South Western Railway offers new in-train audio storytelling experience on London to Southampton route

South Western Railway (SWR) has partnered with Window Seater to provide audio guides that connect rail travellers to the world outside their window. 

Available for free on the Apple and Google Play Stores, the Window Seater app delivers an immersive in-train experience, with place-based stories that cover a range of subjects from history and geography to art, culture and community. 

Initially available on SWR’s London to Southampton route, the informative, lively and simple-to-use guides draw on stories along the railway line, featuring local voices from historians to geologists and also include an abbott and the custodian of Britain’s first mosque.

In the London to Southampton guide, listeners will hear about subjects including:

• Stories of speed, from Britain’s first ever car journey to pioneering women in motorsport 
• The homes and workplaces of icons Thomas Burberry, Jane Austen and James Bond
• Diverse histories of famous mosques, abbeys and medieval city gates
• Untold stories of Concorde, Spitfire and the Titanic
• Hidden rivers that weave their way under the railway line
• Waterloo station’s secrets and the National Windrush memorial
• … and Woking’s alien invasion!

Peter Williams, Customer and Commercial Director, South Western Railway said: “At South Western Railway we are always looking to improve the onboard experience for our customers, and so we’re very excited to partner with Window Seater. We like the concept of an audio guide that uses the latest technology to make the stories relevant to the train’s location, and think our customers will too.”

Marcus Allender, Window Seater Business Development Director said: “South Western Railway’s embrace of innovation has allowed us to create a guide reflecting the fascinating diversity of stories along the line from London to Southampton, which is set to inform and entertain passengers young and old. 

Improving customer experience, creating exciting new partnership opportunities and getting people back on trains with a product that is unique to rail are all key to Window Seater’s mission and we can’t wait to hear what SWR customers think of our new guide – hopefully one of many more to come.”

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