Cheltenham Festival goers will be under starter’s orders as they prepare to board First Great Western (FGW) services to the horse racing.
Culminating in the Cheltenham Gold Cup on Friday, online the four day Festival between Tuesday 10 and Friday 13 March attracts thousands of supporters – many choosing to start their journey with a glass of Champagne on board a FGW service from London Paddington to Cheltenham Spa.
Providing 11 additional trains a day adding over 4,000 extra seats, more than of 1,000 glasses of Champagne and Prosecco are in the running to be sold; with gin and tonic remaining passengers’ odds on favourite spirit, with sausage rolls trumping the more traditional bacon baguette by 3:2.
While five extra trains will take customers to the festival and up to seven are being provided to take race goers home, passengers are being warned that a queuing system will be in place at London Paddington and Cheltenham Spa to help customers board safely.
Cheltenham Spa Station Manager Richard Morrish said:
“The Cheltenham Festival is one of the most popular in the race calendar, bringing a large number of visitors to the town.
“While our friendly and approachable staff will be on hand to help keep people moving, I would urge customers to allow time for their journeys, as a queuing system will be needed to allow passengers to safely board trains.”
Cheltenham Spa customers
Trains will depart from London Paddington at:
· 07.36
· 08.03
· 08.33
· 09.03
· 09.36
Trains will depart from Cheltenham at:
· 16.20 to London Paddington
· 17.00 to Swindon
· 17.32 to Bristol Temple Meads
· 17.39 to Swindon
· 17.59 to London Paddington
· 18.34 to London Paddington
· 19.00 to London Paddington
· 19.34 to London Paddington
· 19.07 Worcester Shrub Hill to Bristol Temple Meads (calling at Cheltenham at 1937)
· 20.01 to Swindon
· 20.31 to London Paddington (Friday only)
· 20.35 to Swindon
· 20.48 to Bristol Temple Meads
· 21.00 to Swindon
· 22.01 to Swindon
· 22.21 to Bristol Temple Meads
The following service alterations will apply for race days:
· 09.39 Swindon to Cheltenham service is retimed to depart Swindon at 09.15
· 15.15 Service from Paddington to Cardiff terminates at Swindon
· 16.15 Paddington to Swansea service terminates at Newport
· 17.55 Cardiff to Paddington is cancelled and diverted to start form Cheltenham, then run to Swindon and onto Paddington at its normal times