Burak Bir
03 October 2026•Update: 03 October 2026
Train services in South of England have been cancelled after a bedbug infestation, according to a report Friday.
Trains run by Southeastern have been removed from schedules after staff discovered the bugs crawling inside carriages, The Telegraph reported.
It said the outbreak affects the West Marina train care depot near Hastings, East Sussex as sightings have also been reported on Southeastern’s High Speed 1 line services, raising fears that the bugs are spreading.
Drivers have refused to board affected trains, and accused their bosses of failing to take the issue seriously, according to internal messages seen by The Telegraph.
It added that at least three services were cancelled Friday, with more having been cancelled since the first sighting Sept 22.
One train Tuesday, nicknamed Bedbug Express by insiders, did several trips between the London and Kent stations, with two carriages locked and out of use, after a driver saw the insects at one end of the train.
In a post on US social media platform X, Southeastern Railway said only two driver cabs were found to contain bedbugs, with no passenger areas affected.
"Two further trains were brought out of service to be checked, but were found to be clear and put back into service," it noted.
