commute to Waterloo from Richmond, North Sheen, Kew Bridge, Chiswick - are trains overcrowded?

[tashka]

Hi, I would really appreciate some views on how good/bad is commute by train to Waterloo in the rush hour from Richmond, North Sheen, Kew Bridge, and Chiswick stations - are trains seriously overcrowded?

I have read a lot about these areas on mumsnet and all of them seem like really nice places to live, but I will need to commute to Canary Wharf for 9.30.

Would really appreciate if you could say how bad is the journey, i.e.

1 - you can easily get on the train and most times get a seat;
2 - you can easily get on the train and but rarely get a seat;
3 - you can get on the train but getting a seat is joke;
4 - you can't get on the first train and can only do the second or third one...

Thank you so much in advance for all the replies!

P.S. I have also posted on Richmond local mumsnet forum, hope this is not against the rules...

I get on at a station near to the ones you're talking about (slightly further into town). I'd say that for those stations it is 2 or 3 most of the time. Where I am it is definitely 3 and sometimes 4. Even though you're further out, they are still super busy stations although the fact you're going in for 9.30 may help you out as IME the trains going in for 9 are worse.

Lovely places to live though and you do get used to the business of the trains. At least the distances aren't far so you don't have to endure it for long.