Cardiff Central Railway Station [and bus station interchange opposite], Cardiff, Wales. Open daily. Free entry. Ticket fees apply.

Details

Accessibility:

2024: "There are car parks to the rear and to the front of the station, with twenty-three disability spaces, and there is step-free access to the station and lifts to all platforms. There are toilets on all platforms and disability toilets situated in the underground corridor between platforms 1 and 2. The National Key/Accessible toilets are located in the East Subway near the lifts and on Platform 8; these toilets are operated by a RADAR key and are only available during staffing hours. There is a ramp available for access from the platform to the train. Staff help is available for passengers with a disability (Monday - Friday 04:00 - 01:00, Saturday 04:00 - 00:30 and Sunday 07:00 - 00:30). Induction Loop, Accessible Ticket Machines, Height Adjusted Ticket Office Counter, Accessible Public Telephones: There are four payphones in the concourse and one each on platforms 1/2, 3/4 and 6/7."

For further information see https://tfw.wales/places/stations/cardiff-central 

Brief Description:

Cardiff Central railway station is one of three main stations in Cardiff town – the others being Cardiff Queens Street and Cardiff Bay. It has seven platforms and is the busiest railway station in Wales.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cardiff_Central_railway_station

"Cardiff Central (Welsh: Caerdydd Canolog) is a major station on the South Wales Main Line. It is located in the capital of Wales, Cardiff, 144 miles 77 chains (233 km) down the line from London Paddington, via Bristol Parkway,[1] and 170 miles 30 chains (274 km) measured via Stroud.[2] It is one of the city's two urban rail network hubs, along with Cardiff Queen Street. Opened in 1850 as Cardiff station, it was renamed Cardiff General in 1924 and then Cardiff Central in 1973.

The station is sited at Central Square, in Cardiff city centre. The Grade II listed building is managed by Transport for Wales Rail, and is both the largest and busiest station in Wales.[3]

Cardiff Central is one of twenty railway stations in the city and one of two in the city centre, serving as a hub for the Valleys & Cardiff Local Routes. It is an interchange for services between South Wales, West Wales and North Wales, as well as other major British cities.

Transport for Wales Rail operates services to most destinations in Wales and to Manchester, while CrossCountry operates trains to Gloucester, Birmingham and Nottingham. Great Western Railway runs all inter-city services between London Paddington and Swansea via Bristol, as well as some regional services to Bath, Taunton and Portsmouth via Southampton.  There are two entrances to the station. The northern main entrance leads to the main concourse and is on Central Square. The Millennium Stadium is a short distance to the northwest.[35]

The southern entrance is at the rear of the station on Tresillian Way, accessed from Penarth Road, where the station car park is found.

The railway lines are above the station concourses. Two subways, one each at the eastern and western side of the station, run parallel under the tracks linking the two main entrances, from which the platforms are accessed by stairs and lifts, with the exception of Platform 0 which is accessed from the main concourse near Marks and Spencer.

Cardiff Central has eight platforms, numbered 0, 1a/b, 2a/b, 3a/b, 4a/b, 6a/b, 7a/b and 8. There is no longer, despite signage, a Platform 5; this was a west-facing bay platform situated between Platforms 3 and 4 which was removed in the 1960s.[37][38] Platform 0, a short through platform at the north of the station was created in 1999.[12][30]

The station has ten tracks running through it. All but two of the tracks have an adjacent platform, and the remaining two are through lines for goods trains and other non-stopping traffic.

Platforms 3 and 4 are divided into 'A' and 'B' sections and are capable of holding two local trains or a nine car Class 800 train. Other platforms can be used by more than one train, but are not all sectioned.

Platforms 6 to 8 at the south side of the station are used by Valley Lines trains between Cardiff Queen Street, the north of Cardiff, the Valleys, and the Vale of Glamorgan.

Platforms 0 to 4 are typically used by longer distance regional and national services operated by Transport for Wales Rail, Great Western Railway, and CrossCountry to destinations including London Paddington, Birmingham New Street, Bristol Temple Meads, Carmarthen, Derby, Nottingham, Gloucester, Manchester Piccadilly, Milford Haven, Taunton, Portsmouth Harbour, Swansea, Holyhead and Chester.

To the West of the station lies Canton TMD, operated by Transport for Wales Rail, as well as the junction splitting trains to Penarth and the Vale of Glamorgan, Swansea, and Valley line services via Ninian Park and Radyr. To the East of the station lies Cardiff Queen Street (for Cardiff local and Valley Line services), and the mainline toward Newport, Bristol and London.

The majority of facilities are in the main concourse, including ticket desks and machines, cash machines, an information desk, departure and arrival screens, public telephones, a newsagent, and food shops. The station has the only First Class waiting room in Wales.[39][40] Outside, a pay-and-display car park provides 248 spaces.[41]

British Transport Police maintains a presence at Cardiff Central.[42]

Additional ticket barriers were installed in the main entrance of the station in November 2019 as part of plans to reduce congestion at the station at peak times. A study found that the station can see over 40,000 people use the station on major event days in the city. The work was funded by Transport for Wales, who also aimed to refurbish toilets, install more ticket machines, phone charging points, and build cycle storage in 2020.[43] Cardiff Central's customer numbers are forecast to top 34 million users annually by 2043.[43]

In January 2020, Transport for Wales installed a dedicated passenger assistance meeting point in the ticket hall of the station, stating it would provide a comfortable and identifiable location for those needing assistance to wait while their booked assistance is prepared, for example the preparation of boarding aids.[44]"

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c303y2l8g85o

Further Information:

Address:

Cardiff Central station, Central Square, Cardiff, South Glamorgan, CF10 1EP

Cardiff Bus Interchange, Central Square, Cardiff, CF10 1GF

Email:

customer.relations@nationalrail.co.uk

Phone:

National Rail Enquiries: 03457 48 49 50

Textphone: 0345 60 50 600

Website:

http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations_destinations/CDF.aspx

https://tfw.wales/places/stations/cardiff-central 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c303y2l8g85o

Opening Hours:

Open daily, 2024: Ticket office opening hours:

"Three train operators run services to Cardiff Central, a summary is as follows:

• Transport for Wales Rail:
  • Operate frequent local commuter services on the Valleys & Cardiff Local Routes; the local urban rail network.
  • Operate regional services predominantly within South Wales and West Wales to destinations including Swansea, Ebbw Vale Town, Carmarthen, Milford Haven, Pembroke Dock, Maesteg and Cheltenham Spa via Chepstow, typically on an hourly or two-hourly frequency.
  • Operate longer distance services via the Welsh Marches Line, including an hourly service to Manchester Piccadilly, via Hereford, Shrewsbury and Crewe, and a two-hourly service to Holyhead, via Shrewsbury, Wrexham General, Chester and the North Wales Coast Line. A premium daily return service to Holyhead known as the Premier Service is also run.
  • Infrequent boat trains to and from Fishguard Harbour, connecting with the Stena Line ferry to Rosslare Harbour in Ireland.
• Great Western Railway:
  • Operate two trains per hour (tph) to London Paddington via Newport, Bristol Parkway, Swindon and Reading, one of these hourly services begins or terminates at Cardiff and the other begins at or continues to Swansea or Carmarthen.
  • Operate an hourly service to Portsmouth Harbour and an hourly service to Taunton, both running via Bristol Temple Meads, with a small number carrying on to Penzance.
• CrossCountry:
  • Operate an hourly service to Nottingham via Gloucester, Birmingham New Street and Derby.
  • Also operate 2 trains per day to Bristol Temple Meads."

Directions:

Cardiff Central railway station is on Central Square near to the main A4160 road through the centre of Cardiff. OS ST182758

2024: Cycle Storage: Spaces: 156, Sheltered: Yes, Cctv: Yes

Location:

Cycle parking is available at a number of locations at Cardiff Central. Sheffield stands are provided at the east end of platforms 1 and 2, 3 and 4, 6 and 7. Sheffield stands are also located outside the southern entrance to the station. Wheelgrip stands and a shelter is located in the Riverside/Fish Jetty Car Park - adjacent to platform 0. Sheltered stands are available on each platform.

Car parking1:

Operator Name: A P C O A
Name: Penarth Road
Spaces: 193
Number Accessible Spaces: 7
Accessible Car Park Equipment: Yes
Cctv: Yes
Open:
Mon-Fri - 24h
Saturday - 24h
Sunday - 24h

Website: https://www.apcoa.co.uk/tfwr

Car parking2:

Operator Name: A P C O A
Name: Riverside
Spaces: 110
Number Accessible Spaces: 7
Accessible Car Park Equipment: Yes
Cctv: Yes
Open:
Mon-Fri - 24h
Saturday - 24h
Sunday - 24h

Website: http://www.apcoa.co.uk/tfwr

Car parking3:

Operator Name: A P C O A
Name: Brewery Car park
Spaces: 44
Number Accessible Spaces: 0
Accessible Car Park Equipment: Yes
Cctv: Yes
Open:
Mon-Fri - 24h
Saturday - 24h
Sunday - 24h

Website: https://www.apcoa.co.uk/tfwr "

Transport:

For further travel information in Wales please see: www.traveline.cymru/travel-info

Or call Traveline Cymru on 0800 464 0000

Bus station interchange [run by Transport for Wales (TfW)] opposite: https://tfw.wales/cardiff-bus-interchange and https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cw99y22dgv8o

"Operated by Transport for Wales, the interchange is a centralised hub with 14 bus bays. It’ll offer better connections to and between different transport modes including bus, rail, walking, cycling and wheeling. It’ll help us better meet the transport needs of people and businesses across the city and the region. Cardiff Bus and Stagecoach have confirmed their services which will run from the bus interchange from 30 June as part of the first phase of services.

You can find out more information about Cardiff Bus services here. Please check with Cardiff Bus for the most up-to-date information on their services.

You can find out more information about Stagecoach services here. Please check with Stagecoach for the most up-to-date information on their services.

There are plans for additional services to use the bus interchange later in the year, with the next phase of services expected to run from September 2024. Further information on the services and dates will be shared once fully confirmed. Disability Toilets, Changing Places, Toilets, step-free access.

The interchange will open before the first bus service of the day departs and close after the last departure of the day."

Amenities:

The station has both WHSmith and Marks & Spencer on site where you can buy snacks and drinks, and an ATM / Cash Machine.

+ Cardiff Central Riverside Car Park

One Central Square

Cardiff

CF10 1FS