Travelling on GWR train is just the ticket for QPR

EFL Championship side Queens Park Rangers linked up with Great Western Railway when they chose the train to travel to their first away game of the season.

The train operator carried players and staff from the London club to and from the West Country for their EFL Cup match at Plymouth Argyle.

Following the trip, QPR have been invited to use GWR services again for Championship matches at Bristol City, Cardiff City and Swansea.


Boarding: QPR players Joe Lumley, Todd Kane and Rob Dickie at London Paddington

Phil Delaney, GWR Sales and Marketing Director, said:

“A lot of hard work has been done to make sure people can be confident to travel safely, and that includes running more trains and carriages to make extra room, as well as the enhanced cleaning and social distancing measures.

“As we welcome more people back to the railway this partnership exemplifies that, and we are delighted to have been able to carry the team and support staff to Plymouth.

“We know the Covid-19 pandemic has changed our customer landscape, and this link-up with QPR is a great example of what we’re doing to adapt to this change. It’s something we’d be very happy to repeat with other clubs on our network.”

QPR Manager Mark Warburton said:

“During these unprecedented times, travelling logistics are more challenging and important than ever before.

“GWR went to great lengths to ensure the safety of all its passengers and we are grateful to them for their help and assistance with our own requests.”

With more people starting to use trains again operators are reminding customers to:

• plan ahead – travel at quieter times where they can, buy a ticket online and in advance, and book ahead if you need travel assistance
• consider others – wear a face covering unless you’re exempt, not travelling if you have Covid symptoms and consider others, not all disabilities can be seen
• stay safe – maintaining your distance wherever possible; wash your hands and carry hand sanitiser, paying contactless where you can

GWR has been providing rail services throughout the pandemic and has worked to ensure that these are as safe as possible. This includes increased cleaning regimes and the use of a virucidal spray; extra staff at key stations to offer help and guidance; and processes in place to help customers maintain a safe distance where possible such as restricting the number of reservations available.

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.