Rail companies who serve travellers in Wales are reminding customers they face disruption this weekend due to train strikes and planned engineering works.
Tomorrow Saturday January 7, Great Western Railways (GWR) says an extremely limited service will run. Customers are advised to avoid travelling, and to seek alternative ways to make journeys while Transport for Wales (TfW) says engineering work on the South Wales Metro will hit services.
A very limited GWR service will operate, with no direct trains between London Paddington and Bristol, and between London Paddington and south Wales.
Services will only operate on the following routes from 0730 and journeys must be completed by 1830: London Paddington and Oxford; London Paddington and Didcot Parkway; London Paddington and Reading; Slough and Windsor; Maidenhead and Marlow; Twyford and Henley-on-Thames; Reading and Basingstoke; Didcot and Oxford; Cardiff Central and Westbury calling most stations and Bristol and Plymouth
On Sunday January 8 there will be a reduced level of service throughout the day, trains will start later and there could be short-notice cancellations and alterations.
Where trains can run, they are expected to be extremely busy and those travelling are advised to check their journey beforehand.
Due to the planned engineering work, no trains will run between Didcot Parkway and Bristol Parkway or Bath Spa.
Trains between London and Bristol or South Wales will use a different route – not stopping at Didcot Parkway, Swindon or Chippenham
Shuttle trains will run between Swindon and Cheltenham Spa
Buses will replace trains for stations between Reading and Bath Spa, and between Didcot Parkway and Bristol Parkway
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.
Customers who have already purchased tickets for strike days can claim a full refund or amend their ticket; those who travel and are delayed may be entitled to Delay Repay compensation if they are delayed by 15 minutes or more.
To help customers, tickets will be valid for travel on alternative days on GWR services as follows:
Tickets for January 6, 7 can be used the day before, or up to and including Tuesday, January 10.
Season-ticket holders can apply for compensation through the Delay Repay scheme.
For more detailed information, including when journey planners will be updated with the latest train times, please visit www.gwr.com/strike.
Transport for Wales (TfW) adds rail passengers in South Wales are also being warned to check before they travel as they undertakes engineering work between Cardiff and the valleys.
The work is the latest phase of the transformation of the Core Valley Lines (CVL) for the South Wales Metro.
The railway between Radyr and Pontypridd will be closed between Sunday January 8 and Friday January 27, with the exception of Thursday 12 and Friday 13 January.
Additionally, services will also be suspended between Cardiff Central and Radyr between Sunday January 8 and Wednesday January 11.
Between Saturday January 14 and Sunday January 22, there will also be no services north of Pontypridd to Treherbert, Aberdare and Merthyr Tydfil.
TfW is encouraging passengers to check for the latest travel information before making their journeys. This can be found on the TfW website and app.
During the closure, replacement bus services will be in operation. In addition to these, ticket acceptance will be in place on selected local bus services.