Marylebone.

An additional service will run on Tuesdays, Wednesday, and Thursday mornings and evenings to ease overcrowding issues on trains at peak times.

The extra morning train will run from Princes Risborough and call at High Wycombe and Beaconsfield before reaching London Marylebone, with the additional evening journey from London Marylebone calling at High Wycombe and Princes Risborough only.

A knock on effect of the additional services is that timings of other trains may have been altered by a few minutes, so passengers are encouraged to check timings before they reach the station.

Two changes confirmed by Chiltern Railways will see the 17:37 departure from London Marylebone to Birmingham will leave at 17:33 on Tuesdays, Wednesday and Thursdays, while the 17:45 departure from London Marylebone to Oxford will call at Beaconsfield, and not call at High Wycombe, on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

More details can be found on the rail provider’s website here.

Chiltern Railways says it is limited in the changes it can make due to average age of its fleet – 30 years – which is now the oldest in the country.

Also, the rail operator adds that the additional trains running from next week will create an extra 380 seats for commuters each morning and evening.

Andy Camp, commercial and customer strategy director at Chiltern Railways, said: "I know that this extra service for customers in Buckinghamshire will be well used, and will hopefully relieve some of the crowding issues that we have seen on the network during peak times in the middle of the week. It is a step in the right direction as we work hard with industry partners to increase capacity by renewing our fleet, which is now the oldest in the country.

“On other parts of the route, there may be slight changes to train times, so please do check ahead on the Chiltern Railways website or app before travelling."