Thousands of music fans will descend on Cardiff this month as Take That and Metallica bring their latest tours to the Principality Stadium.
With large crowds expected and significant road closures planned across the city centre, Cardiff Council is urging concertgoers to plan ahead and allow extra time for their journeys.
Take That will perform on Tuesday, June 16, while Metallica will take to the stage on Sunday, June 28.
Road closures in Cardiff city centre
To ensure spectators can enter and leave the stadium safely, a full city centre road closure will be in place from 3pm until midnight on both concert days.
In addition, Scott Road and Park Street will close from 7am to allow preparations around Gate 5 and manage queues.
Roads affected by the full closure include:
- Castle Street
- Duke Street
- High Street
- St Mary Street
- Caroline Street
- Westgate Street
- Wood Street
- Central Square
- Quay Street
- Guildhall Place
- Golate
- Park Street
- Havelock Street
- Scott Road
Several surrounding routes including Kingsway, Cowbridge Road East and Tudor Street will also be affected.
Penarth Road will close shortly before the concerts end and remain closed for up to an hour afterwards to help manage rail passengers using Cardiff Central station.
Motorists should also be aware that access to parts of the Civic Centre will be restricted throughout the day.
Expect delays on the M4
Cardiff Council has warned that the M4 is expected to be particularly busy on both concert days.
Drivers travelling into Cardiff are encouraged to consider using official park and ride facilities to avoid congestion around the city centre.
Park and Ride options
Take That – Tuesday, June 16
The official park and ride site will operate from Cardiff City Stadium, Leckwith (CF11 8AZ).
Visitors should leave the M4 at Junction 33 and follow signs towards Cardiff City Stadium.
The site opens at 10am, with the first shuttle bus leaving at 10.30am. The last return bus from Fitzhammon Embankment departs at midnight.
Metallica – Sunday, June 28
For Metallica, the park and ride facility will be located at the Vindico Arena car park in Cardiff Bay (CF11 0JS).
The site opens at 10am and buses will begin operating from 10.30am.
The city centre drop-off point will be on Tresillian Way, with return services running until midnight.
For both events, parking costs £15 per vehicle, payable on arrival.
Train passengers urged to plan ahead
Rail operators are putting on additional services to help fans travel home after the concerts.
Great Western Railway will operate extra services from Cardiff Central to Swansea, Newport, Bristol and Swindon.
Transport for Wales will also provide additional capacity where possible across the South Wales network.
Passengers should expect lengthy queues after the concerts.
A managed queuing system will be in place from approximately 9.45pm:
- Valley Lines and Vale of Glamorgan passengers will queue at Cardiff Queen Street station.
- Most other destinations, including Ebbw Vale and Maesteg services, will queue at Cardiff Central station.
- Accessibility queues will be available at Cardiff Central.
Passengers are strongly advised to purchase tickets before joining any queue.
Event day parking options
Those preferring to drive into the city have several official parking options.
Civic Centre Parking
- Opens: 8am
- Closes: Midnight
- Cost: £20 for cars, £30 for coaches
Drivers should leave the M4 at Junction 32 and follow signs towards the Civic Centre.
Sophia Gardens Parking
Located around a 10-minute walk from the stadium.
- Opens: 8am
- Closes: Midnight
- Cost: £20 for cars, £30 for coaches
Sophia Gardens is also recommended for disabled parking.
Bus and coach travel
Local bus services will be diverted while road closures are in place.
Cardiff Bus Interchange will close in line with the city centre road closures.
National Express services will continue to operate from Sophia Gardens as normal.
Passengers should check with their operator before travelling.
Cycling and walking
Cardiff Council is encouraging local residents to consider walking or cycling to the concerts.
Cycle routes and pop-up cycleways within the road closure area will remain open throughout the events.
Cyclists are being asked to take extra care due to the large numbers of pedestrians expected around the stadium.
Taxi arrangements
The St Mary Street taxi rank, located outside the former House of Fraser building, will close at 3pm on both concert days and reopen at midnight.
Before You Travel
Concertgoers are encouraged to arrive early, check their travel plans in advance and familiarise themselves with the Principality Stadium’s bag policy before setting off.
With tens of thousands of fans expected for both shows, allowing extra time and choosing public transport where possible could make for a much smoother journey into and out of the Welsh capital.
