South Western Railway
South Western Railway runs from London Waterloo to Southampton, Bournemouth, Portsmouth, Exeter and the Isle of Wight's Island Line.
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Official website
- Official website
- Train tickets
- 1
South Western Railway (SWR) runs from London Waterloo across the south and south west of England, and out to the Isle of Wight through its Island Line branch. The network covers more than 200 destinations. That spans London commuter towns such as Woking, Surbiton and Wimbledon, and longer trips to Southampton, Bournemouth, Portsmouth and Exeter.
Where SWR runs
Most SWR services start or end at London Waterloo, with lines fanning out through Surrey and Hampshire to the south coast, and further west into Devon. Portsmouth Harbour, Southampton Central and Bournemouth are among the busiest stations outside London. Island Line, the separate Isle of Wight branch between Ryde Pier Head and Shanklin, is also part of the SWR network and runs its own fleet, Class 484.
Tickets and fares
SWR sells the standard range of UK ticket types: Advance, Anytime, Off-Peak, Super Off-Peak and Semi Flex Return, along with GroupSave and Group Travel discounts, Evening Out and Sunday Out tickets, and London Travelcards. Season tickets come as Weekly, Monthly, Monthly Plus, Monthly auto renewal and Annual passes, with a Flexi Season option for part-time travel patterns.
Railcards are accepted, including the 16-17 Saver, 16-25 Student, 26-30, Two Together, Disabled Persons, Family and Friends, HM Forces, Veterans, Network and Senior Railcards. Tickets can be bought as paper tickets, eTickets, on a Smartcard, or through Oyster and contactless pay as you go, including the Tap2Go extension for journeys beyond the standard Oyster zone.
SWR's Price Promise applies to direct bookings made through its own website or app. A claim must be submitted within 24 hours of purchase, for the same date, time, origin, destination and ticket type, fully on SWR trains.
Trains and onboard facilities
SWR's fleet includes the newer Arterio units alongside older Desiro (Class 444 and 450), South Western Turbo (Class 159), Express Sprinter (Class 158) and Class 455 trains, plus Class 484 on Island Line. Onboard facilities vary by train but can include First Class, Wi-Fi and space for prams. Bikes and pets both travel, with space limited on busier services.
Combined ferry and Island Line tickets
Combined ferry and train tickets, covering a Solent crossing and the onward Island Line journey, can be bought online, through the app or at ticket offices. The usual Railcard discounts apply to most of these fares.
Where to book
Train tickets
- Check times & prices
Omio
Omio connects you with over 1,000 transport providers - trains, buses, flights, and more - to simplify your travel planning.
Frequently asked questions
Where does South Western Railway run?
SWR runs from London Waterloo across the south and south west of England to destinations including Southampton, Bournemouth, Portsmouth and Exeter, plus the Isle of Wight via Island Line.
What ticket types does SWR sell?
SWR sells Advance, Anytime, Off-Peak, Super Off-Peak and Semi Flex Return tickets, along with GroupSave, Evening Out, Sunday Out tickets, London Travelcards and a full range of season tickets.
Does SWR accept Railcards?
Yes. SWR accepts the standard national Railcards, including the 16-25, 26-30, Two Together, Family and Friends, Senior, Network, HM Forces, Veterans and Disabled Persons Railcards.
Is Island Line part of South Western Railway?
Yes. Island Line, the Isle of Wight branch between Ryde Pier Head and Shanklin, is operated by South Western Railway using its own Class 484 trains, and combined ferry and train tickets are available.
More operators in United Kingdom
Train service
- Check times & prices
Avanti West Coast runs London Euston to Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, Glasgow and Edinburgh, with Advance, Off-Peak and Anytime fares.
Official website - Check times & prices
c2c runs London Fenchurch Street to Shoeburyness, serving 26 East London and South Essex stations, with e-tickets, Smartcard and contactless fares.
Official website - Check times & prices
Caledonian Sleeper runs overnight from London Euston to Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Inverness and Fort William, with cabin and seated fares.
Official website - Check times & prices
Chiltern Railways runs London Marylebone to Birmingham, Oxford, Stratford-upon-Avon and Aylesbury, with Advance, Off-Peak and Anytime fares.
Official website - Check times & prices
CrossCountry runs long-distance trains linking Scotland, the North, Midlands, Wales and the South West without changing in London.
Official website - Check times & prices
East Midlands Railway runs Intercity trains to London St Pancras, regional services across the Midlands and North, and Eurostar connections.
Official website - Check times & prices
The Elizabeth line is TfL's cross-London railway linking Heathrow and Reading with the City and Shenfield or Abbey Wood.
Official website - Check times & prices
Eurostar runs high-speed trains from London St Pancras to Paris (2 h 16 min), Brussels (1 h 53 min) and Amsterdam; London departures require border checks.
Official website - Check times & prices
Gatwick Express runs non-stop between London Victoria and Gatwick Airport in about 31 minutes, with some trains also serving Brighton.
Official website - Check times & prices
Grand Central is an open-access operator from London King's Cross to York, Sunderland, Doncaster and Bradford. Bike spaces are limited.
Official website - Check times & prices
Great Northern links London King's Cross and Moorgate with Cambridge, King's Lynn and Peterborough on the southern East Coast Main Line.
Official website - Check times & prices
GWR runs from London Paddington to Bristol, Bath, Cardiff, Devon, Cornwall, Oxford and Reading, with Advance, Off-Peak and Anytime fares.
Official website - Check times & prices
Greater Anglia runs from London Liverpool Street to Norwich, Cambridge, Ipswich, Colchester and East Anglia's coast, Broads and airports.
Official website - Check times & prices
Heathrow Express runs non-stop between London Paddington and Heathrow in 15 to 21 minutes. Fares from £10 in advance, up to £26 on the day.
Official website - Check times & prices
Hull Trains is an open-access operator running direct services from Hull and Beverley to London King's Cross, with Advance fares bookable up to 26 weeks ahead.
Official website - Check times & prices
Island Line runs Ryde Pier Head to Shanklin on the Isle of Wight, operated by South Western Railway.
Official website - Check times & prices
LNER runs East Coast Main Line trains from London King's Cross to Yorkshire, the North East, Edinburgh and Inverness.
Official website - Check times & prices
London Northwestern Railway connects London Euston with Birmingham, Liverpool, Northampton and Crewe. Bikes travel free; e-scooters are banned.
Official website - Check times & prices
London Overground is a TfL rail service with six named lines circling outer London, using Oyster and contactless pay as you go.
Official website - Check times & prices
Lumo runs all-electric trains from London to Edinburgh and Newcastle, plus a newer London to Stirling route via Preston.
Official website - Check times & prices
Merseyrail runs the Northern and Wirral lines around Liverpool. Buy before boarding or tap MetroCard, contactless or a smart device.
Official website - Check times & prices
NI Railways is Translink's rail brand in Northern Ireland, running trains to Bangor and Derry~Londonderry and the Enterprise to Dublin.
Official website - Check times & prices
Northern runs regional and commuter trains to over 500 stations across the North of England, from Advance to Anytime fares.
Official website - Check times & prices
ScotRail runs over 2,000 daily services across more than 340 Scottish stations, publicly owned by the Scottish Government since 2022.
Official website - Check times & prices
Southeastern runs across London, Kent and East Sussex, with High Speed services to St Pancras and 164 stations on its network.
Official website - Check times & prices
Southern runs between central London and the south coast through Sussex, Surrey and parts of Kent and Hampshire, calling at Gatwick Airport.
Official website - Check times & prices
Stansted Express runs Stansted Airport to London Liverpool Street in 48 minutes, every 15 minutes, with fares from £9.90.
Official website - Check times & prices
Thameslink runs a 24 hour core route between Bedford and Brighton through central London, with a direct link to Luton Airport.
Official website - Check times & prices
TransPennine Express runs intercity trains across the North of England and into Scotland, linking Manchester, Leeds, Newcastle, Edinburgh and Glasgow.
Official website - Check times & prices
Transport for Wales runs the Wales and Borders rail network, from the Cambrian Coast and Heart of Wales lines to Cardiff, Chester and Manchester Airport.
Official website - Check times & prices
West Midlands Railway runs regional trains around Birmingham to Coventry, Shrewsbury, Stafford and Worcester. Bikes travel free; e-scooters are banned.
Official website