Rail transport in Cardiff
Introduction '''Rail transport in Cardiff''' has developed to provide connections to many other major cities in the United Kingdom, and to provide an urban rail network for the city and its commuter towns in southeast Wales. Today, there are three train operating companies in Cardiff: Great Western Railway, CrossCountry and Transport for Wales.
Services to/from Cardiff ===Transport for Wales===;National* '''''' –  –  –  –  –  –  –  – ''''''* '''Cardiff Central''' – Newport – Hereford –  –  – ''''''* '''Cardiff Central''' –  –  –  –  –  –  – ''''''* '''Cardiff Central''' – Newport –   – '''''';Regional* '''Cardiff Central''' – Bridgend – Port Talbot Parkway –  – ''''''* '''Cardiff Central''' –  –  – '''''';LocalThese services operate on the Valley Lines network –  an urban rail network centred on Cardiff that connects it to its commuter towns in South East Wales:* '''Cardiff Central''' –  –  – '''Coryton'''* '''Cardiff Central''' –  –  – ''''''* '''Cardiff Central''' –  – ''''''* '''Cardiff Central''' – Grangetown –  –  – ''''''* '''Cardiff Central''' – Grangetown – Dinas Powys – Barry –  –  – ''''''* '''''' – ''''''* '''Cardiff Central''' –  –  – ''''''* '''Cardiff Central''' – Cardiff Queen Street –  –  –  – ''''''* '''Cardiff Central''' – Cardiff Queen Street –  –  –  – ''''''* '''Cardiff Central''' – Cardiff Queen Street – Radyr – Pontypridd – Abercynon –  – ''''''* '''Cardiff Central''' – Cardiff Queen Street – Radyr – Pontypridd –  –  – ''''''===Great Western Railway===;National* '''''' –  –  –  –  – ''''''* '''''' –  –  –  – ''''''* '''''' –  –  – '''''';Regional* '''''' –  –  – ''''''* '''''' –  –  –  – ''''''**Daily/Summer Weekend extensions to '''''' and '''''' respectively===CrossCountry===;National* '''''' –  –  –  –  – ''''''
Stations in Cardiff All 20 railway stations in Cardiff are owned by Network Rail and managed by Transport for Wales which also operates all train services at these stations, with the exception of Cardiff Central which is also served by CrossCountry and Great Western Railway. The stations form part of Cardiff's commuter rail network, colloquially known as Valley Lines and  are the main hubs of the city and are the two busiest stations in Wales. '''Cardiff Central''' is one of the United Kingdom's major railway stations, providing connections to Newport, Bristol, Bath, Reading, London, Southampton, Portsmouth, Gloucester, Cheltenham, Birmingham and Nottingham. It is located in the south of the Cardiff city centre'''Cardiff Queen Street''' is the hub of the Valley Lines network, with all lines running through the station. It is located in Cardiff's eastern city centre.StationAreaStation CodePlatforms13/14 Entry/Exit ''(millions)''Year openedLinesImageBirchgrove''Llwynbedw''BirchgroveBCG10.0341929Coryton Line100pxCardiff Bay''Bae Caerdydd''ButetownCardiff BayCDB11.0191841Butetown Branch Line100pxCardiff Central''Caerdydd Canolog''Cardiff city centreCDF811.741850Cardiff City LineCoryton Line,Ebbw Valley RailwayMaesteg Line,Merthyr LineRhondda LineRhymney LineSouth Wales Main LineVale of Glamorgan Line100pxCardiff Queen Street''Caerdydd Heol Y Frenhines''Cardiff city centreAdamsdownCDQ52.4631840Butetown LineCoryton LineMerthyr LineRhondda LineRhymney Line100pxCathays''Cathays''CathaysCardiff UniversityCYS20.8071983Merthyr LineRhondda Line100pxCoryton''Coryton''CorytonPantmawrWhitchurchCOY10.2661911Coryton Line100pxDanescourt''Danescourt''DanescourtLlandaff NorthDCT20.0861987City Line100pxFairwater''Tyllgoed''FairwaterFRW20.0511987City Line100pxGrangetown''Grangetown''GrangetownLeckwithGTN20.1801882Vale of Glamorgan Line100pxHeath High Level''Lefel Uchaf y Mynydd Bychan''HeathCyncoedHHL20.3111915Rhymney Line100pxHeath Low Level''Lefel Isel y Mynydd Bychan''HeathCyncoedHLL10.0541911Coryton Line100pxLisvane and Thornhill''Llys-faen''LisvaneThornhillLVT20.1761871Rhymney Line100pxLlandaf''Llandaf''Llandaff NorthGabalfaWhitchurchLLN20.4411840Merthyr LineRhondda Line100pxLlanishen''Llanishen''LlanishenLLS20.2211871Rhymney Line100pxNinian Park''Parc Ninian''LeckwithNinian ParkCantonNNP20.1001987City Line100pxRadyr''Radyr''RadyrMorganstownRDR30.4691863Merthyr LineRhondda LineCity Line100pxRhiwbina''Rhiwbina''RhiwbinaRHI10.0461911Coryton Line100pxTy Glas''Tŷ Glas''LlanishenHeathTGS10.1311987Coryton Line100pxWaun-Gron Park''Parc Waun-Gron''FairwaterCantonWNG20.0551987City Line100pxWhitchurch''Yr Eglwys Newydd''WhitchurchWHT10.0111911Coryton Line100px
Railway lines '''The rail network within and around Cardiff'''These are the main rail lines that serve Cardiff. Most of the lines are Cardiff commuter lines that form the city's urban rail network.===South Wales Main Line===The South Wales Main Line is a branch of the Great Western Main Line from . It diverges from the main line near Swindon, first passing through Bristol Parkway and continuing through the Severn Tunnel to Cardiff Central via Newport. The line continues from the city towards West Wales. The line between London and Cardiff has been electrified.===Butetown Line===The Butetown Line is a short line running from Cardiff Queen Street to Cardiff Bay. Rail services call only at those stations with a frequency of every 12 minutes.===Cardiff City Line===The Cardiff City Line is entirely within Cardiff running to its western suburbs. The line terminates at Radyr, after calling at Ninian Park, , Fairwater and Danescourt. Rail services run to Cardiff Central and Queen Street every 30 minutes, and usually continue on the Coryton Line.===Coryton Line===The Coryton Line is entirely within Cardiff running to its northern suburbs. The line terminates at Coryton, after calling at stations in Heath, Ty Glas, Birchgrove, Rhiwbina and Whitchurch. Rail services run to Cardiff Central and Queen Street every 30 minutes, and usually continue on the Radyr Line.===Ebbw Valley Railway===The Ebbw Valley Railway was re-opened to passenger rail services in February 2008.The line provides an hourly service between Cardiff Central and Ebbw Vale Town. The line follows the South Wales Main Line eastbound out of Cardiff before diverging north and calling at Rogerstone, Risca and Pontymister, Crosskeys, Newbridge, Llanhilleth and Ebbw Vale Parkway.===Maesteg Line===The Maesteg Line runs from Cardiff to Maesteg in Bridgend County Borough. The line follows the South Wales Main Line through the Vale of Glamorgan until Bridgend, calling at minor stations which are not served by high speed services. The line then diverges northwards through Sarn and Tondu. Services run every hour to and from Cardiff, often extending to Cheltenham Spa.===Merthyr Line===The Merthyr Line runs northward out of Cardiff, calling at stations in the suburbs of Cathays, Llandaff and Radyr, where it connects with the City Line. It continues into Rhondda Cynon Taff, through Taffs Well, Treforest and Pontypridd. Frequencies on this stretch of the line are usually every 10 minutes.After calling at Abercynon, the line splits into two branches; one to Merthyr Tydfil via Merthyr Vale and another to Aberdare via Mountain Ash. Frequencies are every 30 minutes on both branches and often link up with Vale of Glamorgan Line services to Barry Island or Bridgend via .===Rhondda Line===The Rhondda Line is a line that runs north from Cardiff through the Rhondda Valley to Treherbert. The line is shared with the Merthyr Line until Pontypridd. From there, the line diverges through Porth, Tonypandy and Treorchy amongst others.Services run every 30 minutes and often continue through Cardiff onto the Vale of Glamorgan Line to Penarth or Barry Island.===Rhymney Line===The Rhymney Line is another line that runs northwards from Cardiff and calls at stations in the city suburbs of Heath, Llanishen and Lisvane before continuing to Caerphilly and places such as Ystrad Mynach, Hengoed and Bargoed.Services on this stretch of line run every 15 minutes. Every hour, trains continue on the rest of the line to Rhymney. Trains often continue through Cardiff onto the Vale of Glamorgan Line to Penarth.===Vale of Glamorgan Line===The Vale of Glamorgan Line is a line that runs from Cardiff through the largely rural county of the Vale of Glamorgan to Bridgend. The line comprises three branches. Trains call at Grangetown in Cardiff before continuing on the main line to stations in Dinas Powys and Barry, or diverging onto a branch serving Penarth. After Barry, services can either continue again to , Llantwit Major and  or diverge to Barry Island.Frequencies to Penarth or to Barry Island are every 15 minutes, and to Bridgend via Cardiff Airport are every hour. Train services often continue after Cardiff Queen Street on the Merthyr, Rhondda or Rhymney Lines.
Main destinations There are direct services from Cardiff Central to the following destinations, with the average scheduled journey time:;National'''Destination''''''Time from Central''''''Operator'''Bath Spa65 minsGreat Western RailwayBirmingham New Street120 minsCrossCountryBristol Parkway41 minsGreat Western RailwayBristol Temple Meads48 minsGreat Western RailwayDerby174 minsCrossCountryGloucester59 minsCrossCountryTransport for WalesHolyhead301 minsTransport for WalesLondon Paddington100-110 minsGreat Western RailwayManchester Piccadilly205 minsTransport for WalesMilford Haven160 minsTransport for WalesNottingham200 minsCrossCountryPortsmouth Harbour211 minsGreat Western RailwayShrewsbury121 minsTransport for WalesSouthampton Central156 minsGreat Western RailwayTaunton122 minsGreat Western RailwayWrexham General161 minsTransport for Wales;Regional/Local'''Destination''''''Time from Central''''''Operator'''Aberdare63 minsTransport for WalesRhymney60 minsTransport for WalesBarry24 minsTransport for WalesBridgend22-59 minsGreat Western RailwayTransport for WalesCoryton19 minsTransport for WalesEbbw Vale56 minsTransport for WalesMaesteg54 minsTransport for WalesMerthyr Tydfil62 minsTransport for WalesNewport13-15 minsCrossCountryGreat Western RailwayTransport for WalesPenarth16 minsTransport for WalesPontypridd30 minsTransport for WalesRadyr26 minsTransport for WalesTredegar84 minsTransport for WalesTreherbert66 minsTransport for Wales
Train operators ;Current train operators'''Operator''''''Years''''''Image''''''Stock operated''''''Route(s)'''CrossCountry2007–2019CrossCountryClass 170 TurbostarCardiff Central – Nottingham via Gloucester and BirminghamGreat Western Railway1996-2019First Great WesternClass 800 IETClass 158 Express SprinterLondon – Paddington via South Wales Main Line, Bristol Parkway and ReadingCardiff Central – Portsmouth Harbour via Bristol Temple Meads, Bath, Salisbury and SouthamptonCardiff Central – Taunton via Bristol Temple Meads and Weston-Super-MareTransport for Wales2018-2033Transport for WalesClass 67 and Mark 3Class 175 CoradiaClass 158 Express SprinterClass 153 Super SprinterClass 150 SprinterCardiff Central – Holyhead via Shrewewsbury, Wrexham & ChesterWest Wales – Manchester Piccadilly via Shrewewsbury & CreweMaesteg – Cheltenham Spa via GloucesterSouth Wales Main Line to Swansea, Carmarthen, Tenby, Pembroke Dock, Milford HavenValley LinesCardiff Bay Line;Former train operators'''Operator''''''Years''''''Image'''Arriva Trains Wales2003–2018Arriva Trains WalesCentral Trains1997–2007Central TrainsValley Lines1995–2001Valley Lines;Former train operators'''Operator''''''Years''''''Image'''Virgin CrossCountry1997–2007Virgin TrainsWales & Borders2001–2003Wales & BordersWales & West1997–2001Wessex Trains2001–2006Wessex Trains
Transport connections The Cardiff Waterbus towards Cardiff Bay stops at Taff Mead Embankment, near Central Station.Taxi ranks are located outside Central Station, as is cycle parking which is also available at many other city stations.Cardiff Airport connects with the Cardiff rail network at  station, from which free shuttle buses run to the departures terminal.
Future plans The South Wales Metro System is a proposed major overhaul of the transport systems in South East Wales, including integration of heavy rail and development of light rail and bus-based public transport services around the hub of Cardiff Central.The disused railway station in the St. Fagans area, in the west of the city, could be reopened to bolster transport links for a major Cardiff tourist attraction, under a proposal in March 2010 by former First Minister Rhodri Morgan AM and Cardiff West MP Kevin Brennan, follow predictions that visitor numbers to the National History Museum could top one million a year by 2017.By 2012, further submissions will be made to try to secure £8.7m of funding towards the project.Network Rail is currently proposing adding an extra two platforms to both Cardiff Central and Cardiff Queen Street station, and installing a light rail metro system in the city.
See also *Transport in Cardiff*Transport in Wales
References
External links * Transport for Wales* Cross Country trains* Great Western Railway