Delays at Cardiff Central down by 44 per cent on major event days at the Principality Stadium

Delay minutes at Cardiff Central station on days when there are major events at the nearby Principality Stadium are down 44 per cent so far in 2024 compared with last year.

The numbers relate to ‘Category A’ events at the stadium ­­– those that draw crowds of more than 50,000 spectators – when Cardiff Central is at its busiest.

There have been seven top-tier events at the stadium so far in 2024: Wales’ three Six Nations home matches, plus the summer concerts by Bruce Springsteen, Pink, Taylor Swift and Foo Fighters. Wales play three more rugby matches at the stadium in November, when they welcome Fiji, Australia and South Africa to the capital.

The reduction in delay minutes has been achieved primarily through improved collaboration between Network Rail and Transport for Wales (TfW), who manage the station and operate the majority of train services on event days, as well as with Great Western Railway and CrossCountry.

Delay and cancellation minutes at Cardiff Central are down from an average of 2,565 per Category A event day in 2023 to 1,434 so far in 2024, with the biggest reduction (50 per cent) taking place on the days of concerts.

This reduction has been achieved through many factors including improved communication, smoother processes that allow flexibility to prioritise certain trains depending on the numbers queueing outside the station, and several marginal gains to iron out inefficiencies across the event-day operation.

Sam Wilmott, Network Rail Wales and Borders business continuity project manager, said: “We’ve been working together as four organisations to deliver a better service on event days – and these numbers reflect the progress we’re making.

“The aim is always to make the experience simpler, quicker, safer, and better for passengers who choose to travel to and from the city by train when attending events at the Principality Stadium.

“A reduction in delays and an improvement in the reliability of services leads to increased confidence in the railway when rugby fans and concertgoers are choosing their method of travel in and out of Cardiff city centre.

“While the scale of the improvement is incredibly positive, we know there is still plenty to work on, and we will continue to seek ways to improve the reliability of rail services and the overall passenger experience on event days.”

Georgina Wills, TfW customer delivery & events planning manager, said: “We know that when you come to a big event in Cardiff, you want the peace of mind that you’ll get there in good time and get home with as little trouble as possible.

“So, to be able to have cut the delay minutes on key event days by such a significant amount is fantastic for our customers and is testimony to a lot of hard work and planning that goes on in advance.

“We’re proud to work closely with colleagues at Network Rail, Great Western Railway and CrossCountry to ensure we have the right trains in the right places at the right time, while tackling any problems with a joined-up approach.”