For the next four weeks, severe disruption is likely to rail services across the Wales and Borders network.

The disruption is because of strike action by members of the National Union of Rail, Maritime, and Transport Workers (RMT), with strikes due to take place on 13-14, 16-17 and 24-27 December and 3-4 and 6-7 January.

Although Transport for Wales is not directly involved in the industrial action, as the dispute is between the unions and Network Rail, Transport for Wales will be unable to operate rail services on Network Rail infrastructure.

Changes to services as a result of the industrial action are as follows:

13-14 and 16-17 December, and 3-4 and 6-7 January

• Only services in and around Cardiff will be able to operate.
• An hourly service will run between Cardiff and Newport, Treherbert, Aberdare, Merthyr Tydfil, and Rhymney.
• There will be no other services across the Wales and Borders network.

15 December and 5 January

• A full timetable will operate, but services will start later than normal. Services can only start when early shift signallers arrive for duty. Services can only start when early shift signallers arrive for duty, but they will be impacted by night shift signalling shifts which will be affected by the strikes.
• For more information visit https://tfw.wales/industrial-action

24-27 December

• Because of the industrial action, services will finish earlier than normal on 24 December and start later on 27 December.
• There will be no services on 25 and 26 December.

Great Western Railway services

• On 13/14/16 December and 3/4/6 January, Great Western Railway will operate services to/from Cardiff.
• On Saturdays 17 December and 7 January, there will be Great Western Railway services to/from Cardiff
• Great Western Railway services will not operate on Christmas Day or Boxing Day.
• Between Tuesday 27 and Saturday 31 December, trains between London and South Wales will be diverted between Swindon and Newport with journey times extended by around 25 minutes. An hourly service will operate between London Paddington and Swansea with an additional stop at Patchway, and shuttle buses are planned between Patchway and Bristol Parkway.
• For further information about Great Western Railway services in the Christmas period go to
  https://www.gwr.com/travel-information/travel-updates/planned-engineering/christmas

Planned engineering work

• Over Christmas, Transport for Wales will be carrying out major pieces of infrastructure work.
• Between 24 and 31 December the line from Cardiff Bay to Pontypridd, Merthyr Tydfil, and Treherbert, including the City Line, will be closed.
• From 2-24 January 2023, the lines between Pontypridd to Merthyr Tydfil and Aberdare will be closed.
• During the closure, rail-replacement bus services will be provided, but passengers should check before they travel at www.tfw.wales
• Between December 24 and 04.00 on 27 December Network Rail will be carrying out engineering works between Swansea and Carmarthen. Trains are not scheduled to run during those times, but further engineering works between the two locations is planned to take place between December 31 and January 2, when buses will replace trains.

Bus travel

• Christmas timetables for Traws Cymru bus services are available online at https://traws.cymru/en/christmas-2022-0

Jan Chaudhry-Van der Velde, Transport for Wales Chief Operations Officer, said: “The Christmas and New Year period is traditionally a very busy time for the rail industry and this year with a number of strike days taking place throughout December and January it’s vital passengers check for the latest information before making their journeys.

“We are continuing to advise people to only travel by rail on strike days if they have checked on journey planners first. Despite not being involved in the strikes, only around 10% of our services will be running and the majority of the Wales and Borders network will have no services at all.”