It's early on a chilly December morning and Georgina Jackson is wedged in the middle of at Reading station, who are scrambling to board the London-bound train. Travellers of that elusive prize – an empty seat. Their , as the train is already bursting at the seams.

Welcome to Britain's journey: the rush-hour morning train from Reading to London Paddington.

In 2010, the Department for Transport published a report detailing the 10 most crowded commuter trains – and nine were First Great Western services travelling . The very worst was the 6.37am, packed desks in the City, where even on an average day the train was 306 passengers over capacity.

Passengers pay £4,260 a year for season tickets on the 31-minute journey – and from next week the fare jumps another 6% to £4,516 (the price includes onward travel on the tube network). Jackson, 25, would be happy if the £256 extra led to an improved service, but she's .

"I don't ever get a seat," says the advertising account manager, as a fellow passenger forces past her standing spot in the hallway to get to the toilet.

"I'm worried about when the rail fares go up because it . I don't mind paying the money if I get a good service but everyday someone apologises for something else going wrong."

Today Jackson is accompanied on the 8.02am service by her fiancé, Elliot Townsend, 26, who travels to London once a month for his work in education services. "I feel sorry for Georgina – it's rubbish really," he says. "They've got us over a barrel, we have in fares."

One problem with the very early services is that the train company .

As the crowds , a cleaner who works for First Great Western boards to prepare the train for its next departure.

Having only started the job two weeks ago, . "If they don't get a seat there's not much I can say. I feel sorry for them and I understand people get pissed off. No one is going to be happy about fare rises either. "

A. with workers heading to trading
B. lays on just three carriages
C. he says he's heard a lot of complaints already
D. through Reading to Paddington
E. just got a square foot to stand in
F. already costs me a lot of money to get in
G. disperse from the platform at Paddington
H. The expression 'daylight robbery' comes to mind.
I. dip and dive in search
J. no choice but to pay the increase
K. chances are slim
L. worst rail
M. I feel sorry for them – but what can you do?
N. a mob of bleary-eyed commuters
O. not expecting much