Southampton football supporters have been urged to avoid travelling by train to the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley due to a reduced number of direct trains.
South Western Railway has warned of long queues and said some fans may not be able to get on trains.
Major engineering work between Woking and Basingstoke means fewer trains will run on Saturday and Sunday between Southampton and London.
Rail Network Issues for Travelling Fans
Stuart Meek, the chief operating officer at South Western Railway (SWR), said: “We are quite worried there are going to be very long queues and some customers may not be able to get on trains.”
The firm said despite putting on an extra seven trains, those heading to the Southampton v Manchester City FA Cup semi-final on Saturday at 17:15 GMT should “absolutely seek alternatives”.
A queuing system will be in place at Southampton Central station and supporters will need to join the line and wait for the next available service.
Meek said the £1m works had been planned “for a couple of years”.
He said between the football and the marathon about 10,000 people were expected to travel on services to London.
“We are putting on extra trains but from previous occasions when we have done this it is not going to be enough,” he said.
Meek added: “Trains are running via Havant – it’s a long way round so it’s going to be a couple of hours on the train and there will be an awful lot of people trying to get on them.
I would advise people absolutely to seek alternatives.
“The main problem is going to be the return from Waterloo in the evening – that will also depend on any extra time or penalties because that will delay fans getting to Waterloo.”
Alternative Travel Advice for Southampton Supporters
SWR said those not attending the match and travelling to/from Southampton Central should consider travelling between 1300 and 1900 when trains are expected to be less busy.
Southampton Football Club said: “Anyone travelling by rail should plan to arrive at Wembley stations no later than one hour prior to kick-off, to allow sufficient time to walk to and enter the stadium.
“Post-match, you’re asked to leave the ground promptly and avoid opting for the last train of the day.”
- Kick-off is at 17:15 GMT on Saturday.
- Arrive at Wembley stations no later than one hour prior to kick-off.
- Avoid opting for the last train of the day.
The club said its official club travel via coach had sold out.
Saints has an allocation of 35,950 tickets for the game.
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