31 Jan 2024

Rail passengers are being urged to check before they travel while track renewals, electrification and essential maintenance work is carried out across the Wales and the Borders network this February and March.

Transport for Wales (TfW) and Network Rail are working on a programme of infrastructure upgrades, with the majority of work taking place during evenings and weekends to minimise disruption as much as possible.

Colin Lea, Planning and Performance Director at TfW, said: “This programme of work includes vital infrastructure upgrades for the South Wales Metro and other essential maintenance of our network.

“We understand rail replacements are frustrating for customers and we’ve worked hard to keep service disruption to a minimum.

“We have a comprehensive bus replacement plan to keep people moving while the work is taking place, and we advise customers to check for the latest information using the TfW website or mobile app before travelling.”

Nick Millington, Network Rail Wales and Borders route director, said: “This essential maintenance will help to make the route more robust before we go into the busy summer season.

“We recognise there is never a good time to close the railway, but we have planned the work to minimise disruption as much as possible.

“I would like to thank passengers for their patience and urge them to check their journey before travelling.”

Buses replace trains during all work below unless otherwise stated.

February

• Between Wrexham – Bidston on Sunday 4, Saturday 10 and Sunday 11.
• Between Shrewsbury and Birmingham New Street on Sunday 4 February.
• Shrewsbury and Chester on Saturday 10 (after 6.15pm) and Sunday 11.
• Between Cardiff and Penarth/Barry Island/Bridgend via the Vale of Glamorgan line on Sunday 4 until 12.25pm.
• Between Cardiff/Newport and Ebbw Vale all day on three successive Sundays 11, 18 and 25.
• Between Newtown and Machynlleth on Saturday 17 and Sunday 18. Some rail services will start/end at Shrewsbury.
• Between Rhyl and Holyhead on Saturday 17 and Sunday 18. Includes the Llandudno branch and Conwy Valley line.
• Pontypridd and Aberdare (until late morning) Sunday 18 until late morning.
• Cardiff Central and Rhymney (early morning), Caerphilly (all day) and Radyr via Cathays (all day) on Sunday 25.
• Between Cardiff Queen Street and Cardiff Bay Sunday 25. Ticket acceptance with Cardiff Bus.
• Between Carmarthen/Haverfordwest and Milford Haven between Monday 26 and Thursday 29 Buses are planned to replace train services between Carmarthen and Milford Haven on 26-27 February between 9.25am and 2.35pm, and between Haverfordwest and Milford Haven during the same hours on 28-29 February.
• Between Llanwrtyd and Llanelli between Monday 26 and Friday 1 March. Buses will start and end at Shrewsbury and some services will extend or start at Llandrindod wells and some services will start and end at Llandovery.

March

• Between Cardiff Central and Caerphilly, Radyr via Cathays, Penarth and Cardiff Bay (ticket acceptance with Cardiff Bus) all day between Friday 1 and Monday 4.
• Between Cardiff Central and Rhymney (early morning and late night) on Saturday 2 and early mornings only on Sunday 3 and Monday 4.
• Cardiff Central and Radyr via City line Saturday 2 and Monday 4 (both all day).
• Between Cardiff and Penarth/Barry Island/Bridgend via the Vale of Glamorgan line on Sunday 3 March (until 12.25pm).
• Buses are planned to replace train services between Bridgend and Port Talbot Parkway on Sunday 3 March while Network Rail engineers carry out essential track renewals. GWR will not operate train services between Cardiff and Swansea.
• Between Knighton and Llandrindod on Saturday 9 March and Sunday 10 March. Buses run from Shrewsbury and will connect in and out at Llanwrtyd.
• Cardiff Central and Radyr via Cathays Sunday 17 and Sunday 24 March (both all day).
• Cardiff Central and Caerphilly and Cardiff Bay on Sunday 24 and Friday 29 to Monday April 1 (all day).
• Cardiff Central and Radyr via Cathays Friday 29 to Monday 1 April (all day).
• Between Sunday 17 to Friday 23 March between Pembroke and Pembroke Dock. Buses will start and end at Carmarthen.
• Between Rhyl and Holyhead on Saturday 23. Includes the Llandudno branch and Conwy Valley line.
• Services between Bridgend and Swansea will also be affected on successive Sundays in March (17 and 24), with buses planned to replace train services from Cardiff/Rhoose (on the Vale of Glamorgan line) to Swansea (including the Maesteg branch, buses start/end at Cardiff).
• Ebbw Vale line (morning only) on 23 March/

For more information on South Wales Metro works visit Metro Service Changes | Transport for Wales (tfw.wales)

For more information on planned work across the Wales and Borders network visit Rail Works | Planned Disruptions | Transport for Wales (tfw.wales)