Rail Passenger Rights & Obligations

Information and tickets

Provision of travel information during the journey

We know how important it is to keep you informed at all stages of your journey. We provide information:

on GWR.com and the GWR app
on posters on board our trains and at our stations
on our social media channels
through announcements on board our trains and at our stations
through on board and station staff

How requests for information are handled at the station

You can obtain information and help at all our stations:

posters and signs – they provide information about stations facilities, timetables, and how to contact us
Help Points – available 24/7 and allow you to find out the latest information about your journey or speak to a member of staff
GWR.com and the GWR app – provides live updates of train times and train running information
Customer Support – available to provide information between 06:00 and 23:00 on 03457 000 125
Social media – available between 06:00 and 23:00 on weekdays and between 07:00 and 23:00 on weekends. X (formerly Twitter) @GWRhelp, Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp on 07890 608043.
Customer Service Managers – dedicated to providing customers with any help they need*
leaflets – they provide information that may be useful before, during, or after a journey*
announcements – pre-recorded and live announcements are made to provide service updates and other journey information*
information screens – next train indicators, summary of departure screens, and special notice screens are placed in different parts of the station to provide service information*

*Only available at key stations

How information about train schedules, tariffs and platforms is provided

We know how important it is to give you everything you need to plan your journey properly, and to keep you informed of any changes. We offer advice, timetables, and information about travelling with GWR in different ways:

GWR.com and the GWR app – we provide several journey planning tools on our website and mobile app. You can use these to find train times, ticket prices, and live updates. We also provide information on how planned rail improvements might affect your journey
Help Points – available 24/7 and provides details of the next train and platform information. They also allow you to speak to a member of staff if further help is required
Customer Support – available to provide information between 06:00 and 23:00 on 03457 000 125
Social media – available between 06:00 and 23:00 on weekdays and between 07:00 and 23:00 on weekends. X (formerly Twitter) @GWRhelp, Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp on 07890 608043
posters at stations – they provide information about timetables and how to contact us if help is needed
information screens – they display train times and platform information*
printed timetables*

*Only available at key stations

Ticket buying facilities

We want to make it as easy as we can to buy a ticket for travelling with us, so we offer several options to suit different circumstances and budgets.

Tickets can be bought:

online at GWR.com or through the GWR app
by visiting our ticket offices
through ticket machines at most stations
through our Specialist Sales team on 03457 000 125*
through our Passenger Assist team on 0800 197 1329 (when booking journey assistance for elderly and disabled customers)

*Isles of Scilly, Night Riviera Sleeper, Group Travel and Business Direct bookings only

Tickets can also be bought from the conductor on board the train if you are starting your journey from a station with no ticket buying facilities.

Availability of staff at the station for information provision and ticket sale

Information about when our stations are staffed and the ticket office opening times can be found on GWR.com and on the National Rail Enquiries website.

All our unstaffed stations have Help Points to allow you to find the latest information about your journey and speak to a member of staff. We also make sure that posters are kept up-to-date with information you might need.

How information to disabled people and persons with reduced mobility is provided

We know how important it is to have the information you need for your journey. We provide information in a variety of ways to suit the needs of all our customers, including those with a disability.

Our booking offices and customer information points are the easiest places for customers with a disability to get the information they need. Many of these are equipped with induction loops and some booking offices have low-level counters. The staff here can give you details about the facilities, services, and level of accessibility at all railway stations in the UK and answer any questions about your journey – including about train times and connections.

We display our printed information clearly at our stations, and make sure the display is accessible for people in a wheelchair. If you can’t find what you need, please let one of our team know and they will do their best to help.

You can get the latest information about train times, including delays and planned improvement work:

on GWR.com and the GWR app
on our Facebook page
on our X (formerly Twitter) account, @GWRHelp
by sending us a WhatsApp message on 07890 608043
by calling our Passenger Assist team on 0800 197 1329 or by dialling text relay on 18001 0800 197 1329
by calling National Rail Enquiries on 03457 48 49 50* or textphone 0345 60 50 600*
by calling National Rail Enquiries’ Welsh language service on 0345 60 40 500*
by using the TrainTracker™ text service: Text ‘dep’ followed by the station you need to 84950 to get real-time information (texts cost 25p plus your normal network rate)
by calling the TrainTracker™ speech recognition system on 03457 48 49 50*, which will tell you the latest train times

*Standard network charges apply. Calls from mobiles may be higher

For more information about our commitments and standards of service for disabled and mobility-impaired customers, download our Accessible Travel Policy (PDF, 291 KB).

Punctuality of services and general principles to cope with disruption to services

Delayed services in 2025/26

Service	Right-time	Delayed
Service	Right-time	Total	1-59 minutes	60-119 minutes	Partial cancellation and delays of over 120 minutes	Missed connections with other train services
GWR	59.0%	41.0%	36.0%	0.1%	1.9%	data not available
High speed services	29.2%	70.8%	63.8%	0.4%	4.1%	data not available
London - Thames Valley services	68.5%	31.5%	27.7%	0.0%	0.9%	data not available
West services	60.4%	39.6%	34.1%	0.1%	2.2%	data not available

Disruption

We work hard to make sure journeys with us run smoothly but we know that sometimes things don’t go to plan. When this happens, we have plans in place to help you reach your destination as soon and as comfortably as possible.

We are active partners in the Rail Delivery Group’s Smarter Information Smarter Journeys programme which looks to improve the delivery of information to customers at an industry level.

We have an On-Call process, where managers are allocated to a geographical area of the business to provide a suitable response to any incident. These managers are trained to deal with any incident and to provide support to our customers and colleagues, whether that be through the delivery of alternative transport, information provision, or simply to provide a management presence.

When we have significant disruption, we will implement responses appropriate to the incident, including:

on-call managers deployed to stations and trains
frequency of information is increased, with updates on the incident sent at least every 20 minutes
information is provided in the format of Problem, Impact and Advice
alternative road transport will be provided
arrangements will be put in place for other train companies and transport providers to accept our tickets
we will liaise with our Social Media team, National Rail Enquiries, INRIX (who provide traffic updates to various media agencies), and our Customer Support team
special messages will be displayed on information screens at our stations advising customers of the problem, the impact on journeys and our advice

Our commitment to customers if things go wrong can be viewed in our Passenger’s Charter (PDF, 428 KB).

Cancellation of services

Service	Full cancellations
GWR	3.0%
High Speed services	2.5%
London- Thames Valley services	3.0%
West services	3.3%

Cleanliness of rolling stock and station facilities

Cleaning intervals

We work hard to keep our trains and stations as clean and as safe as possible.

We have a robust cleaning programme which is designed to maintain the overall environment for our customers, so that they have a pleasant experience when visiting GWR stations. We clean our stations daily or weekly depending on their usage. We also do regular extensive deep cleans while ensuring there is little to no impact on our customers.

Our trains are cleaned before, during, and after most journeys, as well as at night. All our trains undergo different types of cleaning:

planned heavy cleaning – an extensive and planned programme of cleaning, undertaken over a longer period and includes additional areas being cleaned. Typically delivered on each train every 28 days
exterior cleaning – a regular clean of the outside of the train. Intercity Express Trains (IETs), Night Riviera Sleeper trains, and Castle class trains are typically cleaned every other day. Electric Multiple Unit (EMU) and Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU) fleets are cleaned every four days
overnight cleaning – a nightly cleaning programme designed to improve the main areas subject to a build-up of dirt and debris during the day
intermediate cleaning – a cleaning programme designed to be carried out at locations where it is not possible to deliver an overnight clean in its entirety. For example, when trains are kept overnight at a station or siding instead of the depot
turnaround cleaning – delivered at terminating stations to prepare the train for the next journey, time-limited and responds to service alterations.
in-transit cleaning – a cleaning programme designed to maintain the overall environment and comfort of customers during their journey

Technical measurement for air quality

As well as the regular opening of passenger doors, all our trains have either air conditioning fitted or ventilation through extractor fans and hopper windows that can be opened. The air conditioning mixes fresh air intake with the air in the saloon, which completely changes the air in the carriages multiple times per hour, in accordance with the British Standards or Rail Group Standards.

Availability of toilets

There are toilets, including at least one that is accessible, on all our trains. You'll usually find one at the end of a carriage.

All our key stations have toilets. We keep them open when the station is staffed.

View our station facilities and staffed hours.

Customer satisfaction survey

Customer Satisfaction survey	2025/26 % Satisfaction
Punctuality of trains	77
Information to passengers in case of delays	62
Accuracy and availability of information on train times/platforms	91
Consistently good maintenance/excellent condition of trains	84
High level of security on train	92
High level of security in station	91
Cleanliness of inside of the train	86
Provision of useful information throughout the journey	85
Response times to information requests at stations	Not measured
Availability of good quality toilets on every train	74
Cleanliness and maintenance of stations to a high standard	82
Accessibility of stations	85 (RCXS – Ease of access around the station)
Accessibility of trains	90 (RCXS – Ease of boarding trains)
Assistance provision to disabled persons and persons with reduced mobility	93

Complaint handling refunds and compensation for non-compliance with service quality standards

Procedure in place

We know that the needs of communities and our customers change, and we want to carry on living up to your expectations, and our own high standards. So, when you get in touch with us with a complaint or some feedback, we record all the details – good and bad. We share your comments with the relevant areas of the business in daily, weekly, and monthly reports. They go to the managers and senior managers responsible, as well as our directors.

The reports help us work out where we can improve, and what changes we need to make to give our customers a great service. That’s why we’re always happy to hear from you.

We will:

use the complaint data to identify the root causes of complaints.
take action to reduce the chance of a similar issue happening again.
regularly review our performance when dealing with complaints to improve how we deal with them.

Find out more about how we deal with complaints and complaints data (PDF, 315 KB).

Number of complaints and outcome

In 2025/26 we received 49,148 complaints and closed 38,750 complaint cases.

We closed 97.01% of the complaints we received within 20 days of receipt and 76.49% within 10 days. We took an average of 6.98 days to respond.

Categories for complaints

The top 5 complaint categories in 2025/26 were:

On Board – Capacity
On Board – Train Service Performance
Policy & Products – Delay Compensation schemes
Policy & Products – Fares, Tickets & Refunds
At Station – Staff complaint

Possible improvement action undertaken

Capacity

Capacity and crowding complaints increased due to a combination of strong growth in passenger demand and periods where available train capacity was constrained. During 2025/26, factors such as fleet availability, including temporary issues with IET generator units, and wider operational disruption meant some services ran shorter or with reduced resilience, concentrating customers onto fewer trains.

To address this, we focused on strengthening fleet resilience and increasing capacity, including accelerating maintenance improvements and introducing additional trains such as Class 175s to support regional services.

Together, these actions are helping to restore planned train lengths, improve reliability, and better match capacity to demand, reducing crowding and associated complaints.

Train Service Performance

Train service performance was a key complaint driver due to a combination of external disruption and operational challenges impacting reliability and punctuality. Events such as flooding across the network and temporary issues with IET generator units from mid‑2025 reduced resilience, leading to delays, cancellations and longer journey times for customers.

In response, we have launched a joint five‑year Performance Strategy with Network Rail focused on improving reliability through better timetable design, enhanced incident management, and targeted infrastructure and fleet improvements.

This includes investment in weather resilience, signalling and track upgrades, and the introduction of Class 175 trains alongside ongoing IET reliability improvements.

Together, these actions are designed to deliver a more punctual, resilient and dependable service, reducing performance-related complaints.

Delay Compensation schemes

Delay Compensation (Delay Repay) was our third highest complaint driver; however, it represents a very small proportion (around 0.3%) of the total 1.5 million claims submitted, reflecting the scale of use rather than widespread dissatisfaction.

Complaints were typically linked to more complex or non‑standard claims, and some customers experienced confusion between Delay Repay and refund processes, which may have impacted their experience.

To address this, we are continuing to improve the clarity of our claim forms, customer communications, and online signposting, making it easier for customers to understand which scheme to use and how to submit claims correctly.

These improvements aim to simplify the process, reduce avoidable friction, and improve overall customer confidence in Delay Repay.

Fares, Tickets & Refunds

Fares, tickets and refunds remain a key complaint area due to the range of ticket options, conditions and refund processes customers need to navigate.

While most feedback relates to standard ticket queries and refund experiences, we have also strengthened our approach to revenue protection to help ensure fairness for all customers, which can occasionally lead to queries where journeys or ticket use are not straightforward.

To improve customer experience, we are focusing on clearer information, improved digital guidance, and better communication around ticket validity and refund options, helping customers make informed choices and resolve issues more easily.

These actions aim to enhance clarity, improve transparency, and support customers to travel with confidence.

Staff complaint

Staff‑related complaints increased in part due to higher passenger volumes and changing customer expectations, alongside the challenges that disruption can bring to day‑to‑day interactions. Situations such as service delays or complex journeys can place additional pressure on both customers and colleagues, sometimes leading to dissatisfaction.

We also recognise that some feedback relates to interactions where tickets or journey details need to be checked more closely, which can lead to more detailed conversations for some customers.

All feedback is carefully reviewed by management, and we continue to invest in training, support and guidance for our colleagues to help them deliver a high standard of customer service in a wide range of situations.

These actions are focused on supporting our people and ensuring customers receive a professional, respectful and positive experience when travelling with us.

Period	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13
Booked assistance volume	9,830	11,270	11,970	12,160	12,302	12,615	11,898	10,574	9,006	10,637	6,296	9,220	12,781
Unbooked assistance volume	7,720	9,007	7,776	7,920	8,487	8,277	7,889	7,102	6,699	6,991	4,863	6,419	8,560