South Western Railway (SWR) has announced the introduction of the 30th Arterio train into active service.
The thirty Arterios now operate over 390 daily services, serving all 96 stations on SWR’s suburban network including Ascot, Barnes, Earlsfield, Feltham, Guilford, Hampton Court, Hounslow, Kingston, Putney, Reading, Richmond, Surbiton, Twickenham, Wimbledon and Woking.
Each 10-car Arterio is capable of carrying 50% more customers than its predecessor, the eight-car Class 455, with the 1 billion GBP investment aimed at improving customer experience via the implementation of features such as Wi-Fi, charging points, real-time information, accessible toilets and full air conditioning.
Since its transfer into public ownership in May 2025; SWR has more than quadrupled the number of Arterios in active service, delivering a 12% increase in weekday suburban capacity into London Waterloo between 07:00 and 10:00.
Capacity on some routes has increased even further, including Chessington (21%), Kingston (20%), Aldershot via Staines (24%), Reading (17%) and Shepperton (23%).
Recent customer surveys have shown that satisfaction with space onboard the Arterios is significantly higher (86%) than for the Class 455s they are replacing.
Two more Arterios are set to enter service before Christmas, with three quarters of its Arterio scheduled planned to be in operation by the end of Summer 2026.
Despite the popularity of the new trains, customers have also shown a fondness for the fleet of red trains they are replacing, with a special charity Class 455 Farewell tour selling out in 15 seconds. As a result, a second farewell train has also sold out as more than 900 rail enthusiasts are set to come together on 21 December to mark the retirement of the fleet.
Lawrence Bowman, Managing Director, South Western Railway and Network Rail Wessex said:This is a major milestone for customers on our suburban railway, who are now more and more likely to catch an Arterio for their morning commute. The new trains provide a step-change in capacity, reliability and comfort for the tens of thousands of customers who travel through Waterloo every day, and their positive feedback is fantastic to see.
Our publicly owned railway is on track to bring even more Arterios into service over the coming months, taking us ever closer to our goal of transforming every journey across our suburban network.
