Changes to Trains for Sunday 15 December

An amended timetable has been put in place for trains between London and Penzance, and on some other GWR routes. Where trains are able to run they are expected to be very busy. This is expected to be compounded by strikes planned by the RMT on the SWR network.

Customers should check their journeys here before travelling. 

Those with tickets for travel on Sunday 15 December will be allowed to travel on either Saturday 14 or Monday 16 December when GWR will be operating its full timetable.

The usual compensation arrangements are in place should customers be delayed, and customers who choose not to travel will be entitled to a refund. GWR is offering to waive the administration fee for those who choose not to travel.

How will this affect my journey?

In order to keep passengers moving, some London Paddington to Penzance services will terminate at Exeter, where customers will be able to change for local services towards Plymouth and Penzance. Services between Exeter and Plymouth will be supported by additional road vehicles; adding up to an hour to journey times. 

On the route between London Paddington and South Wales GWR will continue to operate an hourly service between the two capital cities; and a half-hourly service between Bristol Temple Meads and London Paddington. 

Direct trains between Cheltenham and London Paddington will terminate at Swindon, where customers will be able to catch an onward train service to London.

The amendments have come about because an unusually high number of rail staff are not available to work. While newer GWR contracts include Sunday working, not all railway workers are contracted to work on Sundays. GWR is working with colleagues and trade unions to make Sunday contracted hours more consistent across the business. 

Notes to editors

Great Western Railway (GWR) provides high speed, commuter, regional and branch line train services. We help over 100 million passengers reach their destinations every year – across South Wales, the West Country, the Cotswolds, and large parts of Southern England. 

We’re currently seeing the biggest investment in the network since Brunel so we can offer more trains, more seats, and shorter, more frequent journeys and continue the network’s heritage of helping connect more businesses to new and prosperous markets.

Through a series of initiatives we aim to be a good neighbour to the communities we serve and are committed to making a positive social impact in those regions. Learn how we're Building a Greater West at GWR.com. GWR is a FirstGroup company.