We’re moving closer to delivering the South Wales Metro. Brand-new electric trains will enter service onto the Merthyr, Aberdare and Treherbert lines in the Autumn, and we're recently increased the frequency of trains between Pontypridd, Caerphilly, Rhymney and Cardiff following a major timetable change in June 2024.
To deliver more benefits for our customers, we need to undertake significant engineering works this Autumn which will result in buses replacing trains on some Valley lines.
Details on the two major rail closures can be found below. Please note, line closures will continue across the coming months, including weekend and mid-week evening closures on the Coryton and Rhymney lines. A full list all upcoming rail closures affecting the Valley lines can be found here.
Engineering work to prepare for the electrification of the Coryton line
Monday 7 October to Sunday 20 October
Over the past months, Transport for Wales has increased its engineering work along the Coryton line in preparation for electrifying the line.
In preparation for the electrification of the line and to enhance the efficiency of planned infrastructure work, tfw will temporarily close the Coryton line for two weeks.
During this time, no rail services will run from Coryton, Rhiwbina, Birchgrove, Ty Glas or Heath Low Level.
During the closure, ticket acceptance will be in place with Cardiff Bus between Cardiff City Centre and Coryton.
Will services to Penarth be affected by the closure?
As Coryton services travel onwards to Penarth, from Wednesday 9 October to Sunday 20 October, Penarth services will be temporarily reduced to 2 services per hour, with services at half hour intervals travelling between Penarth, Cardiff and Caerphilly.
In addition to the rail service, a rail replacement service will be in place during the AM and PM peaks from Wednesday 9 October to Friday 11 October and Monday 14 October to Friday 18 October, with buses running every half an hour.
The Coryton to Penarth services will not run during this period.
- Rail replacement stops:
-
Reduction in services on the Penarth line
Saturday 19 October and Saturday 26 October
Due to engineering work taking place between Cardiff Central and Bridgend via Pontyclun, we need to limit the number of trains that can travel from Cardiff Central to Penarth as mainline trains will be diverting via Barry, on the Vale of Glamorgan line.
Service changes:
Saturday 19 October - 2 trains per hour will travel between Cardiff Queen Street and Penarth.
Saturday 26 October - 2 trains per hour will travel between Coryton and Penarth. No services will run from Caerphilly to Penarth due to a weekend closure on the Rhymney line.
Weekend closure on the Rhymney line
Saturday 19 October and Sunday 20 October
During this weekend, no trains will run on the Rhymney line, from Rhymney to Cardiff.
On Saturday 19 October, buses will replace trains between Rhymney, Bargoed, Caerphilly and Cardiff Central and will run every 15 minutes during daytime, alternating between Rhymney and Bargoed.
On Sunday 20 October, we’ll run 1 bus per hour from Cardiff Central to Rhymney, and 1 bus per hour to Caerphilly.
Services from Barry Island and Bridgend via Rhoose to Rhymney, Bargoed and Caerphilly will terminate and start at Cardiff Central.
- Rail replacement stops:
-
Engineering works at Cardiff Queen Street station
Sunday 27 October to Friday 01 November
As part of the South Wales Metro transformation, we’re upgrading the railway at Cardiff Queen Street, a busy gateway into our capital city.
As we deliver metro and increase the number of services travelling into Cardiff from the top of each valley to 4 trains per hour, we need to upgrade the track and signalling at Cardiff Queen Street in preparation for more trains to run through the station.
To undertake these essential upgrades, Cardiff Queen Street Station will be closed, with no rail services stopping at or travelling through the station from Sunday 27 October to to Friday 01 November, all day.
As this is a major junction for our Valleys, City and Cardiff Bay services, its temporary closure means several services that would normally run through Cardiff Queen Street are affected, and we advise all passengers to check before you travel as there will be replacement buses in operation or ticket acceptance with bus operators.
During the closure, no rail services will run on the Coryton or Rhymney line, with ticket acceptance in place with Cardiff Bus for routes along the Coryton line and a full rail replacement bus service operating along the Rhymney line.
The ticket office at Cardiff Queen Street station will remain open throughout the closure to allow passengers to purchase tickets and find information on services.
Changes to train service
- Rhymney line services
-
During the Cardiff Queen Street station closure, from Sunday 27 October to Friday 1 November, buses will replace trains between Rhymney, Bargoed, Caerphilly and Cardiff Central.
-
Buses will run every 15 minutes during daytime, alternating between Rhymney and Bargoed.
-
On Sundays, we’ll run 1 bus per hour from Cardiff Central to Rhymney, and 1 bus per hour to Caerphilly.
-
Services from Barry Island and Bridgend via Rhoose to Rhymney, Bargoed and Caerphilly will terminate and start at Cardiff Central.
-
- Treherbert, Aberdare and Merthyr services
-
Trains from Treherbert, Aberdare, Merthyr Tydfil will travel to Cardiff Central via the City Line (via Ninian Park), and will not stop at Llandaf, Cathays and Cardiff Queen Street.
-
Please note: services between Cardiff Central and Treherbert, Aberdare and Merthyr will arrive and depart from Cardiff Central at different times to usual.
-
- Pontypridd to Cardiff services
-
Daytime services between Pontypridd and Cardiff Central will decrease to 3 per hour on Sunday and 6 per hour from Monday to Saturday. The additional half-hourly service from Pontypridd to Cardiff Bay will not run.
-
Rail services will not run from Radyr to Cardiff Queen Street via Llandaff or Cathays. Those needing to travel to Llandaff, Cathays or Cardiff Queen Street can change at Radyr where a regular bus replacement service will be in operation between Radyr and Cardiff Central, stopping at these stations.
-
- City Line services
-
City Line stations (Ninian Park, Waun-gron Park, Fairwater and Danescourt) will continue to be served by trains with frequency levels unchanged compared to the regular timetable.
-
- Coryton line services
-
During the closure, no rail services will run on the Coryton line - Coryton, Rhiwbina, Birchgrove, Ty Glas, Heath Low Level. Ticket acceptance will be in place with Cardiff Bus between Cardiff City Centre and Coryton.
-
- Cardiff to Barry Island and Bridgend (via Rhoose)
-
As buses will replace trains between Rhymney and Cardiff Central, Barry Island and Bridgend services travelling via Rhoose will start and terminate at Cardiff Central.
-
Please note: Barry Island and Bridgend services will be further affected on Sunday 27 October due to separate engineering work between Cardiff Central and Bridgend via Pontyclun, operating at reduced and altered frequencies to accommodate diverted trains.
-
- Penarth line services
-
During this period, we are unable to run rail services from Cardiff Queen Street to Penarth. This is due to the number of additional rail services that will be running to Cardiff Central.
-
To ensure passengers can travel between Cardiff and Penarth, we’ll be running a rail replacement service every half an hour from Mondays to Saturdays.
-
Engineering works on the Cardiff Bay line
Sunday 27 October to Sunday 3 November
Alongside engineering works at Cardiff Queen Street, we’ll also be carrying out major track works along the Cardiff Bay line from Sunday 27 October to Sunday 3 November, with rail services resuming as normal on Monday 4 November.
During this time, no rail services will travel from Cardiff Queen Street to Cardiff Bay.
Ticket acceptance will be in place with Cardiff Bus on its Cardiff Bus Baycar number 6 service. Please check your journey on cardiffbus.com.
- Rail replacement services:
-
We will be operating a partial bus replacement service between Cardiff Central, Cardiff Queen Street and Cardiff Bay during the following hours:
-
Sunday 27 October and Sunday 3 November - we’re running an hourly bus service between Radyr and Cardiff Bay.
-
Monday 28, Tuesday 29, Wednesday 30, and Thursday 31 October, and Friday 1 & Saturday 2 November - supplementary bus services between 06:30 - 09:15 and 21:15 - 00:00 with ticket acceptance in place with Cardiff Bus all day.
-
-
Please note: When rail services resume on Monday 4 November, all rail services will use platform 2 at Cardiff Bay station. Platform 1 will be closed off to the public as our teams move to upgrade the platform, replacing the temporary platform extension. Access to and from platform 2 will be via Lloyd George Avenue, with the Bute Street entrance closed.
-
- Rail replacement stops:
-
