Our busy trains

Updated 18 January 2022

See how busy our most popular routes and trains usually are.

London
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 usually have more space
- The 07:16 and 09:14 trains from Didcot Parkway to London Paddington are often particularly busy as well as the 18:20 train from London Paddington to Didcot Parkway
- at weekends, trains can be 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 – please book in advance where possible
- trains leaving London Paddington between 19:00 and 19:30 are often busier
To/from Avon, Bath, and Bristol
- on Monday to Thursday, the 06:20 Weston-super-Mare to London Paddington train is often busy as well as the 19:02 London Paddington to Weston-super-Mare train
- on Friday, the 19:02 London Paddington to Weston-super-Mare train is often very busy – we recommend making a reservation where you can
- on Saturday, trains leaving Bristol Temple Meads or London Paddington in the morning are often very busy – we recommend making a reservation where you can
- on Sunday, trains leaving Bristol Temple Meads or London Paddington in the afternoon and evening are often very busy, we recommend making a reservation where you can
To/from Devon and Cornwall
- most trains on Monday to Thursday have space
- trains are often busy, particularly on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday – we recommend making a reservation where you can
To/from South Wales
- between Swansea and Cardiff most GWR trains have space
- most trains have space from Monday to Thursday, however, the 19:18 and 19:48 trains from London Paddington to Swansea are often busy as well as the 17:48 train to Carmarthen
- 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 on Monday to Thursday but the 06:48 Cheltenham to London Paddington services is often busier
- on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, trains can often be busier – we recommend making a reservation where you can
- 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
Avon, Bath and Bristol
To London
- on Monday to Thursday, the 06:20 Weston-super-Mare to London Paddington train is often busy as well as the 19:02 London Paddington to Weston-super-Mare train
- on Friday, the 19:02 London Paddington to Weston-super-Mare train is often very busy – we recommend making a reservation where you can
- on Saturday, trains leaving Bristol Temple Meads or London Paddington in the morning are often very busy – we recommend making a reservation where you can
- on Sunday, trains leaving Bristol Temple Meads or London Paddington in the afternoon and evening are often very busy – we recommend making a reservation where you can
To South Wales
- most trains have space
To Weston-super-Mare/Taunton/Exeter
- most trains have space, but Friday is often busier
To Severn Beach
- most trains have space
- trains immediately before and after school hours are often busier
To Gloucester, Cheltenham and Worcester
- most trains have space
- the 08:54 Worcester Foregate Street to Westbury train on Saturdays is often busier
- the 15:30 Warminster to Worcester Foregate Street train on Monday to Friday is often busier
Between Bristol, Bath, Westbury, Salisbury, Southampton and Portsmouth
- trains are often busy between Bristol Temple Meads and Westbury particularly between 07:30 and 09:00 and between 15:00 and 19:00
- trains can be busy at weekends – we recommend making a reservation where you can
Devon and Cornwall
To/from London
- most trains on Monday to Thursday have space
- 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 Friday is often busier
Between Exeter and Penzance
- most GWR trains have space but Friday is often busier
To St Ives
- most trains have space
Between Truro and Falmouth
- most trains have space but on weekdays the 08:15 Falmouth Docks to Truro train is often busier
Between Liskeard and Looe
- most trains have space
Between Par and Newquay
- most trains have space
Between Plymouth and Gunnislake
- most trains have space
- on weekdays, 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 can often be busy on weekdays – it’s normally quieter before 08:00 in the morning and after 17:30 in the evening
- trains are often quieter at weekends
South Wales
Swansea and Cardiff to London
- between Swansea and Cardiff most GWR trains have space
- most trains have space on Monday to Thursday, however, the 19:18 and 19:48 trains from London Paddington to Swansea are often busy as well as the 17:48 train to Carmarthen
- 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
South Cotswolds and Swindon
To and from London
- most trains have space on Monday to Thursday but the 06:48 Cheltenham to London Paddington services is often busier
- on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, trains can often be busier – we recommend making a reservation where you can
To and from Bristol/Worcester
- most trains have space
- the 08:54 Worcester Foregate Street to Westbury train on Saturdays is often busier
- the 15:30 Warminster to Worcester Foregate Street train on Monday to Friday is often busier
To and from Swindon/Westbury
- most trains have space
North Cotswolds/Oxford
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
Worcester to the South Cotswolds and Bristol
- most trains have space
- the 08:54 Worcester Foregate Street to Westbury train on Saturdays is often busier
- the 15:30 Warminster to Worcester Foregate Street train on Monday to Friday is often busier
Between Banbury and Oxford
- most trains have space, but the 07:34 Didcot to Banbury train can be busy
Didcot and Reading/Thames Valley
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 usually have more space
- The 07:16 and 09:14 trains from Didcot Parkway to London Paddington are often particularly busy as well as the 18:20 train from London Paddington to Didcot Parkway
- at weekends, trains can be 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 Monday to Thursday have space
- trains can be very busy on Friday, Saturday and Sunday – please book in advance where possible
- trains leaving London Paddington between 19:00 and 19:30 are often busier
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
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 usually have more space.
- The 07:16 and 09:14 trains from Didcot Parkway to London Paddington are often particularly busy as well as the 18:20 train from London Paddington to Didcot Parkway
- at weekends, trains can be 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 Monday to Thursday have space
- trains can be very busy on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, please book in advance where possible
- trains leaving London Paddington between 19:00 and 19:30 are often busier
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
South Coast
Between Castle Cary and Weymouth
- most trains have space
Between Southampton and Portsmouth and towards Bristol and Cardiff
- between Westbury, Salisbury, Southampton and Portsmouth, most trains will have space, but are often busier between Westbury and Bristol
Castle Cary/Frome/Westbury/Pewsey/Newbury
To and from London
- trains are often busy, particularly on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday – we recommend making a reservation where you can
Westbury to Bristol/Southampton
- between Westbury, Salisbury, Southampton and Portsmouth, most trains will have space, but are often busier between Westbury and Bristol
Castle Cary to Weymouth
- most trains have space
Westbury to Swindon and Gloucester
- most trains have space

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Departure Information

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Updated 18 January 2022

To London

To/from London

Swansea and Cardiff to London

Cardiff/Newport to Bristol

To and from London

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

Stopping services to and from London

Between Castle Cary and Weymouth

To and from London

Travel safely