Key Points
- There will be no train services running between Cardiff Queen Street and Cardiff Bay from Saturday 24 October 2026 to Friday 30 October 2026.
- According to Transport for Wales, this is due to some infrastructure works, which include laying down new tracks.
- These works are meant to facilitate future timetable revisions and frequency improvements on the Cardiff Bay line.
- Rail travel tickets will be accepted free of charge for travel by Cardiff Bus Baycar service 6 through the course of this disruption.
- Replacement bus services will operate in the mornings and evenings between Cardiff Central/Cardiff Queen Street and Cardiff Bay.
- Ticketing will not be done onboard the replacement buses; passengers are advised to purchase their tickets beforehand.
- Replacement buses will be accessible to people using wheelchairs, and assistance can be booked from the TfW Passenger Assist team.
- Normal rail services are expected to start again from Saturday 31 October 2026.
- Engineering works at Cardiff Queen Street station will also impact rail services between Cardiff Queen Street and Cathays/Caerphilly in the same period.
Cardiff (Wales Times) October 24, 2026 – No trains will operate between uk/local/cardiff/">Cardiff Queen Street and Cardiff Bay for seven days from Saturday 24 October to Friday 30 October, as Transport for Wales carries out infrastructure upgrades on the Cardiff Bay line.
The closure affects Transport for Wales services between Cardiff Bay and Cardiff Central, Cardiff Queen Street and Pontypridd. National Rail says engineering work is taking place between Cardiff Queen Street and Cardiff Bay, closing all lines.
Transport for Wales said the temporary suspension will allow engineers to install new track to support future timetable enhancements and increase service frequency on the Cardiff Bay line.
How can passengers travel during the closure?
Rail tickets will be accepted on Cardiff Bus Baycar service 6 all day at no extra cost, according to Transport for Wales. National Rail also confirms that passengers can use their tickets on Cardiff Bus services travelling to and from Cardiff Bay.
Transport for Wales says it will also run additional rail replacement buses in the mornings and evenings between Cardiff Bay and Cardiff Central/Cardiff Queen Street, although times may vary. National Rail describes these replacement buses as operating outside the hours when Cardiff Bus services run, early in the morning and late at night.
The operator advises passengers to check before travelling and to allow extra time, warning that replacement vehicles may be busier than usual.
What ticket arrangements apply?
Transport for Wales says there are no ticket-purchasing facilities on board buses. It advises passengers to buy tickets before boarding at a local booking office, ticket machine, online through its journey planner, or through its app.
For passengers using pay-as-you-go, Transport for Wales directs customers to its guidance at tfw.wales/pay-as-you-go while ticket acceptance arrangements are in place. Its FAQ guidance states that pay-as-you-go is only valid on Transport for Wales and CrossCountry services, even where a customer’s original ticket can be used at no extra cost with another operator or local bus service.
Where a journey includes a rail replacement bus, Transport for Wales advises customers to tap in at their origin station and tap out at their destination. If passengers need to tap out at a gateline after using a replacement bus, station colleagues can assist, and missing taps can be added through the TfW app or website.
Is accessible travel available?
Transport for Wales says the rail replacement buses are wheelchair accessible and have low loading floors.
Passengers who need assistance are advised to contact TfW’s Passenger Assist team on 03330 050 501 in advance. National Rail says passengers can find replacement bus pick-up and drop-off locations through station signage or by searching for their station on its Find a Station page.
Which other Cardiff services are affected?
A separate set of engineering works at Cardiff Queen Street will close one platform and some lines in the area from Saturday 24 October to Friday 30 October.
National Rail says a reduced service will run between Cardiff Queen Street and Caerphilly on the Penarth–Caerphilly route. On Saturdays and from Monday to Friday, trains between Merthyr Tydfil and Aberdare via Cardiff Queen Street will not run via Cathays.
For travel to or from Llandaf or Cathays, passengers can use their ticket at no extra cost on Cardiff Bus services, according to National Rail.
When will trains return?
Transport for Wales says rail services will resume as normal on Saturday 31 October. RailAdvent, reporting on the operator’s announcement, likewise states that services will return to normal on that date.
Transport for Wales has encouraged customers travelling in the Cardiff area to plan and check before they travel during the works.
Background of the development
The Cardiff Bay line is a short rail route linking Cardiff Bay with Cardiff Queen Street in the city centre. Transport for Wales operates services on the route, while Cardiff Bus’s Baycar service 6 provides a direct bus connection between the Bay and the city centre.
The closure forms part of Transport for Wales’s wider South Wales Metro transformation programme. The operator says the seven days of infrastructure upgrades will install new track intended to support future timetable enhancements and greater service frequency on the Cardiff Bay line.
The works were announced by Transport for Wales on 23 October 2026 and subsequently covered by RailAdvent and Nation Cymru.
Prediction: How this may affect Cardiff passengers
Cardiff Bay commuters, visitors and residents are likely to face longer journeys and should plan for bus-based travel during the seven-day closure. Because rail tickets are accepted on Baycar service 6, most daytime passengers should be able to complete their journeys without buying a separate bus ticket, but services may be busier at peak times.
Passengers travelling early or late may depend on the limited rail replacement bus provision between Cardiff Bay and Cardiff Central/Cardiff Queen Street. Transport for Wales has advised checking timetables in advance and allowing additional journey time.
If the upgrades deliver the intended timetable improvements and increased frequency, regular Cardiff Bay line users could benefit from more reliable and frequent services after normal operations resume on 31 October.
