Most people travel between London and Exeter using the Great Western main line to Paddington, but I'd been staying in South West London, quite close to Waterloo. So rather than travel across town to Paddington, I chose to use the competing South Western Railway service from Waterloo to Exeter.

Tickets on these trains (even in 1st Class) can be significantly cheaper than their Great Western rivals. But it takes longer and the rolling stock is now 30 years old. Is it worth doing? Join me to find out.

Departure: London Waterloo, England, UK
Destination: Exeter Central, England, UK
Cost: Advance 1st class return, with 1/3 senior railcard discount: £54.70 / €63,00
Date of Travel: August 2023
Operator: South Western Railway
Motive power: Class 159 3-car DMU. Built: British Rail Engineering Ltd, Derby (1992-1993). Modified: Babcock, Rosyth (1993)

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