Road closures and major travel changes are set to come into force across Cardiff when Wales take on Italy in the final Guinness Men’s Six Nations Championship 2026 match at the Principality Stadium on March 14.
With kick off scheduled for 4.40pm, large parts of the city centre will close to traffic between 12.30pm and 9pm as thousands of rugby fans descend on the Welsh capital.
Motorists are being warned that the M4 motorway is expected to be very busy and are being urged to plan ahead. Those travelling by car are advised to avoid congestion in the city centre by using the official park and ride service at the car park by the Vindico Arena on International Drive in the Sports Village, Cardiff Bay (CF11 0JS).
Fans attending the match are also encouraged to arrive early and check the prohibited items list on the Principality Stadium website before travelling, including the stadium’s bag policy which does not allow large bags.
Road closures across Cardiff
Several roads will close throughout the day to allow for the safe movement of crowds.
From 7am, Scott Road and Park Street will close to allow preparations for Gate 5 and to manage queues of fans entering the stadium.
The following roads will be closed as part of the full city centre road closure:
- Kingsway from its junction with North Road to its junction with Duke Street
- Cowbridge Road East from its junction with Cathedral Road to its junction with Westgate Street
- Tudor Street from its junction with Clare Road to its junction with Wood Street (access for residents and traders permitted via Fitzhammon Embankment)
- Plantagenet Street and Beauchamp Street from their junctions with Despenser Place to their junctions with Tudor Street (access for residents and traders permitted)
The following roads will be closed in their entirety:
- Duke Street
- Castle Street
- High Street
- St Mary Street
- Caroline Street
- Wood Street
- Central Square
- Westgate Street
- Quay Street
- Guildhall Place
- Golate
- Park Street
- Havelock Street
- Scott Road
Station Terrace and Guildford Street between Newport Road and Churchill Way will be buses only during the closure period to maintain access to bus satellite points.
Penarth Road will also close 30 minutes before the match finishes and remain closed for up to one hour after the final whistle for safety reasons relating to passengers travelling to and from Cardiff Central railway station.
Access to part of the Civic Centre will also be controlled throughout the day for event parking, limited commuter parking and access to private car parks. Roads affected include King Edward VII Avenue, Museum Avenue, City Hall Road, College Road and Gorsedd Gardens Road.
Train travel changes
Transport for Wales will trial a new post match crowd management system for the Wales vs Italy fixture on March 14.
Fans heading home on Valleys and Vale services will be directed to Cardiff Queen Street station instead of Cardiff Central. Mainline train services, including Ebbw Vale services, will continue to operate from Cardiff Central.
Queueing for Valley and Vale services will take place at Cardiff Queen Street station, while mainline queues will remain on Cardiff Central Square.
Platform allocations at Cardiff Queen Street will be:
- Platform 2 – Cardiff Bay, Barry Island, Penarth, Bridgend
- Platform 3 – Aberdare
- Platform 4 – Pontypridd, Treherbert, Merthyr Tydfil
- Platform 5 – Bargoed, Caerphilly, Rhymney, Coryton, Ystrad Mynach
Passengers are encouraged to have a valid ticket before arriving at the station and are advised to use the contactless pay as you go system across the South Wales Metro network or the Transport for Wales app.
Pay as you go users should tap in at their departure station and tap out using the same payment method at Cardiff Central. Transport for Wales volunteers will be available to assist passengers.
Pay as you go is available on Transport for Wales and CrossCountry services across the South Wales Metro network, but not on Great Western Railway services.
Great Western Railway will also run additional services after the match to Swansea, Newport, Bristol and London. However, trains are expected to be extremely busy and a queueing system will be in place outside Cardiff Central station.
Park and ride and parking
The official event park and ride facility will operate from the car park by the Vindico Arena on International Drive in the Sports Village, Cardiff Bay (CF11 0JS).
The car park opens at 9.30am, with the first bus departing at 10am. The final bus from the city centre leaves at 7.30pm. The cost is £15 and payment is cash only.
Event day parking will also be available at the Civic Centre and Sophia Gardens.
Civic Centre parking costs £20 for cars and £30 for coaches, with card payments available. The car park opens at 8am and closes at 12 midnight.
Sophia Gardens parking costs £20 for cars and £30 for coaches and also opens at 8am, closing at 12 midnight. The site will be staffed until 7pm and vehicles are left at the owner’s risk. Any vehicles left after closing time may be fined.
Bus and taxi changes
Cardiff Bus Interchange will close at 12.30pm and reopen at 9pm.
Local bus services will be diverted while road closures are in place, and passengers are advised to check the websites of their bus operator for the latest information.
National Express coaches will continue to use Sophia Gardens as normal.
The St Mary Street taxi rank will close at 12.30pm and reopen at 9pm.
Cycling and walking
Cycleways and pop up cycle routes within the road closure area will remain open during the event, although cyclists are asked to take care due to the large crowds expected.
The closures apply to all motor vehicles but not to bicycles with pedals.
Residents living locally may also wish to walk or cycle into the city centre. Research shows that 52% of car trips made in Cardiff are less than 5km, a distance that can typically be cycled in around 20 minutes.
Additional parking options
City centre car parks will remain available, including North Road car parks, St David’s Shopping Centre, John Lewis, Capitol Shopping Centre and NCP sites on Adam Street, Dumfries Place and Greyfriars Road.
Disabled drivers are advised to use Sophia Gardens, although disabled parking is also available at various private car parks. Visitors are encouraged to check individual websites for availability.
For the latest motorway and trunk road updates, motorists can visit the Traffic Wales website or follow Traffic Wales on social media.
