Check your train journey before leaving the house, rail travellers told
GWR is reminding customers that disruption continues after the Christmas break and those travelling are advised to check their journey details before leaving the house.
With ongoing industrial action this week, customers are advised to check train times before travelling as there could be short-notice alterations, especially to late-night services; and those travelling for New Year’s Eve celebrations are being warned of an earlier than usual shutdown.
Trades unions are taking industrial action, including strike action and action short of strike (an overtime ban), over December and January that will affect rail services from 27 December 2022 to 8 January 2023.
Services will start later on Tuesday 27 December and a significantly reduced, revised timetable will operate. Planned engineering work will also affect some routes. There may also be some short-notice changes or cancellations and customer should check before they travel, and travel earlier.
The TSSA union is taking strike action on 28 and 29 December. Trains will continue to be disrupted with a significantly reduced level of service.
On strike days between 3 and 7 January only an extremely reduced service will operate on a limited number of routes and customers are advised to only travel if necessary on these dates. Some parts of the GWR network will have no service at all. Services will start later (0730) and all journeys must be completed by 1830.
On the day after the strike action, Sunday 8 January, trains will start later and there could be short-notice cancellations and alterations.
On the days affected, passengers are advised to find an alternative way to travel. Where services are running, customers should only travel by train if absolutely necessary, and it is highly recommended that a seat reservation is made*.
Other train operators are also affected by this action, so onward travel could also be affected.
Where trains are able to operate, they are expected to be extremely busy.
Customers who have already purchased tickets for strike days can claim a full refund or amend their ticket; those who travel and are delayed may be entitled to Delay Repay compensation if they are delayed by 15 minutes or more.
To help customers, tickets will be valid for travel on alternative days on GWR services as follows:
- Tickets for 24, 27 December can be used the day before (where applicable), or up to and including Thursday 29 December
- Tickets for 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 January can be used the day before, or up to and including Tuesday 10 January
Season-ticket holders can apply for compensation through the Delay Repay scheme.
For more detailed information, including when journey planners will be updated with the latest train times, please visit www.gwr.com/strike.
Contact Information
Notes to editors
Notes to Editors.
- Tuesday 27 December
A reduced timetable will operate on all routes and there could be some short-notice cancellations and alterations. Engineering work may also affect your journey. Please check before you travel. - Wednesday 28 and Thursday 29 December (Strike days)
The TSSA union this week announced strike action on these two dates. Trains will continue to be disrupted with a significantly reduced level of service. Engineering work may also affect your journey. Please check before you travel. - Friday 30 and Saturday 31 December
Trains will continue to be disrupted with a significantly reduced level of service. Trains are expected to be very busy and engineering work may also affect your journey. Please check your journey before you travel. There will be an earlier than usual shutdown on New Year’s Eve. - Sunday 1 and Monday 2 January 2023
Trains will continue to be disrupted with a significantly reduced level of service. Trains are expected to be very busy. Please check your journey before you travel. - Tuesday 3, Wednesday 4, Thursday 5, Friday 6 and Saturday 7 January (Strike days)
An extremely limited service will operate. Services will start at 07:30 and all journeys must be completed before 18:30. Passengers are advised to find an alternative way to travel. Where services are running, customers should only travel by train if absolutely necessary. - Sunday 8 January
Trains will continue to be disrupted. There will be a reduced level of service throughout the day and some late-night services may be cancelled. Please check before you travel.
* To help make sure everyone can travel safely, you must reserve a space before travelling on many of our trains. This helps us limit the number of people on these trains. For reservable trains, we’ll automatically allocate you a space if one is available or ask you to try another service if not. Don’t worry, we always leave space on board for those with walk-up tickets, such as season tickets, or those who may have been disrupted.
First Greater Western Limited, trading as “Great Western Railway” (GWR), operates trains across the Great Western franchise area, which includes South Wales, the West Country, the Cotswolds, across southern England and into London. GWR provides high speed, commuter, regional and branch line train services, and before the covid-19 pandemic helped over 100 million passengers reach their destinations every year. GWR has been awarded a National Rail Contract to continue operating the Great Western network, which shall run up to 21 June 2025, with the potential for a further three years at the Secretary of State’s discretion. Find out more here: https://www.gwr.com/about-us