Rail passengers in south Wales are facing ongoing disruption this week as urgent repair works continue on a critical bridge between Cardiff Central station and Queen Street station. The disruption, which commenced on Easter Sunday, has led to the cancellation and suspension of many train services across the region. National Rail has reported that while extensive repair efforts have allowed mainline services between Newport and Cardiff to resume to some extent, work on the bridge is far from complete, with service alterations anticipated until Sunday.
Numerous heavily trafficked routes have been impacted by the disruption, including services between Cardiff Central and destinations such as Manchester Piccadilly, Pontypridd, Ebbw Vale Town, and Swansea. Trains operating between Holyhead / Crewe / Cheltenham Spa and Cardiff Central, as well as those connecting Manchester Piccadilly to Cardiff Central / Swansea / Carmarthen / Milford Haven / Fishguard Harbour, are among the affected routes. The disruption also extends to services between Cardiff Central and Ebbw Vale Town / Cardiff Bay / Pontypridd / Merthyr Tydfil / Aberdare / Treherbert / Swansea / Llanelli / Pembroke Dock / Milford Haven, as well as between Barry Island and Caerphilly, and Penarth and Cardiff Queen Street.
Passengers travelling on routes to or from Ebbw Vale Town should anticipate delays and cancellations, with trains between Maesteg and Ebbw Vale Town being terminated at Cardiff Central. Alternative services to Newport are available for passengers at Cardiff Central. Notably, no trains are currently running between Pontypridd and Cardiff Bay in either direction. A reduced train service is operating between Cardiff Central and Merthyr Tydfil / Aberdare / Treherbert, with services diverted at Radyr and bypassing stops at Llandaff, Cathays, or Cardiff Queen Street.
To mitigate the impact of the disruption, rail replacement transport services are in place between Caerphilly and Cardiff Central, departing every 30 minutes. While these services may take longer than the usual train journeys, they aim to provide passengers with alternative travel options. Furthermore, train tickets are being accepted on select bus services including Cardiff Bus routes 1, 1A, 2, 9, 24, 25, 27, 28, 63, and Stagecoach Buses routes 26, 50, 51, 53, C9 during this period of rail disruption.
As the rail network works to resolve the issues with the bridge, passengers are encouraged to stay updated on the latest service changes and plan their journeys accordingly. The ongoing works are a testament to the dedication of railway maintenance crews in ensuring the safety and efficiency of the rail network. We hope for a swift resolution to the disruptions so that passengers can soon enjoy seamless and reliable rail services once more.