Transport for Wales (TfW) is urging all customers to check before they travel as work to deliver the South Wales Metro will impact services this autumn.
TfW is moving closer to delivering the South Wales Metro, with brand-new electric trains set to begin operating on the Merthyr, Aberdare and Treherbert lines from the autumn and more trains now running between Pontypridd, Caerphilly, Rhymney and Cardiff following a major timetable change in June.
To deliver further benefits to customers, TfW needs to undertake significant engineering work this autumn which will result in buses replacing trains on some Valley lines.
From Saturday 28 September to Sunday 6 October, no trains will run from Merthyr Tydfil, Aberdare or Treherbert to Radyr for nine days, rather than 23 days as previously communicated. During this time, teams will carry out over 30 pieces of engineering work, which is essential to allow TfW to deliver an increased frequency of four trains per hour from the head of each valley.
The planned work includes significant track and signalling upgrades at Pontypridd station, the removal of the original Treforest station footbridge for donation to a heritage railway, and track-side cleaning works throughout the network.
During this time, buses will replace trains between Treherbert, Merthyr Tydfil, Aberdare and Radyr, with all train services to Cardiff Central starting and terminating at Radyr. More information on the rail replacement services and service impacts can be found here.
For those travelling to the Cardiff Half Marathon on Sunday 6 October, TfW will be running additional bus services from Merthyr, Aberdare and Treherbert, alongside an additional early morning rail service from Radyr which gets into Cardiff before 9am. A customer support operation will also be in place at Pontypridd and Radyr.
Engineering works will take place through Cardiff Queen Street station from Sunday 27 October to Sunday 03 November to carry out essential track and signalling upgrades in preparation for more trains to run through the station.
As Cardiff Queen Street station is a major junction for the Valley, City and Cardiff Bay services, several lines will be affected, with no rail services running on the Coryton, Rhymney or Penarth lines. TfW advises all passengers to check before they travel as there will be rail replacement buses in operation or ticket acceptance with bus operators.
The ticket office at Cardiff Queen Street station will remain open throughout the closure to allow passengers to purchase tickets and find information on services.
TfW said that line closures would continue across the coming months, including weekend and mid-week evening closures on the Coryton and Rhymney lines.
The transformation of the Core Valley Lines for the Metro has been part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund through the Welsh Government and will enable faster, more frequent services between Cardiff and the heads of the valleys.
