Train passengers trying to travel to London over the next week have been warned of delays as Great Western Railways stops services into London Paddington.
Network Rail uses the Christmas period when it says there are far fewer rail passengers, as a chance to get some of its engineering work completed. This year there will be the latest round of enabling work for the construction of the planned Old Oak Common station on the line just outside London Paddington.
Earlier this year it was reported that the new HS2 station could result in a “decade of disruption’ for passengers heading from the South West to Paddington
As a result of the work no trains will run in or out of London Paddington from Friday, December 27 until Sunday, December 29. This follows two days of absolutely no train services on the network on Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
The firm stated: “Network Rail is also planning track maintenance and renewals at the same time to minimise the impact on customers. As usual train services will finish earlier on Christmas Eve and no Great Western Railway trains will run on Christmas Day or Boxing Day.
“From Friday 27 to Sunday 29 December, GWR and Heathrow Express will not be able to run services into or out of London Paddington station. Customers will still be able to get to where they need to go, with alternative routes available in and around the station. However, some journeys may take longer than normal.”
If you’re planning on travelling into or out of London over the Christmas period, the following advice is in place:
Travelling between London and Bristol Parkway, South Wales, Devon and Cornwall
Customers can use special trains directly to/from London Euston, alternatively, travel via Ealing Broadway and Reading on GWR/Elizabeth Line services with onward connections.
For full details of your journey visit GWR.com/Check
Trains via Westbury/Warminster will also be impacted by engineering work from Friday 27 December to Thursday 23 January.
Travelling between London and Reading or the Thames Valley
Customers can use GWR/Elizabeth Line trains between Ealing Broadway and Reading for onward connections. Journeys will take around half an hour longer than the normal GWR service
Travelling between London and Oxford, North Cotswolds or Worcestershire
Customers can use Chiltern Railways trains between London Marylebone and Oxford for onward connections.
Night Riviera Sleeper
Night Riviera Sleeper services will not run on Saturday 21 December and pause until services restart in the New Year on Friday 3 January.
For more information visit our Night Riviera Sleeper webpage.