Rail passengers across South Wales are encouraged to plan ahead as essential track work takes place between Newport, Cardiff and the Valleys between Friday 20 to Sunday 22 March.
The work taking place will see Network Rail engineers replacing sections of the track on the South Wales Mainline between Newport and Cardiff Central throughout the weekend, with Transport for Wales (TfW) engineers carrying out further work near Cardiff Queen Street on the Sunday.
These works will affect all services travelling from Cardiff to Newport throughout the weekend, and Valleys services travelling through Cardiff Queen Street on the Sunday. Rail replacement services will be in place and passengers are advised to allow extra time for their journeys.
Colin Lea, Planning and Performance Director at TfW, said: “We’re encouraging all passengers travelling between Cardiff and Newport to check their journey in advance, as many of our services will be affected throughout the weekend. This includes trains to Manchester, Holyhead, Cheltenham, Ebbw Vale, Maesteg and some Valleys services on Sunday.
“To help keep passengers moving, we’ll be running a comprehensive rail replacement bus service. We’ll have buses running roughly every five minutes between Cardiff and Newport, with an additional four buses per hour in each direction serving the Valleys blockade.
“Our teams will be on hand throughout the weekend to support customers and help them reach their destination.”
Nick Millington, route director for Network Rail Wales and Borders, said: “The work we’re carrying out between Newport and Cardiff is essential to keeping this busy stretch of railway safe, reliable and ready for the future.
“We understand how important these journeys are for people travelling, and we’re sorry for the inconvenience it causes. Thank you to everyone for your patience and understanding while we complete these essential upgrades.”
TfW encourages all passengers travelling along these routes to check before they travel using the TfW app or website.
Passengers using pay as you go within the Metro are asked to follow these steps:
- TfW staff will be at Newport and Cardiff Central with hand‑held pay as you go validators. If your journey starts or ends at these stations, just tap in or out with the team’s mobile validators, or speak to our gate line staff.
- If you’re travelling through these stations (e.g. Chepstow to Bridgend), do not tap in or out at Newport or Cardiff Central as this may result in an incomplete journey. Tap in at your starting station and tap out at your destination as normal.
- Revenue protection staff will check that you’ve tapped correctly when you get on or off rail replacement services.
- You must have a valid ticket to board the rail replacement buses.
