TRAVEL in West Wales will be boosted as a new timetable comes into force this week.

Great Western Railway (GWR) has announced that from Monday, May 22 there will be 65 more trains in south Wales, including services direct between Carmarthen and London Paddington.

Previously, the service would only run between London Paddington and Swansea, but that has now been extended.

The direct services between Carmarthen and London will also call at Llanelli, Pembrey and Burry Port, seeing additional departure times of 9.27am, 11.27am, 2.24pm, 4.19pm, 6.18pm and 8.30pm between Carmarthen and London (with the 8.30pm going as far as Bristol Parkway) and times of 6.48am, 9.48am, 11.48am, 1.48pm and 3.48pm from London to Carmarthen.

The above times are for weekday departures, with additional Saturday departures of 9.32am, 1.25pm, 3.28pm, 5.20pm and 7.19pm from Carmarthen to London (with the 7.19pm going as far as Swansea), and 6.48am, 8.48am, 10.48am, 12.48pm and 2.48pm from London to Carmarthen.

There will also be four services a day through May and September to Pembroke Dock.

Lee Waters, MS, the Welsh Government’s deputy minister for climate change with responsibility for transport, said: “We are committed to improving rail services in west Wales, therefore the news that GWR are extending their existing Swansea services through to Llanelli, Pembrey & Burry Port and Carmarthen, an increase of 65 direct services to and from Bristol and London every week, is very welcome.

“The introduction of more rail services is an important part of our plan to boost sustainable transport, making the right choice, the easy one: leaving the car at home and instead, catching a train.”

Detailed service changes are now available in online journey planners and through GWR’s Journey Check service https://www.gwr.com/travel-information/travel-updates/check-your-journey and those used to catching a specific train should check their journey in advance.