Station

Finding Cardiff Central station

Cardiff Central is located at Central Square in Cardiff city centre. It’s a Grade II listed building opened in 1850, easy to spot thanks to its grand stature and location in the heart of this historic city.

The station is on the South Wales Main Line. It’s the main station in Cardiff and a large transport interchange. You can access Cardiff Central most easily on foot, by bike or bus. You can also pay to use the car park. The station has step-free access.

Buy your Advance ticket directly with us for cheaper fares and no admin fees. Board your train at Cardiff Central to explore Wales and the UK.

 

 Station message

The Penarth Road car park at the southside of Cardiff Central station will close on Thursday 12 March and will remain closed until Sunday 29 March. This is due to a number of special events taking place and planned rail replacement operations.

The Riverside car park adjacent to platform 0 will close at 20:00 on 13 March until 04:00 on 15 March, and will also close at 20:00 on 27 March until 04:00 on 29 March. It will remain open at all other times.

At times when the Riverside car park is closed, parking is available at Cardiff Central Quay multistorey car park which is owned by Platform 4, Network Rail’s property development company, and operated by APCOA. If you have any queries about the car park, please contact APCOA staff on site, or contact APCOA directly here. Further information on the car park can be found here. Please allow plenty of time to park in the multistorey and factor in time to get from the multi-storey to the station.

If you have reduced mobility and have arranged passenger assistance at the station, please use the Riverside car park for accessible drop off / pick up and parking when open, and when closed use the Cardiff Central Quay multi-storey.

Taxi drop-off will be located at the Cardiff Central Quay multistorey car park in addition to Saunders Road taxi rank (with the exception of event days).

 

Station message

Glasgow Central - phase two reopening:

From Wednesday 25 March 2026:

Glasgow Central will move into phase two of reopening from Wednesday 25 March 2026.

Platforms 1 to 15 will be open, and most of the main concourse will be returned to passenger use. Some areas will remain within an exclusion zone, including:

  • Gordon Street and Union Street entrances / exits
  • Accessible toilet A and the baby"?changing unit
  • Two ATMs located within the restricted area

Accessible toilet B and the changing places facility remain available. Additional ATMs are also accessible near platforms 9 and 10.

What will be available from Wednesday 25 March:

Toilets:

  • Customer toilets will be open

Ticket facilities:

  • Access to ticketing facilities will be limited
  • The ScotRail ticket office will remain closed

Left luggage and lost property:

  • Both of these services will be available

Lounges:

  • The customer lounge will be open
  • Availability of the Avanti West Coast first class lounge is still to be confirmed

Shops and food outlets:

  • Retail units on the south side of the concourse will be open

Taxis:

  • The taxi rank on Hope Street will continue to operate

Inter"?station travel:

  • The Station Interlink bus will depart from Hope Street

Passenger Assistance:

  • The Passenger Assistance meeting point will return to the main concourse
  • One assistance vehicle will operate on platforms 1 and 2 where possible

Station facilities

  • Parking
  • Shops
  • Step-free access
  • Ticket machine
  • Ticket office
  • Toilets
  • Wifi

This is automated information from www.nationalrail.co.uk (opens in new window). 

General service information
Staffing Level
Full time
Closed Circuit Television
Yes
Information Available From Staff
Yes - from help point
Yes - from information point
Yes - from ticket office
Information Services Open
CIS
  • Departure Screens
  • Arrival Screens
  • Announcements
Customer Help Points
Yes
Ticket buying and collection
Ticket Office
Yes
Prepurchase Collection
Yes
Ticket Machine
Yes
Oystercard Issued

No
Use Oystercard

No
Always Show Oyster Card Fields

No
Smartcard Issued

No
Smartcard Topup
Yes
Smartcard Validator
Yes
Penalty Fares
NR
All station facilities
First Class Lounge

The lounge is available for Avanti West Coast passengers until 19:00 and Caledonian Sleeper passengers from 20:30.

Dedicated corporate area with fixed desks for laptops. Designer chairs. Electronic departure information.

Mon-Fri 07:00 to 19:00
Saturday 07:00 to 18:00
Sunday 10:00 to 18:00
Seated Area

No
Trolleys
Yes
Station Buffet
Yes
Toilets
Yes

Accessible toilets can be located inside the Gordon Street entrance, use the intercom for access. There is also an accessible toilet on platform 9 opposite the water hydration point. Both toilets are operated with a radar Key

Accessible shower is available within the changing places facility.

Baby Change
Yes
Showers
Yes
Telephones

No
Wi Fi
Yes
Post Box
Yes

Located on the concourse

Atm Machine
Yes

Located on concourse

Shops
Yes

Wide range of shops

Accessibility and mobility access
Helpline

If you wish to book assistance but are not sure which train operator you are travelling with, you can call 0800 022 3720. On calling, you will be referred to the appropriate train operator.

https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/
Staff Help Available

Any member of station staff can help or at the mobility point, travel centre as well as the ticket office. Passengers should arrange assistance before travel with the relevant train operator: Avanti West Coast 08000 158 123; Caledonian Sleeper 03300 600500; CrossCountry 08448 110 125; London North Eastern Railway 03457 225 225; TransPennine Express 0800 1072 149; ScotRail 0800 9122 901.

The Mobility Assistance point is open between 07:00 - 22:00. When closed passengers should see any member of station staff. There is an intercom available.

Mon-Fri 04:00 to 00:30
Induction Loop
Yes
Accessible Ticket Machines
Yes
Height Adjusted Ticket Office Counter
Yes

Ticket Office: available

Travel Centre: not available

Ramp For Train Access
Yes
Accessible Taxis

Accessible taxis can be located on Gordon Street.

National Key Toilets
Yes

Accessible toilets can be located inside the Gordon Street entrance, use the intercom for access. There is also an accessible toilet on platform 9 opposite the water hydration point. Both toilets are operated with a radar Key.

Step Free Access

Customers requiring local trains in Lanarkshire, between Dalmuir and Motherwell / Larkhall, will need Platforms 16 and 17 at the underground Low Level part of the station. However, journeys on most routes from Glasgow Central will be from High Level Platforms 1-15.

High Level Platforms 1-15 are all on the same level and require no step free access. To access Low Level Platforms 16 & 17 there are escalators. Disabled passengers should use the lift behind the ticket barriers on platforms 11-15. Disabled passengers can also leave by lifts to Hope Street and can leave all other exits by foot except Union Street. For step free access to Union Street disabled passengers should exit by Gordon Street.


Coverage: whole Station
Ticket Gates
Yes

Ticket gates are located on platforms 3 to 17

Impaired Mobility Set Down
Yes

At the Mobility Point on the station concourse. Help can be requested from the mobility point or by asking a member of station staff

Wheelchairs Available
Yes
Assisted Travel

We want everyone to travel with confidence. That is why, if you are planning on travelling on national rail services, you can request an assistance booking in advance - now up to 2 hours before your journey is due to start, any time of the day. For more information about Passenger Assist and how to request an assistance booking via Passenger Assist, please click here.

Transport links
Cycle Storage
Spaces: 70
Sheltered: Yes
Cctv: Yes
Annotation:

Located in front of the escalators to platforms 16 & 17 beside the British Transport Police office and on platform 15


Type: Stands,Racks
Rail Replacement Services

Bus pick up / drop off on Gordon Street.

Taxi Rank

Taxis are available outside opposite the Gordon Street exit

Onward Travel

First Group operate a network of frequent local bus routes around Glasgow city and nearby towns. For route maps and timetables:

www.firstgroup.com/ukbus

Arriva and Stagecoach operate a network of routes from Glasgow to surrounding towns. For routes and times:

www.arrivabus.co.uk and www.stagecoachbus.com

Not all buses are accessible

Buy a Glasgow PLUSBUS ticket with your train ticket, for discount price unlimited bus travel around the city. For details:

www.plusbus.info

For information about all public transport  in Glasgow and Strathclyde the area visit:

www.spt.co.uk

Airport

GLASGOW AIRPORT:

First operate the Glasgow Shuttle 500 bus, running every ten minutes direct to the airport. There are stops just outside Glasgow Central station on Bothwell Street and Waterloo Street. For times: www.firstglasgow.com

Port

Service to Gourock for onward ferry connection to Dunoon and Kilcreggan. Service to Wemyss Bay for onward ferry connection to Rothesay. Service to Ardrossan Harbour for onward ferry connection to Brodick. Service to Stranraer for onward ferry connection to Belfast.

Cycle Hire

Glasgow City Council bike scheme: 400 bikes will be available for public hire at 31 locations across the city with additional temporary sites: www.nextbike.co.uk/en/glasgow/

Parking information
Car Park

Operator Name: NCP
Name: Oswald Street N C P Car Park
Spaces: 555
Number Accessible Spaces: 6
Accessible Car Park Equipment: Yes
Cctv: No

Open:
Mon-Sun

Website: https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/
Passenger services
Left Luggage

Operator Name: Excess Baggage Company
https://www.excess-baggage.com/
Mon-Fri 07:00 to 23:00
Lost Property

Operator Name: Excess Baggage Company
https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/
Mon-Fri 09:00 to 17:00
Live departures and arrivals