Inbetweener Joe Thomas captures the chaos of prepare journey in new comedy skit

Joe’s characteristically dry-humoured and witty take on the frustrations of train travel comes after research revealed the top national ‘travel peeves’ when it comes to using

A new study reveals that Brits are growing increasingly frustrated with the challenges of train travel. From endless delays to overcrowded carriages, a survey of 2,000 adults has identified the top 15 rail-related complaints, including issues such as loud music or videos and unclear tannoy announcements.

To illustrate these shared frustrations, comedian Joe Thomas has teamed up with Tempcover to create a comedy sketch highlighting some of the most common grievances. Highlighted in the video are gripes such as missing your train and finding out you have to take the rail replacement bus, and not getting to your destination on time.

Reflecting on the project, 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.”

The study shed light on the high costs of train travel, with the average ticket costing nearly £110. Despite this, eight out of ten passengers report standing for over half an hour due to overcrowded carriages, blaming train companies for overselling tickets.

Furthermore, two in ten travellers frequently experience delays or cancellations, with one in ten reporting delays that stretch over four hours. Signal failures, engineering works, and poor weather are cited as the usual culprits for these disruptions.

For passengers facing cancelled trains, waits for a rail replacement bus service can be lengthy—on average, 41 minutes—while a fifth of travellers saying they have waited for an hour or more.

According to the report, these delays and cancellations have significantly impacted many people, leaving their plans ruined.

As a result of these ongoing issues, more than half (51%) of respondents say they would prefer to drive rather than take the train. Key reasons include the ability to travel directly to their destination (49%), enjoying personal space (38%), and greater 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