National rail strikes will continue this weekend with millions of passengers set to face cancellations and disruptions. Last week, strike action by both the Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) and Aslef union took place on Saturday, October 1.
So far this week, there have been three days of industrial action - Wednesday, October 5, Thursday, October 6, and Friday, October 7. Industrial action is also set to take place on Saturday, October 8.
Passengers are advised to plan ahead and check online planners before travelling on Saturday, as the majority of train services across the Wales and Borders network will not run that day. Those trains that do run are likely to be much busier than usual - particularly the first services of the day. There is also expected to be disruption to services due to trains being displaced from the previous day's strike action.
The RMT union has called walk-outs involving more than 40,000 members working for Network Rail and 14 train operating companies. The union says it will "effectively shut down the railway network".
The train operators that will be affected are:
- Avanti West Coast
- CrossCountry
- East Midlands Railway
- Great Western Railway
- LNER
- TransPennine Express
- c2c
- Chiltern Railways
- Greater Anglia
- GTR (including Great Northern, Southern, Thameslink and Gatwick Express)
- Northern
- Southeastern
- South Western Railway
- West Midlands Trains
As RMT members of the Great Western Railway will be striking, its train services in Wales will also be affected. Great Western Railway has also warned that on the strike days, "train services will be severely disrupted and some parts of the GWR network will have no train service at all".
On strike days, an extremely limited service will operate between 7.30am and 6.30pm; the first trains will start later and the last trains will leave much earlier. According to GWR, where they are able to run services they are expected to be extremely busy and they will not able to provide bus replacement services.
Online journey planners will be updated with the latest timetable information as soon as possible. Transport for Wales staff will not be striking but they've announced that some of their services are "likely to be extremely busy" as a result of the severely reduced timetable put in place by other operators.
How will the train services be affected in Wales this Saturday?
An extremely limited GWR service will operate. Services will start at 7.30am and all journeys must be completed before 6.30pm.
A very limited service will run on the following routes:
- London Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads
- London Paddington to Cardiff Central
- London Paddington to Didcot Parkway
- Reading to Didcot Parkway
- Windsor, Marlow, and Henley-on-Thames branch lines
- Reading to Basingstoke
- Cardiff Central to Bath
Passengers are advised to avoid travelling and seek alternative ways to make their journey. If you are intending to travel on these routes, it is advised you only do so if absolutely necessary. Trains that are operating will be extremely busy.
On Saturday, Transport for Wales will be running reduced services for essential travel only between Cardiff Central to Treherbert/Aberdare/Merthyr /Rhymney and between Cardiff Central to Newport. Train services will operate between Cardiff Central and Rhymney, Treherbert, Aberdare and Merthyr Tydfil in an hourly service in each direction between 07.30am and 6.30pm.
Customers are reminded there will be "very limited road transport capacity" between Radyr and Cardiff before 07.30am and after 6.30pm, when TfW is unable to operate trains via Llandaf and Cathays. The first services of the day that depart Treherbert, Aberdare and Merthyr Tydfil will all be timed so they will be arriving into Radyr after 7am. No trains will run before 7am on any lines except between Treherbert, Aberdare, Merthyr Tydfil – Radyr. No pre-planned road transport services will be in operation before 6.30pm on Core Valley lines, according to TfW.
What will happen to train services on Sunday?
On Sunday, October 9, GWR trains will start later than usual with some morning services cancelled. A normal timetable will be in operation, but GWR anticipates some short-notice cancellations.
Trains which are running will be extremely busy and GWR has advised that if passengers can travel on Monday, October 10 or Tuesday October, 11, please do so as tickets will still be valid. Customers who have already purchased tickets for strike days can claim a full refund or amend their tickets.
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