03 Nov 2026

Great Western Railway (GWR) and Transport for Wales (TfW) will provide additional trains for this month’s three Autumn Internationals at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff.

Wales welcome Japan on Saturday 7 November (16:40), before facing New Zealand on Saturday 14 November (14:10) and Australia on Saturday 21 November (20:10).

All GWR services into Cardiff Central ahead of the internationals will be reservation only, so customers are strongly advised to book their seats in advance to avoid disappointment.

Fans should plan ahead and allow plenty of time for their journey, as football matches will be taking place on the same dates, adding to demand on services.

Trains immediately following each international will be very busy, with queueing systems in place to help passengers board safely.

TfW customers travelling to the Valleys or Vale of Glamorgan will be directed to Cardiff Queen Street station after each match. All other queues, including those for Ebbw Vale and Maesteg services, and GWR trains to Swansea, Bristol and London, will be on the square in front of Cardiff Central station. An accessibility queue will be available at both stations.

GWR Customer Services Director, Rachel Geliamassi, said: “We’re really pleased to be providing additional trains for this year’s Autumn Internationals at the Principality Stadium.

“Services into Cardiff Central will be reservation only, so we’d urge fans to plan ahead and secure their seats early to avoid disappointment.

“Please allow plenty of time for your journey and remember that trains will be extremely busy both before kick-off and immediately after the matches.”

James Gough, Customer Operations Director at Transport for Wales said: “We’re delighted to be working alongside our partners at Great Western Railway to support the Autumn Internationals and get rugby fans to and from Cardiff safely.

“With extra services running across our networks, we’re encouraging everyone to plan ahead and allow plenty of time for their journey. 

"Most importantly, we hope everyone has a brilliant day out and enjoys the game.”

Pre- and post-match revenue checks will take place at Cardiff Central, so passengers should purchase their rail tickets before boarding a train or joining a queue.

Pay-as-you-go is available on TfW and CrossCountry services across the South Wales Metro network. Passengers should tap in at their departure station and tap out using the same payment method at the dedicated pay-as-you-go revenue lanes when leaving Cardiff Central. TfW volunteers will be available to help passengers with the process. Tickets can be booked in advance at www.gwr.com/check or www.tfw.wales/plan-a-journey