SOUTH Western Railway (SWR) has teamed up with Olympic gold medallist Lola Anderson to create your expert guide to watching this year’s Boat Race.
Lola - who won gold for Team GB at the 2024 Olympic Games in the quadruple sculls - grew up on the SWR network and has helped find the top spots to watch the race on Saturday 4 April.
Barnes Bridge and Mortlake stations, just 20 minutes from Clapham Junction, are a short walk from ideal locations to cheer on Oxford and Cambridge in the iconic contest.
Click below to watch Lola's guide on YouTube.
Lola Anderson MBE said:
“The Boat Race is one of the most exciting events in the rowing calendar, and there’s no better way to watch than to get up close to the Thames with your friends.
“It always makes for a great day out, and the easiest way to watch is to catch the train with SWR and head to either Barnes Bridge or Mortlake, which are both a very short walk from the river.
“To get the best spots you’ll need to be quick, but we recommend these areas for the best of the action as the races enter their final stages.”
Travelling by train
There are engineering works in the London Waterloo area on Saturday 4 April, so if you're travelling from Central London you'll need to change at Clapham Junction. It’s a good idea to allow extra time for travel – the women’s race starts at 2:21pm and the men’s race follows at 3:21pm.
There are plenty of SWR services from Clapham Junction to Barnes Bridge and Mortlake, which both take around 20 minutes and depart from platform 5. Some of these services are being strengthened from 8 coaches to 10, between 11am and 7pm, to ensure even more spectators can get involved.
Barnes Bridge
For a good view of the races’ final few minutes, head over to Barnes Bridge, the third of four bridges on the route.
The bridge itself is closed to pedestrians during the race, but a short walk from the station, under the bridge and along The Terrace, is the Thames Path.
There are plenty of viewing spots if you walk eastwards, and if you’re really quick, you might be able to grab one of the benches opposite Barnes High Street.
You could also cross Barnes Bridge and head over to Dukes Meadows, a 10-minute walk away. It’s also accessible from Chiswick station, a 20-minute walk away.
Mortlake
Mortlake is where the Boat Race ends, just before Chiswick Bridge (above), making it the ideal spot to watch the races’ final few moments and the celebrations.
A five-minute walk from the station, down the High Street and along the Thames Path to Jubilee Gardens, there are some great views up close to the river. You’ll need to get there in good time to get a spot, but you could get a perfect view.
Chiswick Bridge is a little further out in the opposite direction. It’s a 15-minute walk away and is where the race will finish. Mortlake is a little bit closer than Chiswick station (above) and offers more options.
The 2026 Boat Race
2026 will be the 171st men’s boat race, and the 80th women’s boat race, between Oxford University Boat Club and Cambridge University Boat Club.
Cambridge’s men have won the past three races and six of the last seven. In 2025, they won by five and a half lengths, with a winning time of 16 minutes and 57 seconds. They also lead the way in the head-to-head record, with 88 victories to Oxford’s 81.
Cambridge is also ahead in the women’s competition, with 49 victories. Oxford have won 30, with their last win coming 10 years ago in 2016. Cambridge won the 2025 contest by two and a half lengths, in 19 minutes and 25 seconds, their eighth consecutive victory.
Arterio
SWR is rolling out its brand new fleet of Arterio trains, which are transforming journeys on its suburban network, including on the lines via Barnes Bridge, Chiswick and Mortlake.
Customers are now enjoying 50% more space than the trains Arterio has replaced, with modern features including onward travel information and free Wi-Fi.
In a nod to South West London’s rich sporting history on the river, SWR named one of its Arterios ‘Thames Racer’. The train, number 701043, was named in November 2024 and will be out on the network on the day of the Boat Race.
