Inbetweeners star captures the frustration of train travel in new comedy skit (2025)

A new study has unveiled the 15 biggest bugbears of train travel, including loud music or videos, unclear tannoy announcements and the dreaded rail replacement bus

A recent study has revealed the growing frustration among Brits with the state of UK train services, highlighting a range of grievances shared by passengers. The poll has unveiled some of the most frequent complaints, including long delays, overcrowded carriages, and the frequent nuisance of noisy music or videos played by other passengers.

In a bid to highlight these shared frustrations, comedian Joe Thomas has partnered with Tempcover to create a witty and dry-humoured comedy skit. The spoof sheds light on relatable rail experiences, such as barely missing a train only to endure the dreaded rail replacement bus service, and the constant struggle to remain punctual despite unreliable schedules.

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Talking about the collaboration, Joe said: “It was a good laugh to create this little comedy skit, I use the trains all the time - when they’re good they’re great and when they’re bad, they’re rubbish.”

Marc Pell, managing director of the temporary insurance provider, which commissioned the research, said: "Joe’s video brilliantly captures the very real frustrations many endure with UK train travel, using comedy as the vehicle to do so. Over a four-day Easter holiday, no-one wants their plans derailed.”

Further findings by the survey highlighting the high cost of rail fares, noting the average cost of a ticket is close to £110. Despite this, eight in ten passengers report standing for more than half an hour, blaming rail companies for overselling tickets.

Additionally, two in ten train users said they frequently face delays or cancellations, while an unfortunate one in ten have experienced delays exceeding four hours. The common causes of these disruptions include signal failures, engineering works, and adverse weather conditions.

Those unlucky enough to encounter cancelled trains often find themselves waiting an average of 41 minutes for a rail replacement bus, and it's worse for a fifth of passengers who reported this wait being over an hour. Many said their plans have been ruined as a result.

This unreliability has led to over half (51%) of survey participants saying they would prefer to drive than travel via train. The key advantages they cite include direct routes to their destinations (49%), personal space comforts (38%), and a sense of increased reliability (35%).

Marc added: “This Easter, car sharing is another way to visit friends and family. This is where temporary car insurance can really help. Just borrow a car, get insured in minutes and you can travel on your own terms whenever you want - evening or day, on or off-peak.”

TOP 15 ‘RAIL FAILS’:

1. Expensive or overpriced tickets
2. Delays and cancellations
3. Overcrowding
4. Lack of available seats and having to stand
5. Replacement bus services
6. Unreliable timetables
7. Noisy passengers
8. Lack of toilets or dirty toilets
9. Dirty trains
10. People taking up extra seats with bags
11. Drunken passengers
12. People putting feet on seats
13. People playing loud music/videos
14. Slow trains or too many stops
15. People blocking doors when trying to get on/of