Reduced special ticket prices are available on Britain’s most recently opened railway corridor connecting Oxford, Swindon and Bristol Temple Meads.
The fresh nonstop route, provided by Great Western Railway, commenced operations on Monday, 18 May, marking the first such service in 23 years.
Operating at two-hour intervals, the new trains operate Mondays through Saturdays, stopping at Bristol Temple Meads, Bath Spa, Chippenham, Swindon and Oxford.
The inaugural departure set off from Oxford at 07:00 on Monday, reaching Swindon at 07:30 and Bristol Temple Meads at 08:20.
Pictured left to right: Swindon South MP and Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander, GWR Managing Director Mark Hopwood CBE, and Swindon North MP Will Stone (Image: GWR)
The fastest nonstop travel times will be one hour eight minutes from Oxford and one hour 11 minutes from Bristol.
To celebrate the launch, Great Western Railway is introducing a range of promotional fares throughout the first month, with Advance Purchase tickets for the new routes available at approximately half the standard cost.
Example pricing for the new Bristol-Oxford nonstop services includes a trip from Bath to Oxford at £10 and Oxford to Swindon at £6.
This follows the implementation of initial safety measures along the line ahead of services beginning, with additional safety enhancements planned for the coming months, as coordinated with the Office of Rail and Road.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander, photographed alongside GWR driver Paul Maambo, commented that she was absolutely delighted to travel on the first train of the new weekday nonstop service between Swindon and Oxford.
(Image: Ed Nix)
The weekend trial of direct trains proved extremely popular, and this new weekday service will offer a fast, convenient alternative to sitting in traffic on the A420.
GWR Managing Director Mark Hopwood stated that the new nonstop services would be transformative and brings the conclusion of years of local campaigning.
Network Rail Western Route Director Marcus Jones noted that reintroducing direct services between Bristol, Swindon and Oxford represents a significant advancement in enhancing connectivity across the Western route.
The organisation worked closely with Great Western Railway to ensure the infrastructure is prepared to support these services safely and reliably, marking an important milestone following the initial safety work completed.
These connections will simplify travel for passengers moving between major economic centres, creating fresh opportunities for employment, education and leisure, while further improvements continue across the route in the months ahead.
Neil Fawcett, interim leader of Oxfordshire County Council, observed that the authority was a strong proponent of the business case for this service, which brings excellent news for Oxfordshire passengers.
As demonstrated through the release of the OxRail 2040: Plan for Rail document in November, the council remains dedicated to enhancing rail transport and connectivity throughout Oxfordshire and the broader region.
The authority looks forward to maintaining collaboration with partners, including rail operators such as GWR and the government, to accomplish these goals.
The previous direct services between these two prominent destinations last ran in 2003.