What can I expect if I need to travel by train next week?
As more people return to work train operator Great Western Rail is reassuring customers about the steps being taken to keep them safe, while reminding those travelling to wear a face covering and avoid travel at peak times where possible.
As more people return to work train operator Great Western Rail is reassuring customers about the steps being taken to keep them safe, while reminding those travelling to wear a face covering and avoid travel at peak times where possible.
Following further easement of the Government’s travel restrictions and updated social distancing guidance, more people are expected to return to work from Monday 6 July.With Covid 19 still very much at the forefront of people’s minds, GWR is asking customers to do all they can to follow social distancing guidance and acknowledges that this is difficult on public transport.
The train operator is asking customers to:
- Wear a face covering
- Plan ahead – check train times in advance
- Avoid peak travel times where possible
- Buy tickets online, on Smart card or download to a mobile device
“Public transport will play an important role as the country moves into the next stage of its coronavirus response. We have done an awful lot of work to make sure we can welcome customers back onto the railway safely.
“From Monday we will re-introduce even more services into our timetable to help accommodate those who do need to travel. Please do plan ahead, check your journey details before travelling and avoid peak times where that is possible.”
“It is also important to remember that not everyone is able to wear a face covering for health or other reasons, and those reasons aren’t always visible, so please be considerate to others travelling.”
For more information on GWR’s improved timetable please visit our train times page.
To minimise risks customers are also asked to wash their hands prior to and after their journey, and hand-sanitiser has been made available at GWR’s main stations. The train company has an extensive cleaning and hygiene regime to ensure services are fit for use. All trains are fully cleaned on arrival at a depot overnight and surfaces wiped down, as well as cleaned during the course of their daily journeys.
The company is also trialling the use of a virucidal sanitiser which kills 99.99% of viruses and bacteria on surfaces for extended periods of time.
GWR has also introduced a ‘counted seat’ system for reservable services, where they restrict the number of reservations available on specific trains. Customers are not provided with a specific seat number to avoid people looking for their seat once on board.
The company says it is doing everything it can to help those who do need to travel to keep to social distancing guidance but warns that it will not be possible at all points of the journey.
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.