Our busy trains

Stopping services to and from Reading/Didcot/Newbury

• during the week, fast services from Maidenhead and Slough to London can be busy in the morning peak. Services leaving Maidenhead and Slough after 08:30 will typically have more space
• 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
• trains can be very busy on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Trains going to/from Cheltenham often have more space than others

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; we recommend making a reservation where you can

To/from Devon and Cornwall

• trains are often busy, particularly on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday; we recommend making a reservation where you can

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
• 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; we recommend making a reservation where you can 

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

• most trains have space

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

• most trains have space Monday to Thursday
• trains can be very busy between London Paddington and Oxford on Friday evenings, and at weekends; we recommend making a reservation where you can
  
  

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

• trains are often busy, particularly on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday; we recommend making a reservation where you can

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; we recommend making a reservation where you can

To South Wales

• most trains have space, though they can be busier at weekends in the late morning/ early afternoon

To Weston-super-Mare/Taunton/Exeter

• most trains have space, though services to Weston-super-Mare are busier at weekends and in good weather

To Severn Beach

• most trains have space
• the 07:57 train from Bristol Temple Meads to Avonmouth is often very busy

To Gloucester, Cheltenham, and Worcester

• most trains have space
• 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
• trains are busier at weekends

To/from London

• trains are often busy, particularly on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday; we recommend making a reservation where you can

To/from Bristol/Cardiff

• most GWR trains have space, 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

To St Ives

• trains to and from St. Ives are often busy, particularly at weekends, during school holidays, and when the weather is good - queueing systems may be in place
• 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

• 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
• services may be affected by lack of staff in the evenings. Check your journey before you leave

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

• it's normally quieter before 08:00 in the morning and after 17:30 in the evening
• trains between Exmouth and Paignton can 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
• 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; we recommend making a reservation where you can

Cardiff/Newport to Bristol

• most trains have space 
• 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 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 weekday trains have space
• 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 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 weekday trains have space 
• 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, though the 07:28 Banbury to Oxford can be busy

Stopping services to and from London

• during the week, fast services from Maidenhead and Slough to London can be busy in the morning peak. Services leaving Maidenhead and Slough after 08:30 will typically have more space
• 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
• 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 

Between Reading and Basingstoke

• most trains have space 

Branch lines between Reading and London

• most trains have space 
• 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: we recommend making a reservation where you can
• 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 space, 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

• most trains have space