Our busy trains

Stopping services to and from Reading/Didcot/Newbury

• during the week, most trains have space to social distance. The 06:34 train from Didcot Parkway to London Paddington is often busy
• at weekends, trains can become busy between London Paddington and Ealing Broadway/Hayes & Harlington/Slough but are quieter west of these stations
  
  

Fast services to and from Reading/Didcot/Swindon

• most trains Monday to Thursday have space to social distance
• trains can be very busy on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Trains going to/from Cheltenham often have more space than those going to Bristol, South Wales, or Worcester/Oxford
  
  

To/from Avon, Bath, and Bristol

• some services are still being affected by the withdrawal of our high-speed fleet for maintenance. Trains may have fewer carriages than normal. Check your journey before you leave
• trains are often busy, particularly on Friday, Saturday morning, and Sunday afternoon/evening
• trains will sell out once they reach their socially distanced capacity, so we recommend making a reservation to avoid disappointment
  
  

To/from Devon and Cornwall

• trains are often busy, particularly on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday
• trains will sell out once they reach their socially distanced capacity. We recommend making a reservation at least a week in advance
  
  

To/from South Wales

• some services are still being affected by the withdrawal of our high-speed fleet for maintenance. Trains may have fewer carriages than normal. Check your journey before you leave
• between Swansea and Cardiff most GWR trains will have space to social distance
• most trains will also have space to social distance on Monday to Thursday. However, the 10:48 and 19:48 trains from London Paddington to Swansea are often busy
• trains are significantly busier on Friday, Saturday morning, and on Sunday. Trains will also sell out once they reach their socially distanced capacity. We recommend booking in advance and making a reservation to avoid disappointment
  
  

To/from South Cotswolds (Gloucester, Cheltenham, Stroud etc.)

• most trains have space to social distance

To/from North Cotswolds (Worcester, Hereford, etc.) and Oxford

• most trains have space to social distance Monday to Thursday
• trains can be very busy between London Paddington and Oxford on Friday evenings, and at weekends
  
  

To/from Castle Cary/Frome/Westbury/Pewsey/Newbury

• trains are often busy, particularly on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday
• trains will sell out once they reach their socially distanced capacity, so we recommend booking in advance and making a reservation to avoid disappointment

Network Rail is carrying out improvement works in and around Bristol over the summer. Find out how these may affect your journey.

To London

• some services are still being affected by the withdrawal of our high-speed fleet for maintenance. Trains may have fewer carriages than normal. Check your journey before you leave
• trains are often busy, particularly on Friday, Saturday morning and Sunday afternoon/evening
• trains will sell out once they reach their socially distanced capacity, so we recommend making a reservation to avoid disappointment

To South Wales

• most trains have space to social distance
• trains are busier at weekends in the late morning/early afternoon

To Weston-super-Mare/Taunton/Exeter

• most trains have space to social distance
• trains to Weston-super-Mare are busier at weekends and in good weather

To Severn Beach

• most trains have space to social distance
• trains immediately before and after school hours are often busier
• the 07:57 train from Bristol Temple Meads to Avonmouth is often very busy

To Gloucester, Cheltenham, and Worcester

• most trains have space to social distance
• trains are busier at weekends. The 16:10 Weymouth to Worcester Foregate Street train (departing Bristol Temple Meads at 18:39) is often very busy

Between Bristol, Bath, Westbury, Salisbury, Southampton, and Portsmouth

• trains are often busy between Bristol Temple Meads and Westbury particularly immediately before and after school hours
• trains are busier at weekends

To/from London

• trains are often busy, particularly on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday
• trains will sell out once they reach their socially distanced capacity. We recommend booking at least a week in advance

To/from Bristol/Cardiff

• most GWR trains have space to social distance, but trains will be busier on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday
• Network Rail is carrying out improvement works in and around Bristol over the summer. Find out more about how this may affect your journey

Between Exeter and Penzance

• trains are often busy, particularly on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday
• trains departing Plymouth (towards Penzance) between 15:30 and 16:00 are often busy to Liskeard with school children
• the 06:05 Penzance to Paddington service can also be busy with school children between St Germans/Saltash and Devonport/Plymouth

To St Ives

7-14 June – Find out how the G7 Summit will affect services on the St Ives branch line

• trains to and from St. Ives are often busy, particularly at weekends, during school holidays, and when the weather is good
• trains to St. Ives are quieter in the early morning, as well as after 14:00
• trains to St. Erth are quieter before 14:00

Between Truro and Falmouth

7-14 June – Find out how the G7 Summit will affect services

• 10-14 June: Falmouth Town station will be closed; Falmouth Docks station will remain open
• trains between Truro and Falmouth can often be busier on days with good weather, as well as at weekends
• trains from Falmouth Docks to Truro are often busy on weekdays between 07:40 and 08:20 (departing Falmouth Docks)
• trains from Truro to Falmouth Docks are often busy on weekdays between 15:45 and 18:00 (departing Truro)

Between Liskeard and Looe

• trains to and from Looe are often busy, particularly at weekends, during the school holidays, and when the weather is good
• the 10:36 and 11:36 trains from Liskeard to Looe can often be busy

Between Par and Newquay

• trains to and from Newquay are often busy, particularly on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, during the school holidays, and when the weather is good

Between Plymouth and Gunnislake

• most trains have space to social distance
• the 07:29 Gunnislake to Plymouth train (arriving Plymouth 08:14) and the 16:34 Plymouth to Gunnislake train (arriving Gunnislake at 17:20) are often busy
• earlier and later services are likely to have more space

Exeter to Exmouth, Paignton, and North Devon

• trains between Exmouth and Paignton often carry children to the schools in Torre as well as the college in Exeter. They can be very busy in the morning and afternoon
• it’s normally quieter before 08:00 in the morning and after 17:30 in the evening
• trains between Exmouth and Paignton can also be very busy at weekends, in the school holidays, and when the weather is good

Swansea and Cardiff to London

• some services are still being affected by the withdrawal of our high-speed fleet for maintenance. Trains may have fewer carriages than normal. Check your journey before you leave
• between Swansea and Cardiff most GWR trains will have space to social distance
• most trains will also have space to social distance on Monday to Thursday. However, the 10:48 and 19:48 trains from London Paddington to Swansea are often busy
• trains are significantly busier on Friday, Saturday morning, and on Sunday. Trains will also sell out once they reach their socially distanced capacity. We recommend booking in advance to avoid disappointment

Cardiff/Newport to Bristol

• most trains have space to social distance
• trains are busier on Saturday and Sunday in the late morning/early afternoon

To and from London

• most trains to/from Cheltenham have space to social distance

To and from Bristol/Worcester

• the 15:30 Warminster to Worcester and the 07:08 Worcester to Weymouth trains are often busy

To and from Swindon/Westbury

• most trains have space to social distance
• trains are busier at weekends. The 16:10 Weymouth to Worcester Foregate Street train (departing Bristol Temple Meads at 18:39) is often very busy

To and from London

• most trains have space to social distance Monday to Thursday
• trains can be very busy between London Paddington and Oxford on Friday evenings, and at weekends

Worcester to the South Cotswolds and Bristol

• most trains have space to social distance
• trains are busier at weekends. The 16:10 Weymouth to Worcester Foregate Street train (departing Bristol Temple Meads at 18:39) is often very busy

Between Banbury and Oxford

• most trains have space to social distance
• the 07:28 Banbury to Oxford train can be busy

Stopping services to and from London

• during the week, most trains have space to social distance. The 06:34 train from Didcot Parkway to London Paddington is often busy, however
• at weekends, trains can become busy between London Paddington and Ealing Broadway/Hayes & Harlington/Slough but are quieter west of these stations

Fast services to and from London

• most trains on Monday to Thursday have space to social distance
• trains can be very busy on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Trains going to/from Cheltenham often have more space than those going to Bristol, South Wales, or Worcester/Oxford

Reading to Guildford, Redhill, and Gatwick Airport

• most trains have space to social distance
• some trains can be busy carrying school children near Reigate and Farnborough North. Complete journeys by 08:00 in the morning and begin journeys after 16:30 in the evenings

Between Reading and Basingstoke

• most trains have space to social distance

Branch lines between Reading and London

• most trains have space to social distance. Trains to Windsor can become busier at weekends

Between Castle Cary and Weymouth

• trains to Weymouth can be very busy at weekends, particularly in good weather
• quieter trains to Weymouth at weekends are earlier/later in the day

Between Southampton and Portsmouth and towards Bristol and Cardiff

• between Westbury, Salisbury, Southampton and Portsmouth, most trains will have the space to social distance, but are often busier between Westbury and Bristol
• trains are busier at weekends

To and from London

• trains are often busy, particularly on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday
• trains will sell out once they reach their socially distanced capacity, so we recommend booking in advance to avoid disappointment
• stopping services towards Newbury can sometimes be busy in the morning before 09:00

Westbury to Bristol/Southampton

• between Westbury, Salisbury, Southampton and Portsmouth, most trains will have the space to social distance, but services are often busier between Westbury and Bristol
• trains are busier at weekends

Castle Cary to Weymouth

• trains to Weymouth can be very busy at weekends, and when the weather is good
• quieter trains to Weymouth on the weekend are later in the day. Quieter trains from Weymouth on the weekend are earlier in the day

Westbury to Swindon and Gloucester

• the 07:54 train from Swindon to Cheltenham Spa is often busy with school children between Swindon and Stroud