Our train timetables in South Wales have changed, meaning more frequent journeys for many passengers as we enter the next phase of the Metro project.

As we embark on a major milestone in the South Wales Metro project, introducing brand-new electric trains onto our network, there are now permanent changes to our train timetables.

From Sunday 02 June 2024, timetables on the Merthyr Tydfil, Aberdare, Treherbert, Rhymney, City, Coryton, Cardiff Bay, Barry and Bridgend lines were updated. If you’re planning to travel on any of these routes, please check before you travel.

Changing our timetables is key to allow us to introduce new trains from Autumn 2024 and to introduce more frequent and later running services on many lines from June; the start of a true ‘turn up and go’ Metro service.

This is a big change for many passengers within South Wales, so we encourage you to check for changes to your route before you travel. You may now need to change trains to reach your destination. But, in most cases, the next train you need will only be a few minutes away.

 

Why are you changing the timetable?  

The timetable change has allowed the network to be more efficient and future-proof, allowing us to introduce our new electric trains onto the network over the coming months.

 

What does the timetable change mean for me?

Select your local station to find out what the timetable change means for you.

Treherbert services

Treherbert services will run as normal to and from Cardiff.

From 02 June, we’ll be introducing more frequent evening services to the Treherbert, Aberdare and Merthyr lines, with trains every 30 minutes from Cardiff until 20:30 instead of 19:30 today.

Aberdare services

Aberdare to Cardiff services will run as normal to Radyr but will then run to Cardiff Central via the City Line, stopping at Danescourt, Fairwater, Waun-Gron Park and Ninian Park. After arriving at Cardiff Central, the train will continue to Cardiff Queen Street, Cathays and Llandaf and onwards to Merthyr Tydfil.

Journeys to and from Cardiff Central will take the same time as currently. For passengers travelling to Llandaf, Cathays or Cardiff Queen Street, there are two options available:

  1. Stay on the train after Cardiff Central, as it will continue onto Cardiff Queen Street, Cathays, and Llandaf.
  2. Change at Pontypridd station for a Cardiff-bound service which will depart approximately 5 minutes later. This service starts at Pontypridd and will travel into Cardiff via Llandaf, Cathays, Cardiff Queen Street and Cardiff Bay.

If changing at Pontypridd onto a Cardiff Bound service, journey times from Aberdare to Llandaf, Cathays and Cardiff Queen Street will take the same time as today. 

Cardiff to Aberdare services will also run via the City Line, travelling from Cardiff via Cathays, Cardiff Queen Street, Cardiff Central, Ninian Park, Waun-Gron Park, Fairwater, Danescourt, Radyr and onwards to Aberdare.

Aberdare services will no longer continue travelling to Barry or Barry Island. Those wishing to travel to these destinations will need to change at Cardiff Queen Street or Cardiff Central.

Merthyr Tydfil services

Merthyr Tydfil services will run as normal to Cardiff Central, via Llandaf, Cathays and Cardiff Queen Street. They will then continue to travel up the City Line to Radyr, continuing on to Aberdare.

Merthyr Tydfil services will no longer continue travelling to Bridgend and Barry Island. Those wishing to travel to these destinations will need to change at Cardiff Queen Street or Cardiff Central.

Services travelling from Aberdare

Aberdare to Cardiff services will run as normal to Radyr but will then run to Cardiff Central via the City Line, stopping at Danescourt, Fairwater, Waun-Gron Park and Ninian Park. After arriving at Cardiff Central, the train will continue to Cardiff Queen Street, Cathays and Llandaf and onwards to Merthyr Tydfil.

Journeys to and from Cardiff Central will take the same time as currently. For passengers travelling to Llandaf, Cathays or Cardiff Queen Street, there are two options available:

  1. Stay on the train after Cardiff Central, as it will continue onto Cardiff Queen Street, Cathays, and Llandaf.
  2. Change at Pontypridd station for a Cardiff-bound service which will arrive approximately 5 minutes later. This service starts at Pontypridd and will travel into Cardiff via Llandaf, Cathays, Cardiff Queen Street and Cardiff Bay.

 

Services travelling from Merthyr 

Merthyr Tydfil services will run as normal to Cardiff Central, via Llandaf, Cathays and Cardiff Queen Street. They will then continue to travel up the City Line to Radyr, continuing on to Aberdare.

Aberdare and Merthyr services will no longer continue travelling to Bridgend, Barry or Barry Island. Those wishing to travel to these destinations will need to change at Cardiff Queen Street or Cardiff Central.

Pontypridd to Cardiff services

From 02 June, we’ll be Increasing the frequency of services between Pontypridd to Cardiff, from 6 trains per hour currently to 8 trains per hour, running between 07:00 and 19:00, Monday to Saturday. All 8 trains per hour will call at Trefforest Estate.

Included in the 8 trains per hour, there will be a new direct service between Pontypridd and Cardiff Bay which will run every 30 minutes Monday to Saturday. This will run in addition to the Cardiff Queen Street to Cardiff Bay shuttle services.

As infrastructure works continue on the Cardiff Bay line, we will need to temporarily reduce the service from Cardiff Queen Street to Cardiff Bay from 5 trains per hour to 4 trains per hour.

Coryton and City Line services

Currently, Coryton line services travel to Cardiff Queen Street and Cardiff Central, then continue to travel along the City Line to Radyr.

From 02 June, Coryton line services will travel to Cardiff Queen Street and Cardiff Central however, will continue to Penarth and will not travel around to the City Line.

The City Line stations will be served by the Aberdare Line trains which will travel in and out of Cardiff via the City Line.

Those needing to travel between the Coryton and City Lines are advised to change at Cardiff Queen Street or Cardiff Central.

Rhymney line services

From 02 June, we’ll be Increasing the frequency of trains between Bargoed and Rhymney, from 1 train per hour currently, to 2 trains per hour Monday to Saturday with every other train running non-stop between Bargoed and Rhymney.

We’ll also be increasing the frequency of trains between Caerphilly and Cardiff, with trains every 10 minutes between 06:30 and 18:30 Monday to Saturday.

There will also be a more frequent evening service from Cardiff to Bargoed, with trains every 15 minutes until 19:00 instead of 18:00.

Rhymney and Bargoed services will travel to Cardiff Central and will continue to Barry Island, with Rhymney services also travelling onwards to Bridgend.

Caerphilly services will travel to Cardiff Central and then onwards to Penarth.

Penarth services

Currently, Rhymney and Bargoed services travel to Penarth.

From 02 June, Rhymney and Bargoed services will travel to Cardiff Central, and then onwards to Bridgend and Barry Island. Instead, Coryton and Caerphilly services will travel to Penarth.

Those travelling between Penarth and Rhymney/Bargoed can change at Caerphilly, Cardiff Queen Street or Cardiff Central station.

Barry Island and Bridgend services (Via Rhoose)

Currently, Aberdare services travel to Cardiff Central and then to Barry and Barry Island. Merthyr Tydfil services currently travel to Bridgend, Barry and Barry Island.

From 02 June, Aberdare and Merthyr Tydfil services will travel to Cardiff Central, but will not travel onwards to Bridgend, Barry or Barry Island.

Instead, Rhymney and Bargoed services will travel to Cardiff Central and then Bridgend and Barry Island.

Those travelling between Merthyr Tydfil/ Aberdare and Bridgend, Barry and Barry Island are advised to change at Cardiff Central.

As some journeys across the South-East Wales network will involve a change at Cardiff Queen Street or Cardiff Central, we advise passengers who are starting their journeys at these stations to check before you travel as train times, platforms and service routes will change from 02 June.

TrC map Llinellau'r Cymoedd | TfW Valley Lines map

More information about each of the changes can be found on our FAQ page.

 

Why are you changing where services will run?

We are introducing two types of electric trains onto the South-East Wales network as part of Metro:

  1. A fully electric Stadler Citylink tram-train.
  2. A tri-mode Stadler FLIRT, which can run using electricity, battery and diesel.

The tram-trains are electric, running on lines that are fully electrified with Overhead Power Lines, and through short battery sections. These trains will run on the Merthyr Tydfil, Aberdare and Treherbert lines through to Cardiff and Cardiff Bay via Radyr and the City Line. All of these routes are electrified.

The tri-mode trains are powered by electricity, battery, and diesel power. This allows them to travel on both electrified and non-electrified lines. They will run on the Rhymney and Coryton lines, utilising electricity from the Overhead Line Equipment which is currently being installed. They will then continue through Cardiff, switching to diesel power to continue onto Barry Island, Penarth and Bridgend as these lines are not electrified.

As the tram-trains can only run on lines that are fully electrified, and the tri-mode trains can run on both electrified and non-electrified parts of the network, we need to alter our current service routes to best suit the capabilities of our new trains.

 

What are the major route changes?

As two types of train will travel on different parts of the network, we need to change where some of our routes currently run.

The main route changes are:

  • Aberdare services

    • Aberdare to Cardiff services will run as normal to Radyr but will then run to Cardiff Central via the City Line, stopping at Danescourt, Fairwater, Waun-Gron Park and Ninian Park. After arriving at Cardiff Central, the train will continue to Cardiff Queen Street, Cathays and Llandaf and onwards to Merthyr Tydfil.

    • Cardiff to Aberdare services will also run via the City Line, travelling from Cardiff via Cathays, Cardiff Queen Street, Cardiff Central, Ninian Park, Waun-Gron Park, Fairwater, Danescourt, Radyr and onwards to Aberdare.

  • Merthyr Tydfil services

    • Merthyr Tydfil services will run as normal to Cardiff Central, via Llandaf, Cathays and Cardiff Queen Street. They will then continue past Cardiff Central to travel up the City Line to Radyr, continuing to Aberdare.

    • Merthyr Tydfil services will no longer continue travelling to Bridgend and Barry Island. Those wishing to travel to these destinations will need to change at Cardiff Queen Street or Cardiff Central.

  • Coryton services

    • Coryton services will run into Cardiff and onwards to Penarth. They will no longer loop around to Ninian Park, Waun-Gron Park, Fairwater, Danescourt and Radyr via the City Line.

    • City Line stations will be served via the Aberdare line services as outlined above.

  • Barry Island services

    • Aberdare and Merthyr Tydfil services will travel to Cardiff Central but will no longer continue to Barry Island.

    • Instead, Rhymney and Bargoed services will travel to Cardiff Central and continue to Barry Island.

  • Bridgend services (Via Vale of Glamorgan and Rhoose)

    • Merthyr Tydfil services will travel to Cardiff Central but will no longer continue to Bridgend.

    • Instead, Rhymney services will travel to Cardiff Central and continue to Bridgend.

  • Penarth services

    • There will be no direct services to Penarth from Rhymney, Bargoed or Ystrad Mynach.

    • Instead, Penarth services will run from Caerphilly and Coryton.

  • Pontypridd to Cardiff Bay services

    • We are introducing a new direct service between Pontypridd and Cardiff Bay, which will run every half an hour. This service will run directly to Cardiff Bay, without the need to change at Cardiff Queen Street station.

 

Examples of journey times for each major route change can be found on our FAQ page.

 

Will there be platform changes at Cardiff Queen Street?

Yes, we will be changing where some of our services depart at Cardiff Queen Street. A list of platform changes can be found below:

  • Cardiff Queen Street station - Platform changes

    •  

      1

      Cardiff Bay services depart from platform 1

      2

      Cardiff Bay, Cardiff Central, Aberdare (via Ninian Park) and Penarth services depart from platform 2

      3

      Cardiff Central, Barry and Bridgend (via Vale Of Glamorgan Line) services depart from platform 3

      4

      Coryton, Cathays, Llandaf, Treforest, Pontypridd, Treherbert and Merthyr Tydfil services depart from platform 4

      5

      Caerphilly, Ystrad Mynach, Bargoed and Rhymney services depart from platform 5

      Subject to change during disruption.

      Please check before you travel on customer information screens or on the TfW app.

 

What are the major timetable changes?

Changing where our trains run will allow us to increase the frequency of services on many of our lines straight away, as the timetable will be more efficient.

All train times from June 2024 are now live on our journey planner.

  • Rhymney line

    • Increased frequency from 1 train per hour from Bargoed to Rhymney to 2 trains per hour, Monday to Saturday, with every other train running non-stop between Bargoed and Rhymney.

    • Increased frequency between Cardiff and Caerphilly, with trains every 10 minutes between 06:30 and 18:30 Monday to Saturday.

    • More frequent evening service from Cardiff to Bargoed, with trains every 15 minutes until 19:00 instead of 18:00.

  • Pontypridd to Cardiff

    • Increased frequency from 6 trains per hour currently to 8 trains per hour, running between 07:00 and 19:00, Monday to Saturday.

    • All 8 trains per hour will call at Trefforest Estate.

    • Included in the 8 trains per hour, there will be a new direct service between Pontypridd and Cardiff Bay which will run every 30 minutes Monday to Saturday. This will run in addition to the Cardiff Queen Street to Cardiff Bay shuttle services.

  • Cardiff Bay

    • As infrastructure works continue on the Cardiff Bay line, we will need to temporarily reduce the service from 5 trains per hour to 4 trains per hour.

    • 2 of these services will run to and from Pontypridd, without the need to change at Cardiff Queen Street station.

  • Aberdare, Treherbert and Merthyr Tydfil

    • We are introducing more frequent evening services, with trains every 30 minutes from Cardiff to Aberdare, Treherbert and Merthyr Tydfil until 20:30 instead of 19:30.

 

Would you like more information?

Further details on the June 2024 timetable change and what this means for your journey can be found on our FAQ page.

The Welsh Government and TfW are committed to an ambitious programme of Metro improvements known as the Core Valleys Lines (CVL) Transformation. This transformation project has been part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund.

 

European Regional Development Fund

A number of South Wales Metro projects have been part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund through the Welsh Government.