GWR releases data showing busiest trains in the run-up to Christmas

Great Western Railway has released data showing the busiest trains this Christmas, as it warns customers that ongoing industrial action means the network will shut early on Christmas Eve and significant disruption will return after the festive getaway.

Data from the number of seats already booked shows the 1204 Paddington to Penzance service is the most in-demand over the next few days. Friday 23 December is generally the most popular for pre-Christmas travel and Tuesday 27 for post-Christmas.

Top 10 busiest trains

1. 1204 Paddington to Penzance, Wednesday 21 December
2. 1204 Paddington to Penzance, Friday 23 December
3. 1204 Paddington to Penzance, Thursday 22 December
4. 1104 Paddington to Plymouth, Friday 23 December
5. 0910 Penzance to Paddington, Tuesday 27 December
6. 1436 Paddington to Paignton, Friday 23 December
7. 1020 Penzance to Paddington, Tuesday 27 December
8. 1904 Paddington to Plymouth, Wednesday 21 December
9. 1404 Paddington to Penzance, Friday 23 December
10. 0815 Penzance to Paddington, Tuesday 27 December

Trades unions are taking industrial action, including strike action and action short of strike (an overtime ban), over December and January that will affect rail services from 24 December 2022 to 8 January 2023. 

Services will start later on Tuesday 27 December and a significantly reduced, revised timetable will operate. Planned engineering work will also affect some routes. There may also be some short-notice changes or cancellations and customer should check before they travel, and travel earlier.  

The TSSA union is taking strike action on 28 and 29 December. Trains will continue to be disrupted with a significantly reduced level of service. 

On strike days between 3 and 7 January only an extremely reduced service will operate on a limited number of routes and customers are advised to only travel if necessary on these dates. Some parts of the GWR network will have no service at all. Services will start later (0730) and all journeys must be completed by 1830.

On the day after the strike action, Sunday 8 January, trains will start later and there could be short-notice cancellations and alterations.

On the days affected, passengers are advised to find an alternative way to travel. Where services are running, customers should only travel by train if absolutely necessary, and it is highly recommended that a seat reservation is made.

Other train operators are also affected by this action, so onward travel could also be affected.  

Where trains are able to operate, they are expected to be extremely busy.  

Download article