Cardiff Central Enhancements FAQ

  • What improvements are planned at Cardiff Central station?

    • The programme of work will enhance the railway station by increasing capacity, reducing congestion, and transforming the passenger environment.

      As part of the programme of enhancements, Transport for Wales plans to: 

      • Consolidate the gate lines to ease movement throughout the station
      • Improve passenger waiting facilities
      • Provide new staff accommodation
      • Deliver enhancements to platform 0
      • Declutter the station
      • Carry out upgrades which will help improve the overall day-to-day running of the station
      • Upgrade the facilities at the southern entrance of the station
      • Deliver accessibility and layout enhancements at the station’s northern concourse
  • How will the Cardiff Central station programme of works interact with other schemes being delivered in the area?

    • We’re working collaboratively with partners to transform travel in the heart of Cardiff. The overall planned investment in the area aims to create an integrated transport hub that significantly enhances access to central Cardiff, as well as enabling further growth across the region.

      In central Cardiff, schemes are being delivered by partner organisations to improve public realm and interchange areas with new pedestrian and cycle linkages, interchange facilities for other transport modes (bus, coach, taxi, local metro services), a cycle hub, a consolidation of car park provision (including electric vehicle and digital infrastructure) and enable new commercial development.

  • What is the budget for these improvements?

    • An overall budget of more than £130m has been agreed by partners.

  • How is the project funded?

    • The funding will be provided through a series of partners - Department for Transport, Cardiff Capital Region and the Welsh Government.

  • Why does this money need to be spent?

    • Cardiff Central station has had little change for decades and the need for modernisation and an upgrade has been recognised. With growing passenger numbers, it regularly experiences overcrowding, particularly at the morning and evening peak times, and there are concerns about it being able to safely accommodate passengers in the future, particularly hampering the city’s opportunity to host major and global events.

  • Will there be any chance for passengers to have a say in what the improvements will look like?

    • An engagement was carried out in 2021 to seek general views on what people saw as priorities for the central station and surrounding area, particularly with regards to accessibility. In summer 2024, TfW hope to submit a full planning application which will provide further opportunities for comment from stakeholders including passengers and the wider public.

  • Will enhancements to the station mean any improvements to train performance and reliability of services stopping at Cardiff Central station?

    • The station enhancement project will improve capacity at platform 0 to enable new, longer trains to use it as well as improving passengers’ overall experience in accessing and using the station.

      Separate projects, to improve capacity on the routes into and out of Cardiff Central station, are being developed by Network Rail and Transport for Wales. These works are aimed at improving line capacity into the station, this then improves reliability and creates opportunities for new services.

  • In researching and developing your plans, have you considered the impact the coronavirus pandemic has had on future rail travel?

    • As part of the planning to identify the best feasible option to improve access ability at the station, an exercise has been completed to capture data on current usage at the station (May 2022), measuring both general commuting peaks and ‘event days’ in Cardiff, when traditionally footfall soars. This will make sure the station improvements account for changing travel patterns and will be combined with the latest growth forecasts to give a rounded business case for the scheme.

  • How will this project fit in with the nearby new bus interchange?

    • The project team delivering the station enhancements are working closely with their colleagues developing the bus interchange to ensure there will be seamless integration between both. This will include modern, easy to understand customer information systems and clear ‘way finding’ at the train station and bus interchange. Options to directly improve connectivity are being explored.

  • Will you be improving the opportunities for integration with other forms of transport, particularly cycling?

    • TfW will be collaborating with partners on their interfacing projects in the area to provide better interchange facilities for other transport modes including walking and cycling, bus, coach, taxi and future services.