We may sometimes have to change our timetables so please check your journey details as close as possible to your date of travel.
If we do change things after you have bought a ticket, you can either use any reasonable alternative service, or claim a full refund.
Timetable changes
The following planned engineering work may affect your journey:
2025
November
New station construction work and track maintenance will affect some train services to/from London Paddington.
Trains will run to an amended timetable because only two out of four tracks will be available.
Essential trackside maintenance work will mean buses replace trains between St Austell and Truro.
Trains will still operate between St Austell and Exeter St Davids or London Paddington; trains will also be running between Truro and Penzance or Falmouth Docks, plus between St Erth and St Ives.,
CrossCountry train services will not be operating between Plymouth and Penzance.
December
Track renewal work will affect train services between Truro and Penzance, plus trains between St Erth and St Ives.
Replacement buses are planned between Truro and Penzance.
Valid rail tickets will be accepted for travel between Penzance or St Erth and St Ives via Carbis Bay on the number 17/17A buses instead.
GWR trains will operate between Truro and Exeter St Davids or London Paddington via Plymouth, plus services between Truro and Falmouth Docks.
CrossCountry trains will only operate between Plymouth and the North of England via Birmingham New Street.
Important to note
The number 17/17A buses do not stop immediately outside Lelant Saltings, Lelant, or Carbis Bay railway stations, so please follow signs for directions.
- Signalling upgrade work will affect train services between Llanelli and Carmarthen until around 1230.
Replacement buses are planned between Swansea and Carmarthen.
GWR trains will still operate between London Paddington and Swansea. Structural work will affect train services between Guildford and Redhill.
Replacement buses are planned between Guildford and Gatwick Airport.
GWR trains will still operate between Reading and Guildford.
South Western Railway trains will still operate trains via Guildford.
Buses also replace Southern trains between Reigate and Redhill.
Track maintenance work will affect train services via Fareham.
Replacement buses are planned between Southampton Central and Portsmouth Harbour.
Trains will still operate between Cardiff Central and Southampton Central.
Track maintenance work will affect train services between Plymouth and Liskeard or Gunnislake until around 1100.
Replacement buses are planned between:
- Plymouth and Liskeard – not stopping at Menheniot
- Liskeard and Menheniot
- Plymouth and Calstock via Gunnislake
- Plymouth and Bere Ferrers via Bere Alston
GWR trains will operate between London Paddington and Plymouth, plus between Liskeard and Penzance as well as on Cornish branch lines, except the Tamar Valley Line.
CrossCountry trains will operate between Plymouth and the North of England or Scotland via Birmingham New Street.
Track drainage work will mean buses replace trains between Castle Cary and Taunton.
A limited number of trains will operate between London Paddington and Westbury or Castle Cary on weekdays, but not on Saturday or Sunday.
As a result, replacement buses are also planned at the weekend between Pewsey and Swindon for onward connections.
Trains between London Paddington and Plymouth or Penzance will use an alternative route between Reading and Taunton – extending journey times by at least 15 minutes.
GWR trains will still operate between Bristol Temple Meads and Weymouth via Castle Cary.
South Western Railway trains between Yeovil and Salisbury via Castle Cary are unaffected.
Bus Service 8th to 12th December
Bus Service 13th to 14th December
Track maintenance work will mean buses replace trains between Liskeard and Looe.
Replacement buses will stop in St Keyne village, instead of St Keyne Wishing Well Halt, and in Duloe village, instead of Causeland station.
These services will not stop to pick up or drop off at Coombe Junction Halt – contact GWR staff for assistance.
Important to note
Rail replacement services will not operate on Sunday 14 December.
Track renewal work will affect some train services to/from London Paddington.
Trains will run to an amended timetable because only two out of four tracks will be available.
As a result, no direct train services will run between London Paddington and Cheltenham Spa – customers should change at Swindon or Bristol Parkway instead.
Sunday 4 January
Until around 11am, there will be no train services operating between Hayes & Harlington and Maidenhead.
Most GWR trains for London Paddington will start or terminate at Reading.
South Western Railway will be operating trains between London Waterloo and Reading, plus Chiltern Railways will operate trains between London Marylebone and Oxford.
Some GWR and Elizabeth Line trains will still operate between Reading and Maidenhead.
Elizabeth Line services will also be operating between Hayes & Harlington and London Paddington.
Buses replace trains between Maidenhead, Slough and Hayes & Harlington.
Train services between Slough and Windsor & Eton Central will be unaffected as will Heathrow Express services.
2026
January
Track renewals and essential maintenance work will affect train services via Swindon.
Trains will still run between London Paddington and Bristol Temple Meads or Swansea by using an alternative route via Westbury.
Journey times will be extended on these diverted train services, which won’t stop at Didcot Parkway, Swindon or Chippenham.
Trains will still run between London Paddington and Didcot Parkway, plus between Swindon and Cheltenham Spa on all dates.
Friday 2 January
Trains will also run between Swindon and Bristol Temple Meads or Westbury.
Replacement buses are planned between:
- Reading and Swindon
- Didcot Parkway and Swindon.
Saturday 3 January, plus weekends of 10/11, 17/18 and 24/25 January
Trains will also run between Chippenham and Bristol Temple Meads or Westbury.
Replacement buses are planned between:
- Reading and Bristol Parkway via Swindon
- Didcot Parkway and Chippenham via Swindon.
Important to note
No trains will be operating between Swindon and Bristol Parkway – customers should travel via Bristol Temple Meads instead.
Track renewal work will affect train services between St Erth and St Ives.
Valid rail tickets will be accepted for travel on the number 17 or 17A buses instead.
Important to note
The 17 or 17A buses do not stop at Lelant Saltings, Lelant, or Carbis Bay railway stations, so please follow signs for directions.
Track maintenance and structural work will affect train services for Gatwick Airport
Weekend of 10/11 January
Replacement buses are planned between Reigate and Gatwick Airport.
Buses also replace other train services for Gatwick Airport.
GWR trains will still operate between Reading and Reigate.
Weekends of 17/18 and 24/25 January
Replacement buses are planned between Guildford and Gatwick Airport.
Buses also replace other train services for Gatwick Airport.
GWR trains will still operate between Reading and Guildford.
Signalling and track maintenance work will mean buses replace trains between Castle Cary and Weymouth.
GWR trains will still operate between Castle Cary and Bristol Temple Meads.
South Western Railway trains will still operate at Weymouth, Upwey and Dorchester South.
Track upgrade work will affect some train services to/from London Paddington.
Trains will run to an amended timetable because only two out of four tracks will be available.
Track maintenance work will affect train services via Exeter St Davids until around 1800.
Replacement buses are planned between Exeter St Davids and Exeter Central.
Fewer trains can operate between Exeter St Davids and Taunton or Newton Abbot.
Track and structural works will affect train services via Swansea.
Monday 26 to Friday 30 January
Replacement buses are planned between Port Talbot Parkway and Swansea or Llanelli.
GWR trains will still operate between London Paddington and Port Talbot Parkway.
Transport for Wales will operate limited train services between Cardiff Central and Carmarthen using an alternative route not stopping at Neath or Swansea.
Trains will also be running between Llanelli and Carmarthen.
Weekend of 31 January and 1 February
Replacement buses are planned between Cardiff Central or Bridgend and Swansea.
GWR trains will still operate between London Paddington and Cardiff Central.
Transport for Wales will still operate train services between Cardiff Central and Bridgend.
Trains will also be running between Swansea and Carmarthen.
Monday 2 to Thursday 5 February
Replacement buses are planned between Port Talbot Parkway and Swansea.
GWR trains will still operate between London Paddington and Port Talbot Parkway.
Transport for Wales will operate limited train services between Cardiff Central and Carmarthen using an alternative route not stopping at Neath or Swansea.
Trains will also be running between Swansea and Carmarthen.
Important to note
Buses also replace trains between Cardiff Central and Swansea on Sunday 8 February
February
Bridge replacement works will affect train services between Oxford and Didcot Parkway.
Replacement road transport is planned between:
- Oxford and Didcot Parkway – direct and stopping services
- Didcot Parkway/Oxford and Banbury – direct only
GWR will still operate trains between Oxford and Worcester, Great Malvern or Hereford via Evesham, plus train services between Oxford and Banbury (except on Sundays).
GWR will also operate trains at Didcot Parkway between London Paddington and South Wales, the West of England or the Cotswolds, including some Hereford services.
Chiltern Railways will still operate trains between Oxford and London Marylebone via Oxford Parkway, plus trains between Banbury and London Marylebone via Kings Sutton.
CrossCountry will operate trains between Didcot Parkway and Bournemouth via Reading, plus between Banbury and Manchester Piccadilly via Birmingham New Street.
Important to note
Trains at Oxford station will only be using Platform 1 or 2; all rail replacement services will be operating from the long-stay car park on Becket Street.
Track and structural renewals work will affect train services to/from Salisbury.
Sunday 1 February
Replacement road transport is planned between Salisbury and Southampton Central.
GWR trains will still operate between Cardiff Central and Salisbury, plus between Southampton Central and Portsmouth Harbour.
Weekend of 7/8 February
Replacement road transport is planned between Warminster and Salisbury.
GWR trains will still operate between Cardiff Central and Warminster, plus between Salisbury and Portsmouth Harbour.
Track work will affect some train services to/from London Paddington.
Trains will run to an amended timetable because only two out of four tracks will be available.
Track renewal work will affect train services between Cardiff Central and Swansea.
Replacement road transport is planned between Cardiff Central and Swansea (non-stop) or Cardiff Central and Port Talbot Parkway (stopping at Bridgend).
GWR trains will still operate between London Paddington and Cardiff Central.
Transport for Wales train services will operate between Port Talbot Parkway and Swansea or Carmarthen.
Track renewal work will affect all train services via Exeter Central.
Replacement road transport is planned between Exeter St Davids and Exmouth or Honiton.
GWR trains will still operate between Exeter St Davids and Paignton.
SWR trains will still operate between Honiton and London Waterloo.
Track maintenance and structural renewals will affect train services via Southampton Central.
GWR trains will use an alternative route between Romsey and Fareham, via Eastleigh.
Sunday 15 February
SWR trains will still be operating between Southampton Central and Eastleigh or Portsmouth & Southsea.
Replacement road transport is also planned between Southampton Central and Romsey or Havant.
Weekend of 21/22 February
No train services will be operating at Southampton Central.
Replacement road transport is planned between Southampton Central and Eastleigh, Romsey, Fareham, Bournemouth or Havant.
Track upgrades also affect trains via Newton Abbot on the weekend of Saturday 28 February and Sunday 1 March.
Saturday 21 to Friday 27 February, plus Monday 2 to Sunday 8 March
No train services between Totnes, Ivybridge and Plymouth.
Replacement road transport is planned between:
- Tiverton Parkway and Plymouth (non-stop)
- Totnes, Ivybridge and Plymouth
GWR will operate trains between London Paddington or Exeter St Davids and Totnes, plus between Plymouth and Penzance.
Trains between Exmouth and Paignton are unaffected.
Weekend of Saturday 28 February and Sunday 1 March
No train services between Teignmouth, Newton Abbot, Totnes, Ivybridge and Plymouth.
Replacement road transport is planned between:
- Tiverton Parkway and Plymouth (non-stop)
- Totnes, Ivybridge and Plymouth
Additional replacement road transport is also planned between:
- Exeter St Davids, Newton Abbot, Totnes and Plymouth
- Teignmouth and Newton Abbot
GWR will operate trains between London Paddington and Exeter St Davids, plus between Plymouth and Penzance.
GWR trains will also operate between Exmouth and Teignmouth, plus a limited train service between Newton Abbot and Paignton.
CrossCountry will operate trains between Scotland or the North of England and Exeter St Davids with a limited train service between Plymouth and Penzance on dates.
Platform renewal work will mean buses replace all trains between Reading and Guildford or Bracknell.
GWR will still operate trains between Guildford and Gatwick Airport.
SWR will still operate trains between Bracknell and London Waterloo.
Replacement road transport will stop in St Keyne village, instead of St Keyne Wishing Well Halt, and in Duloe village, instead of Causeland station.
These services will not stop to pick up or drop off at Coombe Junction Halt – contact GWR staff for assistance.
Important to note
Rail replacement services will not operate on Sunday 1 March.
Signalling and structural work will mean buses replace trains between Yeovil Pen Mill, Dorchester West and Weymouth.
GWR trains will still operate between Yeovil Pen Mill and Westbury, Bristol Temple Meads or Gloucester via Castle Cary.
SWR trains will still operate between Weymouth and London Waterloo via Southampton Central, plus between Yeovil Pen Mill and Salisbury or London Waterloo.
Looking ahead
Further rail improvement work is planned in the next few months affecting the following routes:
- Exeter St Davids to Okehampton/Barnstaple – Saturday 21 to Sunday 29 March
- Fareham to Portsmouth Harbour – Saturday 28 March to Thursday 2 April
- Bath Spa to Chippenham/Westbury – Saturday 2 to Monday 4 May
- Newbury to Westbury – Monday 11 to Thursday 14 May
- Bristol to South Wales – Monday 18 May to Monday 15 June [tbc]
Rail improvement work is due to take place affecting trains between Cardiff Central and Bridgend from Sunday 27 to Tuesday 30 December.
Train services will still operate using an alternative route on these dates, extending journey times by around 5 minutes.