I echo almost everything that
Envoy said at 20:10 on Saturday
I would stress that most of the complaints are about cosmetic issues, you only need to search on WalesOnline for clickbait drivel about the softness of the seats (Not GWR’s decision, but the DfT, and please remember that the original procurement for these trains was launched by the DfT in 2005 and Agility/Hitachi were confirmed as the preferred bidder in 2009).
A bugbear of mine, which hasn’t been mentioned by others is the inconsistency in train formation. I can live it being essentially a lottery as to whether the train arriving is a nine-car set or 2x5 sets (and equally a five car set at quitter times), but too often a five car set works the London-South Wales route at rush hour and when 2x5 cars to run, they’re often either the wrong way around or one set is. Meaning passengers with reserved seats, or a preference for 1st class or the quiet carriage are often at the wrong end of the platform. It also doesn’t help that carriages are assigned a letter (A-E, A-J etc) and the CIS screens in the stations say “First Class is in carriages 4,5,6 and 7).
GWR seem to have completely given up both enforcing the quiet carriage and advertising it internally. The current IEP trains have one poster at the far end of the carriage saying “Sshh!”
As Envoy said the pricing structure doesn’t help passengers. I insist anyone (individual or organisation) buying a £200+ open ended ticket between London and South Wales has more cash than brain cells. Equally I do I think it’s unfair that a Cardiff-Swindon open ended off peak return can cost as little as £22.60 yet the Swindon-London equivalent ticket is closer to £50, despite both journeys taking roughly an hour.
In terms of walk up day fairs, Paddington to Reading (22 minutes) can be bought for £20.60, yet Reading to Swindon (40 minutes) is only £15.30. The DfT needs to work with TfL to ensure that Crossrail/Elizabeth line services from Reading are cheap enough to encourage people to switch at Reading not Paddington even if they’re not heading further east.
It would be lovley to get a firm commitment as to when the 3rd train per hour (at peak times) will run between Cardiff and London oh and for the electrification work and link to Heathrow to happen asap, but that's a different issue.
Staff are a credit to GWR and the rail industry as a whole, trains are clean and relatively comfortable (although you’ll never please everyone!), personally I prefer a buffet over a trolley, but I understand why the DfT, GWR and most passengers prefer a trolley.