With thousands of visitors expected to attend next week’s Henley Royal Regatta, Great Western Railway will double the capacity of the shuttle service from Twyford.

Last year, a record number of spectators travelled to the regatta by train. Mainline services for the regatta will run from London Paddington to Twyford, where they will connect with enhanced shuttle services between Twyford and Henley-on-Thames.

Branch services from Twyford will run half-hourly from next Tuesday, 30th June, to Sunday, 5th July. From Tuesday to Friday and on Sunday, trains will comprise four carriages, whilst on Saturday, which is the regatta’s busiest day, trains will be longer, with seven carriages.

During regatta week, all roads and car parks in and around Henley will be congested, and spectators are advised to use the shuttle service from Twyford, which takes just 12 minutes.

Because of the expected large numbers expected to be travelling by train, queuing systems will be in place at Twyford and Henley stations. Additionally, spectators should purchase their tickets in advance, arrive early for their trains, and allow extra time to pass through the station. Passengers can purchase tickets using contactless payments on the Henley-on-Thames branch line.

“Henley Royal Regatta is one of the highlights of the summer calendar, and it’s brilliant to have such a world-renowned event right on our patch. With such strong local rail links, there’s really no need to drive and no need to worry about parking either. I’d encourage everyone to allow time for their journey. Queuing systems will be in place at both Twyford and Henley to help people board safely, and the busiest times are likely to be between 0900 and 1300 heading towards Henley, and from 1600 onwards on the way back. If you’re staying late, it’s worth checking the time of your last train home. There will also be changes to stopping patterns and timings at stations along the Twyford–Henley line to allow for the increased capacity and longer boarding times at Henley. Regular commuters have already been notified, but all travellers are urged to check their journey before setting off.”

Mian Sarwar, GWR Station Manager for Twyford and Henley