Engineering work to affect Christmas trains, warns GWR
Travel will be affected this Christmas.
Great Western Railway (GWR) is warning people to “travel early” to avoid disappointment this Christmas.
No trains will be running between Reading and London Paddington on Sunday (December 24) and Wednesday (December 27) due to planned engineering works.
Most GWR services will start or terminate at Reading instead of London Paddington.
And limited GWR and Elizabeth line train services will be running between Reading and Ealing Broadway.
Customers are advised to consider travelling on alternative dates.
GWR’s station manager for London Paddington, Dean Haynes, said: “As we continue to invest in our railway, we will only be able to run trains to and from Reading and Ealing Broadway on December 24 and 27.
“To keep you moving, we have been working with other train companies to provide alternative routes.
“However, if you can travel on the days before or after, you should consider doing so because journeys will take much longer while the work takes place.”
Trains travelling towards Devon and Cornwall between 11am and 3pm on Friday, December 22 and Saturday, December 23 are almost sold out, with customers being advised to travel before 9.30am.
Network Rail will be commencing work on the new HS2 station at Old Oak Common, meaning services are not scheduled to operate on Christmas Day or Boxing Day.
Network Rail’s industry programme director, Joanna Grew, added: “Over the Christmas period, we will be carrying out essential preparatory drainage and railway infrastructure works as part of the construction of HS2’s new station at Old Oak Common near London Paddington.
“We appreciate there is never a good time to disrupt journeys but whenever possible we do this at times when fewer people are travelling, such as at Christmas, on bank holidays or at weekends.
“We thank passengers in advance for their patience and urge them to please check before they travel.”
GWR tickets can be used with South Western Railway between Reading and London Waterloo.
No Heathrow Express services will be running during this time.
Please visit GWR.com/Christmas for further rail travel updates.
