ALMOST 29,000 rail passengers have already made their reservations for Christmas journeys - and figures show dramatic changes in travel patterns.

Swindon-based First Great Western released figures last Friday showing 12 per cent more people are choosing to leave Wales bound for the capital

Meanwhile, 22 per cent more passengers are travelling between the Cotswolds and London.

The latest information also shows that fewer passengers are travelling from the West of England to the capital and from London to Wales.

As is typical for the festive season, services from London Paddington to Devon, Cornwall and Somerset are proving the most popular, with more than a third of bookings on this route.

Louise Blyth, spokesperson for First Great Western, said: "Advance reservations give us a really good idea of where the popular destinations are each holiday period.

"This year it's clear that more people in South Wales are choosing to travel towards London, while the numbers leaving London to spend Christmas in the principality are down six per cent compared with last year."

Currently the most popular day for travel is December 23, with return travel focused on December 27 and December 28.

As with last year, First Great Western is preparing for a rush of bookings in the week before Christmas.