From January the Great Western Railway will be providing almost 8,000 more trains seats at busy times across the network.

The new Electrostar trains will be replacing most of the current 25-year-old fleet in Operation in London and the Thames Valley.

The 45 train fleet will provide additional capacity and will run in 8 and 12 carriage formations with up to 30% more seats on some journeys

Bristol, Gloucester, Cardiff, and Taunton will also benefit from more modern trains, with free wi-fi and air conditioning, as well as accessible toilets.

What did the officials say?

GWR Managing Director Mark Hopwood said “The 2 January marks a massive step towards delivering the capacity improvements we have promised and the most significant series of improvements for rail passengers in a generation. Electric trains will run under the wires between Didcot and London for the first time, delivering real improvements for our passengers in London and the Thames Valley and enabling us to make further improvements throughout our network, supporting the communities we serve. Let me also take this opportunity to thank our passengers in advance for their patience during the Christmas period, as Network Rail continue Crossrail works, and its programme to modernize the Great Western.”

• Visit the Great Western Railway Website
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