Trains have been cancelled across the South of England following a bed bug infestation.
Services ran by Southeastern have been removed after staff spotted the bugs inside carriages near Hastings, East Sussex, which serves routes between London and Kent.
The infestation is feared to have spread, after the bugs were also reportedly spotted on Southeastern’s High Speed 1 line services.
At least three services were cancelled on Friday.
One train, nicknamed Bedbug Express, went ahead anyway on Tuesday despite the insects being spotted. The train travelled between London and Kent but with two carriages out-of-use.
Drivers have refused to board the affected trains after finding the bugs crawling over their belongings, The Telegraph reports.
This includes taking train to the Hastings depot to be cleaned. One driver said he would not board unless he was ‘provided with a white full-body protection suit … in case any bugs transfer to themself’ [sic].
Oly Turner, the train company’s head of drivers, said: ‘We have a great relationship with our drivers, who have helped hugely in cooperating with us over these isolated incidents.
What are bed bugs?
Bed bugs, from the family Cimicidae, primarily the genus Cimex, feed on blood using mouth parts that saw through the skin and inject saliva with anticoagulants and painkillers.
They typically feed at night around every five to seven days, although they can survive up to 70 days without feeding.
These reddish-brown parasitic insects — which typically grow to about the size of an apple seed — hide in mattresses, bed frames, furniture and cracks around the home, making them difficult to spot and remove.
Their bites can cause itchy red marks, although some people have no reaction at all.
Female common bed bugs can lay up to 10 eggs per day and between 200 and 500 eggs in their lifetime.
‘When we receive reports such as these, we check trains thoroughly before they are put back into service when given the all clear. Cases have been contained to the drivers cabs in only two of our trains and no bed bugs have been identified in areas for passengers.
‘We continually carry out robust cleaning across our trains and stations, ensuring our customers and employees can travel safely and with confidence.’
Southeastern has been contacted for comment.
In June, Metro revealed cases were up 40% since 2025 in one London borough, with pest controller James Rhoades reporting a twofold increase in bed bug callouts over the same period.
To make matters worse, these parasitic insects now often appear to be resistant to many of the chemicals traditionally used to kill them.
Paul Blackhurst, head of technical academy at Rentokil Pest Control, explains the reason they’re able to spread so well is because they’re ‘experts at staying hidden and avoiding detection.’
‘They’re often described as silent assassins, emerging under cover of darkness, moving quickly, feeding at night, and hiding in the smallest cracks and crevices near where people sleep,’ he says. ‘By the time people realise they’re there, an infestation may already be well established.‘
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