We may sometimes have to change our timetables so please check your journey details as close as possible to your date of travel.
If we do change things after you have bought a ticket, you can either use any reasonable alternative service, or claim a full refund.
Timetable changes
The following planned engineering work may affect your journey:
2025
November
Track renewal work will affect all train services via Worcester Shrub Hill.
Replacement buses are planned between:
- Worcestershire Parkway and Great Malvern
- Gloucester and Worcester Foregate Street
GWR trains will still operate between London Paddington and Worcestershire Parkway, plus between Bristol Temple Meads and Gloucester.
West Midlands Trains will still operate between Worcester Foregate Street and Hereford.
Bridge renewal work will affect all train services via Frome.
Replacement buses are planned between Westbury and Frome.
GWR trains between London Paddington and the South West or between Bristol Temple Meads and Weymouth will use an alternative route not stopping at Frome.
Some trains will operate between Bristol Temple Meads and Westbury instead of Frome.
Signalling upgrade work will affect train services between Exmouth and Exeter Central.
Replacement buses are planned between Exmouth and Exeter St Davids.
GWR trains will still operate between Exeter Central and Paignton, Okehampton or Barnstaple.
South Western Railway trains will still operate between Exeter St Davids and Salisbury via Exeter Central.
Track renewal work will affect train services via Salisbury.
Weekends of 1/2 November and 22/23 November
Replacement buses are planned between Salisbury and Southampton Central.
GWR trains will operate between Cardiff Central and Salisbury, plus between Southampton Central and Portsmouth Harbour.
Weekend of 8/9 November
Replacement buses are planned between Warminster and Salisbury on Saturday or Southampton Central on Sunday.
GWR trains will operate between Cardiff Central and Warminster, plus between Salisbury and Portsmouth Harbour (Sat) or Southampton Central and Portsmouth Harbour (Sun).
Weekend 15/16 November
Replacement buses are planned between Salisbury and Southampton Central on Saturday or Warminster and Southampton Central on Sunday.
GWR trains will operate between Cardiff Central and Salisbury (Sat) or Warminster (Sun), plus between Southampton Central and Portsmouth Harbour.
South Western Railway trains will still operate between Romsey and Southampton Central on all dates.
Track renewal work will affect train services between via Wokingham.
Replacement buses are planned between Reading and Guildford.
GWR trains will still operate between Guildford and Redhill or Gatwick Airport.
South Western Railway trains will still operate between Bracknell and London Waterloo on Sunday 2 November, then between Staines and London Waterloo on Sunday 9 November.
SWR trains can operate between Reading and London Waterloo on Saturday 29 November, but only between Bracknell and London Waterloo on Sunday 30 November.
Track renewal work will also affect the number of train services able to operate between Redhill and Gatwick Airport on Sunday 30 November.
Important to note
Engineering work is also planned in the Guildford area on Sunday 16 November.
Ongoing signalling upgrades linked to train service improvements will continue to affect trains for Newquay due to extended engineering work.
Replacement buses will still run between St Austell and Newquay – stopping at all stations, plus some buses will run non-stop at peak periods.
Important to note
Most replacement transport will not stop at Par, for connections change at St Austell instead.
Trains will still be operating at Par and St Austell towards Plymouth or Penzance.
Train services between Newquay and Par are expected to resume on Tuesday 18 November.
Track renewal work will affect all train services between Banbury and Oxford.
Replacement buses are planned between stations impacted.
Signalling upgrade work will affect train services via Guildford.
GWR trains will still operate between Reading and Ash via North Camp with replacement buses planned between North Camp and Redhill/Gatwick Airport.
South Western Railway trains will still operate between Guildford and London Waterloo.
Southern trains will still operate between Reigate and Redhill, plus Southern and Thameslink trains will also be operating between Redhill and Gatwick Airport.
Structural works will affect all train services between Oxford and Didcot Parkway.
Replacement buses are planned between stations impacted.
GWR trains will still operate between Oxford and Worcester, Great Malvern or Hereford.
Chiltern Railways will still operate trains between Oxford and London Marylebone.
Buses replace CrossCountry train services between Didcot Parkway, Oxford and Banbury.
Signalling upgrade work will affect train services between Carmarthen and Llanelli.
Replacement buses are planned between Swansea and Carmarthen.
GWR trains will still operate between London Paddington and Swansea.
Important to note
On Sunday 16 November, engineering work is only planned to last until around 12:45.
New station construction work and track maintenance will affect some train services to/from London Paddington.
Trains will run to an amended timetable because only two out of four tracks will be available.
Essential trackside maintenance work will mean buses replace trains between St Austell and Truro.
Trains will still operate between St Austell and Exeter St Davids or London Paddington; trains will also be running between Truro and Penzance or Falmouth Docks, plus between St Erth and St Ives.,
CrossCountry train services will not be operating between Plymouth and Penzance.
December
Track renewal work will affect train services between Truro and Penzance, plus trains between St Erth and St Ives.
Replacement buses are planned between Truro and Penzance.
Valid rail tickets will be accepted for travel between Penzance or St Erth and St Ives via Carbis Bay on the number 17/17A buses instead.
GWR trains will operate between Truro and Exeter St Davids or London Paddington via Plymouth, plus services between Truro and Falmouth Docks.
CrossCountry trains will only operate between Plymouth and the North of England via Birmingham New Street.
Important to note
The number 17/17A buses do not stop immediately outside Lelant Saltings, Lelant, or Carbis Bay railway stations, so please follow signs for directions.
- Signalling upgrade work will affect train services between Llanelli and Carmarthen until around 1230.
Replacement buses are planned between Swansea and Carmarthen.
GWR trains will still operate between London Paddington and Swansea. Structural work will affect train services between Guildford and Redhill.
Replacement buses are planned between Guildford and Gatwick Airport.
GWR trains will still operate between Reading and Guildford.
South Western Railway trains will still operate trains via Guildford.
Buses also replace Southern trains between Reigate and Redhill.
Track maintenance work will affect train services via Fareham.
Replacement buses are planned between Southampton Central and Portsmouth Harbour.
Trains will still operate between Cardiff Central and Southampton Central.
Track maintenance work will affect train services between Plymouth and Liskeard or Gunnislake until around 1100.
Replacement buses are planned between:
- Plymouth and Liskeard – not stopping at Menheniot
- Liskeard and Menheniot
- Plymouth and Calstock via Gunnislake
- Plymouth and Bere Ferrers via Bere Alston
GWR trains will operate between London Paddington and Plymouth, plus between Liskeard and Penzance as well as on Cornish branch lines, except the Tamar Valley Line.
CrossCountry trains will operate between Plymouth and the North of England or Scotland via Birmingham New Street.
Track drainage work will mean buses replace trains between Castle Cary and Taunton.
A limited number of trains will operate between London Paddington and Westbury or Castle Cary on weekdays, but not on Saturday or Sunday.
As a result, replacement buses are also planned at the weekend between Pewsey and Swindon for onward connections.
Trains between London Paddington and Plymouth or Penzance will use an alternative route between Reading and Taunton – extending journey times by at least 15 minutes.
GWR trains will still operate between Bristol Temple Meads and Weymouth via Castle Cary.
South Western Railway trains between Yeovil and Salisbury via Castle Cary are unaffected.
Track maintenance work will mean buses replace trains between Liskeard and Looe.
Replacement buses will stop in St Keyne village, instead of St Keyne Wishing Well Halt, and in Duloe village, instead of Causeland station.
These services will not stop to pick up or drop off at Coombe Junction Halt – contact GWR staff for assistance.
Important to note
Rail replacement services will not operate on Sunday 14 December.
Track renewal work will affect some train services to/from London Paddington.
Trains will run to an amended timetable because only two out of four tracks will be available.
As a result, no direct train services will run between London Paddington and Cheltenham Spa – customers should change at Swindon or Bristol Parkway instead.
Sunday 4 January
Until around 11am, there will be no train services operating between Hayes & Harlington and Maidenhead.
Most GWR trains for London Paddington will start or terminate at Reading.
South Western Railway will be operating trains between London Waterloo and Reading, plus Chiltern Railways will operate trains between London Marylebone and Oxford.
Some GWR and Elizabeth Line trains will still operate between Reading and Maidenhead.
Elizabeth Line services will also be operating between Hayes & Harlington and London Paddington.
Buses replace trains between Maidenhead, Slough and Hayes & Harlington.
Train services between Slough and Windsor & Eton Central will be unaffected as will Heathrow Express services.
2026
January
Track renewals and essential maintenance work will affect train services via Swindon.
Trains will still run between London Paddington and Bristol Temple Meads or Swansea by using an alternative route via Westbury.
Journey times will be extended on these diverted train services, which won’t stop at Didcot Parkway, Swindon or Chippenham.
Trains will still run between London Paddington and Didcot Parkway, plus between Swindon and Cheltenham Spa on all dates.
Friday 2 January
Trains will also run between Swindon and Bristol Temple Meads or Westbury.
Replacement buses are planned between:
- Reading and Swindon
- Didcot Parkway and Swindon.
Saturday 3 January, plus weekends of 10/11, 17/18 and 24/25 January
Trains will also run between Chippenham and Bristol Temple Meads or Westbury.
Replacement buses are planned between:
- Reading and Bristol Parkway via Swindon
- Didcot Parkway and Chippenham via Swindon.
Important to note
No trains will be operating between Swindon and Bristol Parkway – customers should travel via Bristol Temple Meads instead.
Track renewal work will affect train services between St Erth and St Ives.
Valid rail tickets will be accepted for travel on the number 17 or 17A buses instead.
Important to note
The 17 or 17A buses do not stop at Lelant Saltings, Lelant, or Carbis Bay railway stations, so please follow signs for directions.
Track maintenance and structural work will affect train services for Gatwick Airport
Weekend of 10/11 January
Replacement buses are planned between Reigate and Gatwick Airport.
Buses also replace other train services for Gatwick Airport.
GWR trains will still operate between Reading and Reigate.
Weekends of 17/18 and 24/25 January
Replacement buses are planned between Guildford and Gatwick Airport.
Buses also replace other train services for Gatwick Airport.
GWR trains will still operate between Reading and Guildford.
Signalling and track maintenance work will mean buses replace trains between Castle Cary and Weymouth.
GWR trains will still operate between Castle Cary and Bristol Temple Meads.
South Western Railway trains will still operate at Weymouth, Upwey and Dorchester South.
Track upgrade work will affect some train services to/from London Paddington.
Trains will run to an amended timetable because only two out of four tracks will be available.
Track maintenance work will affect train services via Exeter St Davids until around 1800.
Replacement buses are planned between Exeter St Davids and Exeter Central.
Fewer trains can operate between Exeter St Davids and Taunton or Newton Abbot.
Track and structural works will affect train services via Swansea.
Monday 26 to Friday 30 January
Replacement buses are planned between Port Talbot Parkway and Swansea or Llanelli.
GWR trains will still operate between London Paddington and Port Talbot Parkway.
Transport for Wales will operate limited train services between Cardiff Central and Carmarthen using an alternative route not stopping at Neath or Swansea.
Trains will also be running between Llanelli and Carmarthen.
Weekend of 31 January and 1 February
Replacement buses are planned between Cardiff Central or Bridgend and Swansea.
GWR trains will still operate between London Paddington and Cardiff Central.
Transport for Wales will still operate train services between Cardiff Central and Bridgend.
Trains will also be running between Swansea and Carmarthen.
Monday 2 to Thursday 5 February
Replacement buses are planned between Port Talbot Parkway and Swansea.
GWR trains will still operate between London Paddington and Port Talbot Parkway.
Transport for Wales will operate limited train services between Cardiff Central and Carmarthen using an alternative route not stopping at Neath or Swansea.
Trains will also be running between Swansea and Carmarthen.
Important to note
Buses also replace trains between Cardiff Central and Swansea on Sunday 8 February
Looking ahead
Further rail improvement work is planned in the next few months affecting the following routes:
- Didcot Parkway to Oxford – Sunday 1 to Sunday 8 February
- Plymouth to Totnes/Exeter St Davids – Saturday 21 February to Sunday 8 March
- Liskeard to Looe – Monday 23 February to Friday 6 March
- Yeovil Pen Mill to Weymouth – Saturday 28 February to Sunday 8 March
- Exeter St Davids to Okehampton/Barnstaple – Saturday 21 to Sunday 29 March
- Fareham to Portsmouth Harbour – Saturday 28 March to Thursday 2 April
- Westbury to Taunton – Friday 3 to Monday 6 April (Easter)
- Romsey to Fareham – Friday 3 to Monday 6 April (Easter)
Rail improvement work was due to take place affecting trains between Cardiff Central and Bridgend from Sunday 27 to Tuesday 30 December.
However, this planned engineering work has been amended by Network Rail and a normal train service will operate instead.