Thameslink to upgrade passenger seating across fleet

Thameslink has announced plans to upgrade seating across its entire fleet to improve passenger comfort. The initiative, supported by the Department for Transport, aims to replace more than 60,000 standard class seat base cushions and improve backrests across all 115 trains.

The rollout is expected to begin next year and continue over a two-year period. In addition to seat upgrades, seat back tables will be installed on 70 Thameslink trains that currently lack them. First-class passengers will also receive upgraded seat base cushions, though their existing backrest designs will remain.

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander noted that these improvements follow the transfer of Greater Thameslink Railway (GTR) into public ownership in May. GTR, which operates Thameslink, is part of a broader effort to modernize the rail network and improve the passenger experience on busy commuter routes serving London, Brighton, Cambridge, and Sevenoaks.