Great Western Railway Reviews 

Service appalling- my trains have been cancelled more often than not this summer leaving me with an unsustainably long and stressful commute. Information poor, have let an Elizabeth line train go to catch a GWR showing on time or couple of minutes delay only to have the GWR cancelled numerous times
Have to stand for most of the time
Only given 2 stars instead of 1 as the platform and ticket office staff are lovely, so kind.

Late again. This is an awful rail company. I can’t understand why they are always late. Honeybourne to Worcestershire parkway is a dreadful service.

Boarded the 13.29 Gatwick to Reading GWR train. The conductor announces after train has left that “there is no working toilet aboard this train”. Surely passengers are due compensation when the train provided is not fit for purpose? It’s a basic level of service. This is not acceptable.

13 December 2026 when GWR will be gone and they are bright into national ownership for the public. Until then, expect the worst service as they have 4 months left.

Train to london late. Train back from london late. Really poor WiFi. They tried F1 technology which was a vast improvement but then did not roll it out.

To add insult to injury today the train now isn’t going all the way to great Malvern.

Appalling

Appalling service. First the train was delayed by 35 minutes. But then the delayed trains stops were cancelled and the train went straight Cardiff. Was told to move to a different platform to get a different train, only to learn that the train was also not stopping at our station. Was then told to go back to the original platform and get the next trian. What a joke. They should get there act into gear.

always late on journey Bristol Temple Meads to Paddington. Delay Repay is deliberately a faff to use, requiring way too much detail to make a claim. Shockingly bad all around. I've switched to Flix Bus, far far cheaper and much more reliable. There is a better alternative, you don't have to use GWR!

I travel on the Cornwall line. GWR are constantly cancelling trains, cancelling stops! Plus regularly late. It seems beyond them to operate a reliable train service along one line.

My daughter paid £16.40 this morning to get the train from Barnstaple to Exeter, she was then asked to leave the train because she was going to college and was told the train was too busy, she was then 30 minutes late for her college course, baring in mind this is her second day and already the trains are delivering an unacceptable service. She said that when the train left there was space to both sit and stand. I will be attending tomorrow to ensure that she doesn't leave the train.

I would like a full refund for the ticket and a commitment from GWR that this will not be happening again as this is completely unacceptable.

20% admin charged for refund of unused ticket, no explanation, no customer service, total scam

The worse!! Always late and impossible to complain or speak to anyone!! They make you jump through hoops to complain about their mistakes!!

We arrived at Paddington 19:15 Saturday evening 5th September for the last train back to Taunton. We were unaware an incident had been running since around 16:30. All services were cancelled until the following morning. We joined the queue in customer services to see those behind the counter shutting up shop to leave just 2 handle the problem. When we finally got to the counter we enquired about alternative transport or accommodation as per GWR protocol. The customer service agent said they had been given no authorisation and advised us to make our way to Waterloo to seek a different train route. As it was now after 20:00 we knew this was bad advice as the last train had already left at 19:25. As pensioners we were left to walk the London streets until the morning. Here is my point. The incident had been running for over 3 hrs the management would have known that for those on the last train there was no alternative back to the West country. You would think there was a generic plan for last train cancellation with no way home but nothing! Where was the station manager. This is a major international travel hub and it's run by lanyard amateurs. I firmly blame those in management for abandoning all those people Saturday evening. Any female travelling alone walking the streets of London at night with nowhere to go is owed a duty of care. GWR this is a dereliction of duty and care you should be shamed to were the uniform

Not just cancelled but removed completely. A peak travel time just removed from the schedule. Why at peak time and not off peak? People want to travel between 8 and 9. Why remove at peak time? Why not during the day when it's quieter? I bought a week's ticket. How do I claim compensation for a train that doesn't exist?

Peter Tallon & Marcosllou Bautista looked after me so well when my train was delayed. The best customer service ever!!! Thank you so much x

I would call GWR shite, but shite has a purpose.
After working all day on a Saturday, I arrived at Paddington expecting something apparently unreasonable for my £180-a-week season ticket: a train home.
Instead, my route to Reading was cancelled and I ended up crossing London to Waterloo and travelling towards Woking so somebody could collect me. At this point I wasn't commuting anymore — I was participating in Britain's most expensive railway-themed escape room.
For £180 a week I don't expect the Orient Express, champagne or a personal butler. I just want a bloody train.
The compensation is almost the funniest part. You can lose hours of your Saturday and apparently £36 is supposed to make you feel whole again. That should just about cover the emotional support meal deal.
One star. I'd walk next time, but knowing GWR they'd probably cancel the pavement.

Peter Tallon on the 15:20 from Bristol to Paddington on 5th September 2026 - severe delays into London and he was without a doubt the kindest, most welcoming and caring member of staff I have ever come across. He is the man

An absolutely disgraceful company. Trains are frequently delayed and cancelled. In Cornwall you canalmost guarantee the trans will be cancelled. On top of this, GWR are absolutely unforgiving if you happen to get on a train and forget to buy a ticket. They will fine you excesively . The ticket fares are extortianate as well and the trains are old and decrepit. An absokutely disgraceful operation run by greedy people who have ni interest in anything other than maximising shareholder profit.

Paid a lot of money to travel in first class today but have to say very very disappointing. We paid £300 for two First Class tickets, which is a substantial amount of money and was paid on the understanding that we would receive a premium level of service.

Unfortunately, the experience has been very disappointing. There was no First Class lounge available at Truro, and we have also found that we are expected to pay extra for basic items such as chocolate bars.

When paying £300 for two First Class tickets, I would expect the service and facilities to reflect the significant premium being paid. Instead, the experience has felt very little different from travelling Standard Class.

I would therefore like GWR to explain what additional value we have actually received for paying £300 for two First Class tickets, particularly given the lack of lounge facilities and the additional charges for refreshments.

I do not consider this to represent good value for money, and I would like you to consider an appropriate partial refund or compensation for the poor First Class experience.

I usually drive from London back to Bath to visit my family but stupidly thought I’d get the train. Won’t bother again! Paid £96.24 for a return ticket using my husband/my joint railcard - had my tickets checked, along with the railcard, that had my photo ID on it too, but endured the longest lecture by a complete jobsworth (spoken to like a child - you’d think I hadn’t bought a ticket at all) nit picking about travelling without the primary card holder, told I should be reported at the next station and fined, but “as it’s an easy mistake and not common knowledge at all as it’s in the very small print” she’d “be kind” and charge me an excess of £86.40 instead! So my trip has cost me a staggering £182.64!!! I can drive from London to Bath and back for quarter the price!! Is this encouragement to use public transport? In the past I’ve had my trains cancelled, people sitting in my reserved seat, forced to stand the entire journey on a packed carriage like battery hens etc - no refunds - but they’re stringent as with their rules when it’s to their favour! Stupid prices and not worth it!

Consistently shocking service from GWR staff at train stations, mainly Paddington. Delays or cancellations almost every single train. Insane prices considering the abysmal experience almost every single time. So sick of it