Transport for Wales is making the biggest timetable overhaul for the Welsh valleys for over 30 years to bring an underground-like public transport system to the area. Passengers will soon be able to benefit from several new features, including a colour-coded map, tap-in tap-out payment, and destination boards showing the waiting time for the next train. The new valleys map will show new routes and additional services, amended routes and new termini. As a result, passengers must check before making travel plans as times and routes may change.
The start of the weekend’s timetable change marks the first significant step towards giving the Welsh valleys an upgraded overground rail network. Rail services, however, may be affected for another 18 months during the £1bn valleys line facelift completion. Despite the current major station interchanges in Cardiff, some lines in and out have altered. Consequently, train passengers may need to change trains at Pontypridd or Radyr to reach their destination faster, as seen in major city subways.
By the start of 2026, all TfW routes on what used to be known as the Valley Lines will see twice as many trains an hour. All of these new, larger trains will have step-free boarding for passengers. The doubling of service frequency cannot yet be added to the improved valleys timetable, pending major signalling and track upgrades on the south Wales mainline from west central station owned by Network Rail. Such upgrades would increase capacity, allowing a train to pass through it every minute, making it the second busiest station in Wales.
While the new South Wales metro is designed to connect valleys, criticism is that, in the short-term, it will not increase rail transport for much of Wales’ biggest city. This is because Cardiff has a population of about 360,000, so fewer people live in most valleys’ destinations, including Barry and Bridgend, than in Cardiff. In this regard, the South Wales Metro will be transformative for areas around Cardiff, but large parts of the city are unlikely to see a rise in service frequency or capacity in the first stage.
The next stage of the South Wales Metro will introduce more routes and stations around central Cardiff, and construction is set to begin next summer on a £100m on-street tram service that will initially link the capital’s mainline Central train hub with Cardiff Bay. The line is expected to expand to link the city centre with a planned £250m indoor arena in the bay and the new Cardiff Parkway station in the east of the city. The aim is to have the new tram fully built in under five years and operating in time for Cardiff to act as a host city when the football European Championship comes to Wales in 2028
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