Passengers on South Wales Valleys rail routes are being advised to check before they travel on Sunday 27 September, when South Wales Metro upgrades will disrupt services.
Engineering work at Cardiff Queen Street station means no rail services will run on the Treherbert, Aberdare and Merthyr lines throughout the day. Transport for Wales (TfW) will run rail replacement bus services across all affected routes, with journey planning information available on the TfW website and app.
The one-day closure forms part of the ongoing South Wales Metro upgrade programme. During the closure, TfW will carry out essential signalling work and further improvements including track maintenance, vegetation management and structural works.
Rail services will return to normal on Monday 28 September. Rail services to Rhymney remain unaffected.
Dan Tipper, Chief Infrastructure Officer at Transport for Wales, said: “We know these changes will affect customers travelling between the Valleys and Cardiff on Sunday 27 September, and we’d like to thank them for their patience and understanding.
“While the impact is limited to one day, we encourage everyone planning a journey to check before they travel, make use of the replacement bus services available and allow extra time for their journey where necessary.”
Rail replacement buses will operate throughout Sunday 27 September. Services will operate approximately hourly between Cardiff Central and Treherbert, Aberdare and Merthyr Tydfil. Ticket acceptance will also be in place on the City Line to help customers complete their journeys.
Due to local road restrictions on the route to Penrhiwceiber, rail replacement buses will not be able to serve the station directly. A dedicated shuttle service will operate for customers travelling to and from Penrhiwceiber, with connections available at Pontypridd and Mountain Ash.
While rail replacement services are in place, passengers must hold a valid ticket before boarding. Pay as you go ticketing remains available, with validators positioned a short walk from most replacement bus stops. If a validator is unavailable, customers are advised to purchase tickets via the TfW app or website, or speak to members of the TfW revenue protection team stationed at key locations.
Pay As You Go travel on local bus services is not eligible for ticket acceptance on the City Line. Customers travelling on the City Line must purchase a valid ticket before they travel. Pay as you go travel remains valid on Rail Replacement Services where ticket acceptance is in place.
Pay as you go customers who are unable to tap out, or who forget to do so, can complete their journey through the TfW app or website the day after they travel by adding in a missed tap.
