05 Sep 2023

Trains are now running throughout midweek evenings for people travelling between Cardiff and Pontypridd as South Wales Metro works continue to progress.

Transport for Wales (TfW) is transforming the Core Valley Lines as part of a billion-pound investment to electrify the line and deliver the South Wales Metro. 

While modernising the rail infrastructure, parts of the railway are closed at certain times and rail replacement buses are keeping people moving.

However, from September, TfW has reintroduced rail services between Cardiff and Pontypridd to replace rail replacement buses which have been running in the evenings from Monday to Thursdays since last year.  

Dan Tipper, Chief Infrastructure Officer at TfW, said: “We’re making good progress with building the South Wales Metro and we’re now in a position where there will be more rail services running in the evenings, and less rail replacement between Cardiff and Pontypridd.

“There is still ongoing work, but on this section of railway we’ve completed our electrification infrastructure works, the wiring is up, our new signalling is installed, and we’ve energised the first section of track.

“More rail services being reintroduced will be a major improvement for customers using the popular route between Cardiff and Pontypridd, and we’re looking forward to welcoming them back to our services.

“I’d like to thank all our customers for their continued patience during this time of disruption and it’s important to emphasise that our teams are moving swiftly forward with building the South Wales Metro.”

The transformation of the Core Valley Lines for the Metro has been part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund through Welsh Government, and will enable faster, more frequent services between Cardiff and the heads of the valleys.