• I need assistance when travelling on public transport - is help available?

    • Yes, it is. Colleagues are available to provide help, wherever possible, to help you get to your destination safely.

      While it’s not a requirement to book ahead, we strongly recommend that you call 03333 211 202 if you’re planning on travelling by train, or please contact your bus operator to discuss your journey as soon as possible. You can find details on Traveline Cymru’s website.

  • What security measures are in place on public transport?

    • We’ve a zero-tolerance policy on anti-social behaviour, and we ask that all passengers always respect fellow commuters and public transport staff. 

      We’re continuing to work very closely with the British Transport Police (BTP), who are there to offer support in tackling any criminal incidents on the rail network and help with educating passengers on the importance of following the physical distancing measures.

      You can report an incident on the rail network either safely alerting a member of staff or by calling the BTP on 0800 405 040 or by texting 61016. 

      If you experience problems when travelling by bus, please safely alert your driver who will follow the protocols in place and radio for assistance, where necessary. 

  • What is the Capacity Checker?

    • Our Capacity Checker tool tell you which trains are often full and which ones have plenty of seats available, helping you to plan ahead and decide what time is the best for you to travel.

  • Why can’t you put on extra trains or buses?

    • Trains

      We’re currently using extra capacity wherever possible.  All of the trains and carriages that we’ve available are being run on our services.

      A lot of our train services need to run with more carriages than normal to allow for better social distancing onboard, and we need a little longer than usual to carry out our enhanced cleaning regimes to make sure we’re following government guidelines.  

      Our staff numbers continue to remain lower than normal due to covid-related absences, which means we’ve less of our people available to run our services.

       

      Buses

      Bus operators are currently using extra capacity wherever possible. They’ve prioritised increasing services based upon the Welsh Government’s key priorities:

      • increasing frequencies where demand exceeds capacity
      • enhancing social inclusion through improving accessibility to jobs and services 
      • improves across our regions and communities
      • supporting learners to school or college (term time)
  • Are you putting on rail replacement buses instead?

    • We do put on rail replacement buses where possible.

      We also use some buses on standby for unplanned disruption.

  • Why can’t you use more carriages on the busier trains?

    • The safety of our customers and staff remains our top priority. A lot of our train services are running with more carriages than normal to allow for better social distancing, and we’re working with the British Transport Police to increase the onboard security presence on our trains.

      We’re managing the capacity at stations, wherever possible, but not all our stations are staffed. To help keep the network as safe as possible, we’re asking passengers to play their part by following our Travel Safer guidance.

      We’re closely monitoring changes in customer demand in order to inform any change to services across the network. 

  • Is onboard catering available on the trains now?

    • We have seat trolley catering on selected services. We’re also operating full catering, including restaurants on six of our Mark IV services, which run Monday to Friday.  You can find more details, here.

  • Will toilets and waiting rooms be open at stations?

    • Yes, waiting rooms and toilets should be open. Hand wash and hand sanitiser should also be available to use. Please speak to the station ticket desk if you have any queries.

  • What is the fflecsi service?

    • fflecsi is a pilot service working in partnership with local bus operators and local councils across 11 areas of Wales. fflecsi buses pick you up and drop you off in zones and not just at a bus stop this is often closer to your home and destination. You have to book your journey via the fflecsi app or on the phone and then the bus picks you up, picking up other passengers with similar journey requests along the way. fflecsi is designed to help people access public transport, health services and employment opportunities.

      You can view where fflecsi is currently operating in, here.

      To find out more visit fflecsi.wales, download the app or call 03002 340 300.

  • Is Community Transport Association running its services?
  • What forms of travel do you recommend in place of buses or trains?

    • We’re encouraging people, wherever possible, to use active travel for short journeys to help reduce pressure on public transport.

      You may have heard the term ‘Active Travel’ being used, this refers to when you make a journey by walking or cycling for a purpose such as travelling to work, to school, to the shops or to bus and rail stations. Walking and cycling has proven health and well-being benefits, so you’ll be getting in your daily exercise while you travel.

  • Where can I find help on planning my active travel journey?

    • Help with planning your journey on foot or by bicycle is available through the Traveline Cymru website. You can also download the Traveline Cymru app for free or call their Freephone number 08004 640 000. Alternatively, Google Maps and Komoot offer free journey planning functions that cater for journeys on foot or by bicycle.

      Information on active travel routes in your area is also available from your local Council’s website, details of which can be found here.

      To check whether you live near the National Cycle Network you can visit the Sustrans website.

      Local councils across Wales are also being encouraged to install temporary facilities to make it easier for people to walk and cycle and Sustrans have developed a tool to help you see what’s being implemented in your area here.  

  • I don’t own a bicycle but would like to cycle, is any help available?

    • Public bike share schemes, such as as OVO Bikes, are available in a small number of local councils in Wales, where you can hire a bike to get you from a to b. To find out more about OVO, please visit their website.

      Other local schemes may also be available in your area, please check your local council’s website for further information.

  • My home isn’t a safe place, where can I go for help about domestic violence?

    • We’ve signed up to the ‘Rail to Refuge’ UK scheme in support of Women’s Aid, which offers to cover the cost of train travel for anyone who needs to flee domestic violence during the coronavirus crisis.

      You can find out more here.