warned to plan ahead as engineering works are set to impact train services.
Work on HS2 is well under way to deliver trains to Old Oak Common, and as part of preparatory works undertaken by Network Rail for new signalling and track equipment close to London Paddington, no trains will operate from the station on Sunday 24th and Wednesday 27th December.
Services have not been scheduled to operate on either Christmas Day or Boxing Day. Here are some tips that would be useful when travelling :
Arrive early
Commence your Christmas holiday the right way by avoiding a rushed departure. Allow yourself plenty of time to get to the station and board your train and remember that the doors close up to 2 minutes prior to departure!
Limit your luggage
With Christmas being our extra-busy period, passengers should be sensible with their luggage. Not only is there limited luggage space onboard but busier station means that staff will be less able to assist people on and off the train with their luggage (unless they have booked Passenger Assist).
Book assisted travel
If you need assistance at the station and help boarding our trains, you are advised to Book Passenger Assist up to two hours before you travel using our live Web Chat between 09:00 and 17:00, or by calling 0800 0223720 outside of these hours.
Train services to and from London Paddington will also be impacted this Sunday, 26th November as preparatory work is undertaken:
The majority of Great Western Railway (GWR) services will commence or terminate at Reading instead of London Paddington, and there will be limited train services to or from Slough until midday, and then Ealing Broadway.
Those who need to travel on December 24 or December 27 are advised to allow plenty of time to reach their destination, as journey times will be significantly longer than normal.
Customers who will be looking to travel on either of these days should consider travelling on alternative dates for a more comfortable journey.
Station Manager of Great Western Railway 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 this Sunday, and on 24th December and 27th December.
He said they had been working with other train companies to provide alternative routes. However, he said that 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.
Network Rail’s industry programme director, Joanna Grew, said that they will be carrying out essential preparatory drainage and railway infrastructure works over the Christmas period, as a part of the construction of HS2’s new station at Old Oak Common close to London Paddington.
As part of this preparation, they also need to close the railway into Paddington on Sunday, 26th November, where essential railway works between Slough and Paddington which will enable a more reliable railway will be in the process being completed.
While we appreciate there is never a good time to disrupt journeys, 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.”
Customers travelling to or from central London could do so using London Underground’s District or Central line services at Ealing Broadway. The Elizabeth Line will not operate.
GWR tickets can alternatively be used with South Western Railway between Reading and London Waterloo, or on Chiltern Railways between Oxford and London Marylebone instead.
For the latest information, visit www.GWR.com/Christmas.
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