Cardiff Central redevelopment plans

[tigermonstera]

And the interfaces diagram is interesting...especially as it shows the outline scope of Network Rail Masterplan....but which does not seem aligned with Southern Entrance design....

The planning statement of the planning application (25/00645/PRAP on Cardiff Council's planning website) has a slightly more detailed masterplan on page 8.

 

[Smwrff]

The planning statement of the planning application (25/00645/PRAP on Cardiff Council's planning website) has a slightly more detailed masterplan on page 8.

Thanks - let me check it out

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 4 Dec 2025 ==

UK Government has today approved its share of funding for Central Station redevelopment - the final approval for the scheme to go ahead.

Now get on with it!!

 

[Snow1964]

TfW has issued news release detailing Cardiff rebuild.

04 Dec 2025​

The £140 million revamp of Cardiff Central railway station has been given the green light as funding is approved.

Improvements will include modernising the station to support long-term passenger growth, while still complementing the history and heritage of the building.

Customers will benefit from a larger concourse to increase capacity, improvements to passenger flow and access, work to alleviate overcrowding and providing better accessibility for those with reduced mobility.

Other customer benefits include improved waiting areas, enhanced retail offerings and cycle storage facilities.

The station will remain open while the construction works are delivered.

The scheme to improve the station is being led by Transport for Wales, with the investment of up to £140 million being provided by the Department for Transport, Cardiff Capital Region and the Welsh Government - full business case proposals have now been approved by all.

As part of the continued rail transformation in Wales, the newly reinvigorated Wales Rail Board will also meet in Cardiff for the very first time today.

£140 million funding approved for Cardiff Central station revamp

The £140 million revamp of Cardiff Central railway station has been given the green light as funding is approved.

news.tfw.wales

Financing is split as

The £140m package includes nearly £78m from the UK Government, £40m from Cardiff Capital Region and £21m from the Welsh Government.

The upgrade forms part of a wider £445m rail investment programme bringing new stations and more services across Wales.

BAM gets green light for £140m Cardiff Central revamp

Spring 2026 start for major rebuild adding new entrances, bigger concourse and platform upgrades

www.constructionenquirer.com

 

[MikePJ]

Some extracts from the planning application:

General overview:


Red means new works; purple means new works but for which a separate planning application will be/ has been made.

4.2 Works Proposed

4.2.1 New Building at Platform 0
A new building will be constructed at Platform 0 (which will be increased in length and widened) above the West Wing. The new building will house toilet facilities, a passenger waiting area, retail and station storage, an electrical and ventilation plant, and chillers. A solid canopy with a brick slip edge will also adjoin the new building adjacent to Platform 0 to provide a covering to the platform. This can be viewed in the visualisation included in Appendix A.
The Fish Jetty area will also be altered to include a ramp to Platform 0, storage and service yard, which includes a new bin storage area and two loading bays.

4.2.2 External Modifications to West Wing
The works necessary to provide the improved internal access to Platform 0 (principally to provide passenger access via an improved gateline, stairs and relocation of passenger lift) will result in an alteration of the internal layout of the West Wing. This in turn will result in limited modifications to the external elevations of the West Wing. The most significant of which will be the introduction of two new openings in the West Wing facing Central Square, related to the altered retail space.
This can be viewed in the visualisation included in Appendix A.

4.2.3 New Southern Entrance
The Southern Entrance will be extensively rebuilt so that it is of equal importance to the Northern Entrance. The new Southern Entrance will consist of a three-storey building. The concourse (ground floor) will see a new set of ticket barriers installed alongside two new retail facilities, changing places, equipment rooms, a first aid room and a mobility assistance point. The platform floor (first floor) will comprise of offices, toilets, a kitchen, equipment and switch-rooms, storage facilities and meeting rooms, as well as access to Platform 8. The upper floor (second floor) will include further staff facilities, including an accessible canopy to Platform 8.
The new curved three-story entrance will include a full height colonnaded porch area along the entire front (south-facing) elevation, with the main entrance located centrally flanked by new retail spaces. The primary facing material will be brick with a significant glazed area into the passenger concourse.
This can be viewed in the visualisation included in Appendices B and C.

4.2.4 HV Substations
Two HV substations are proposed as part of the Scheme. One substation will be located in the Fish Jetty area, close to Platform 0 and the second substation will be built to the west of the Southern Entrance. Both buildings are of standard National Grid design and accordingly will be 2.3m in height with a removable GRP roof on top, with a floor area of 3m x 3.4m. Both will be located in non-public areas of the station with limited visibility from public spaces.

 

[Envoy]

I just hope that action will be taken against any ‘homeless’ plonking themselves under the colonnade on the warm south facing side of the station. Last time I was in Cardiff, twice I was approached by beggars asking me for money and encountered several places where people were just sitting on the pavements in busy areas with somewhere to leave change.

Judging by the comments on Wales On Line - some people just don’t seem to realise that the brick colonnade will be on the south side and the 1930’s north side will remain with minor alterations on the west side in harmony with the original. Extra capacity will be provided by the new tram-train platforms on the south side and hopefully this route will in future link up with the present lines over the Taff - hence the present alignment.

 

[CapitalStar378]

TfW has issued news release detailing Cardiff rebuild.

£140 million funding approved for Cardiff Central station revamp

The £140 million revamp of Cardiff Central railway station has been given the green light as funding is approved.

news.tfw.wales

Financing is split as

BAM gets green light for £140m Cardiff Central revamp

Spring 2026 start for major rebuild adding new entrances, bigger concourse and platform upgrades

www.constructionenquirer.com

The Construction Enquirer article states a 2029 completion of works whereas all previous plans have stated Summer 2028, has it slipped that much? Not ideal for the football in 2028 if so.

There's a caveat about the fly though CGI video in the TfW article that says it may change from what's shown, hopefully this includes adding some shelters to the tram platforms! Does anyone know if these will be numbered platforms 9 & 10?

 

[MikePJ]

hopefully this includes adding some shelters to the tram platforms!

I certainly hope so too - ideally, a covered walkway linking the southern entrance to the tram platforms would also be provided. Cardiff already has a lot of unpleasant windswept places and it would be good not to create any more.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 4 Dec 2025 ==

Here's a screengrab from this video showing the conceptual design of Cardiff Crossrail Phase 1a - you can see the curved block top left that will be the new southern entrance, and the tram platforms with cantilevered shelters.

 

[Tomos y Tanc]

I just hope that action will be taken against any ‘homeless’ plonking themselves under the colonnade on the warm south facing side of the station. Last time I was in Cardiff, twice I was approached by beggars asking me for money and encountered several places where people were just sitting on the pavements in busy areas with somewhere to leave change.

Name me any major city where the main railway station doesn't act as magnet for homeless people and people with substance abuse problems, Cardiff is no different. So long as the begging isn't aggresive, it's really just par for the course these days.

If action needs to be taken about anything it's the levels of theft from retailers around the station such as Tesco, Boots and M&S in scenarios that are very frightening for staff and customers. These seem to be carried out by organised groups, frequently quite well-dressed and not obviously under the influence of booze and/or drugs.

 

[class442]

I certainly hope so too - ideally, a covered walkway linking the southern entrance to the tram platforms would also be provided. Cardiff already has a lot of unpleasant windswept places and it would be good not to create any more.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 4 Dec 2025 ==

Here's a screengrab from this video showing the conceptual design of Cardiff Crossrail Phase 1a - you can see the curved block top left that will be the new southern entrance, and the tram platforms with cantilevered shelters.

View attachment 193327

Is this tram stop meant to be a terminus? I note the video does not show anything West of what is in this screenshot.
Looking at Google maps I can't see space to extend it westwards from here, it would have to go across the river on a new bridge, and then where?

 

[Tomos y Tanc]

Is this tram stop meant to be a terminus? I note the video does not show anything West of what is in this screenshot.
Looking at Google maps I can't see space to extend it westwards from here, it would have to go across the river on a new bridge, and then where?

It's a terminus for now. The intention is that it will join the City / Penarth lines via a ramp but that's not included in this phase. Remember, tram-trains can handle much steeper gradients than traditional heavy rail so there's no need for a new river crossing.

 

[MikePJ]

Yeah, there's an existing ramped access track for road vehicles (on the trackbed of the old Riverside branch) that is likely to be repurposed for the tram-trains to reach the main line. James Price was interviewed recently and said that this was being considered as part of a big project around 2027-2028 to renew the track through Cardiff Central and alter Cardiff West Junction to increase throughput to/from the City line. Price made it clear that the ramp and extra junction weren't currently funded but that it did make sense to do it as part of the bigger job which is already funded, so I presume he is leaning on various government agencies to produce a bit more money.

 

[Cardiff123]

From reading the press statement, there's no extra mainline capacity as part of the funding announcement? No extra mainline platforms, no provision to bring back platform 5 for terminating services from the west (which was allowed for in the Cardiff Area Signalling Renewal in the 2010s, but was dropped from that project).

 

[Benjwri]

From reading the press statement, there's no extra mainline capacity as part of the funding announcement? No extra mainline platforms, no provision to bring back platform 5 for terminating services from the west (which was allowed for in the Cardiff Area Signalling Renewal in the 2010s, but was dropped from that project).

No there is no track work involved in the project. Adding any in would make it hugely more expensive and disruptive, and would make far more sense to do at another point when other works, such as those mentioned for the trams, is being carried out, if it were to ever happen.

 

[tigermonstera]

The new multi-storey car park at Cardiff Central will open at the end of this month:

The brand new Cardiff Central Quay Station Car Park opens on Friday 30th January, offering convenient, secure parking just 78 metres from Cardiff Central Station, ideal for commuters and local residents with parking starting from only £4.95 per/hour.

(link)
The car park also includes two retail units.

 

[tfw756rider]

That "video" doesn't need to be a video.

Opening soon - Cardiff Central Quay Station Car Park. 24-hour access, Closed Circuit Television and regular patrols, barriered entry with Automatic Number Plate Recognition, 28 Electric Vehicle Charging Bays and Season Tickets. Parking from just £4.95. Apcoa Parking.

 

[CapitalStar378]

£4.95 for an hour, a day, a week? Also the spacing of the bullet points hurts my face.

 

[Peter Sarf]

£4.95 for an hour, a day, a week? Also the spacing of the bullet points hurts my face.

Plus would be nice if they said where the car park is - a postcode or road name perhaps ?.

I think I have found it - not that close to the station really.(see edit below).

£4.95 for one hour - what use is that, probably spend most of that time getting to/from the station.
£18 per day.

CF10 5DS - I had to con the site into admitting the postcode. Otherwise its just giving directions which you cannot really read while you are driving !.

Cardiff Central Quay Station - APCOA

www.apcoa.co.uk

EDIT
Turns out the map on the APCOA site is wrong. New car park is further NE towards the station over the two large buildings that obviously are not there.

 

[Envoy]

Hopefully the price is set so high that nobody will use it. We really need to get people to catch local trains into Cardiff Central - either for the city or for transfer to long distance services.

I really do wonder if National Express will ever have a coach station just a short walk from the Central train station? (The current site is in Sophia Gardens = about a 20 minute walk NW of the castle). Anyway, I guess any further discussion on that should be in the buses section.

 

[Smwrff]

Plus would be nice if they said where the car park is - a postcode or road name perhaps ?.

I think I have found it - not that close to the station really.

Cardiff Central Quay Station - APCOA

www.apcoa.co.uk

Not close? It is 100m from South Entrance - literally built on part of existing surface car park!
The important point about this new car park is it allows the existing surface car park to be closed to enable building of Crossrail Tram platforms and new Southern Concourse.

A huge improvement.

 

[WelshBluebird]

Plus would be nice if they said where the car park is - a postcode or road name perhaps ?.

I think I have found it - not that close to the station really.

£4.95 for one hour - what use is that, probably spend most of that time getting to/from the station.
£18 per day.

CF10 5DS - I had to con the site into admitting the postcode. Otherwise its just giving directions which you cannot really read while you are driving !.

Cardiff Central Quay Station - APCOA

www.apcoa.co.uk

At least the new one has a by hour option. The existing one doesnt so for anything more than the short 20 mins parking you are paying the full day rate. Granted the day rate in the new one is about 4 quid more, but really as Envoy has said for that kind of parking we should be pushing people to other options anyway.

As for distance, its right next to the South entrance!

 

[Snow1964]

Not close? It is 100m from South Entrance - literally built on part of existing surface car park!
The important point about this new car park is it allows the existing surface car park to be closed to enable building of Crossrail Tram platforms and new Southern Concourse.

A huge improvement.

I was there last week and new multi story is very close, but across a windswept and wet open area, with no cover or direct walkway to south entrance.

The south entrance is relatively new, a single storey building with a very short gate line that doesn't really feel it was designed to handle busy periods.

Hopefully the price is set so high that nobody will use it. We really need to get people to catch local trains into Cardiff Central - either for the city or for transfer to long distance services.

Cardiff is an odd one operationally, nearly all the long distance services (from multiple destinations) terminate there, but none stop at a parkway, (or carry on to a parkway) as happens at Bristol, East Midlands etc.

A lot of the local stations (with a high frequency service to/from Cardiff Central) aren't great for parking, have you seen the size and condition of the car parks at stations like Cogan etc. Yes I know some car parks are free at suburban stations, but they are generally small, and further away, and if long distance train arrives late, and miss a half hourly service, can be over hour from long distance train to getting to your car. Not really an incentive to transfer at Cardiff Central.

 

[Smwrff]

I was there last week and new multi story is very close, but across a windswept and wet open area, with no cover or direct walkway to south entrance.

The south entrance is relatively new, a single storey building with a very short gate line that doesn't really feel it was designed to handle busy periods.

Cardiff is an odd one operationally, nearly all the long distance services (from multiple destinations) terminate there, but none stop at a parkway, (or carry on to a parkway) as happens at Bristol, East Midlands etc.

A lot of the local stations (with a high frequency service to/from Cardiff Central) aren't great for parking, have you seen the size and condition of the car parks at stations like Cogan etc. Yes I know some car parks are free at suburban stations, but they are generally small, and further away, and if long distance train arrives late, and miss a half hourly service, can be over hour from long distance train to getting to your car. Not really an incentive to transfer at Cardiff Central.

The current South Entrance is relatively new - and hopelessly inadequate. But will be replaced imminently by a much larger concourse building - see upthread for details and renders.

There is also a Cardiff Parkway station being developed to the east of Cardiff.

There were earlier plans for a covered walkway between the car park and south entrance but this doesnt appear in current plans. Maybe it might be included in the Crossrail plans?

 

[CapitalStar378]

The current South Entrance is relatively new - and hopelessly inadequate. But will be replaced imminently by a much larger concourse building - see upthread for details and renders.

There is also a Cardiff Parkway station being developed to the east of Cardiff.

There were earlier plans for a covered walkway between the car park and south entrance but this doesnt appear in current plans. Maybe it might be included in the Crossrail plans?

Some of the Crossrail CGIs don't even have a canopy on the tram platforms, and there has been no recent suggestion of a covered walkway either. How much would these cost in the grand scheme of the station redevelopment? It's mad when you condsider how wet Cardiff is.

 

[Smwrff]

We havent seen final designs for Crossrail platforms yet and I assume that some of these renders are only placeholders.

 

[Philip Roberts]

Some of the Crossrail CGIs don't even have a canopy on the tram platforms, and there has been no recent suggestion of a covered walkway either. How much would these cost in the grand scheme of the station redevelopment? It's mad when you condsider how wet Cardiff is.

I have seen the crossrail platforms covered (I'll try to remember where!) It would also be a good idea to cover the walkway between Central and the new bus interchange

 

[Peter Sarf]

Not close? It is 100m from South Entrance - literally built on part of existing surface car park!
The important point about this new car park is it allows the existing surface car park to be closed to enable building of Crossrail Tram platforms and new Southern Concourse.

A huge improvement.

It is not on the existing surface car park ?.

At least the new one has a by hour option. The existing one doesnt so for anything more than the short 20 mins parking you are paying the full day rate. Granted the day rate in the new one is about 4 quid more, but really as Envoy has said for that kind of parking we should be pushing people to other options anyway.

As for distance, its right next to the South entrance!

Are you sure it is right next to the South entrance (the open air car park is) ?.

The new multi storey is further away than that. It is on the South West side of Crawshey Road when I look at the APCOA parking site. There are buildings on the NE side of Crawshey road in between the multi storey and the surface car park - not sure you can even walk amongst those buildings to achieve a direct route.

EDIT
turns out the APCOA map is wrong. New car park is further NE towards the station.

 

[Daniel Boone]

Look's like the vehicular entrance is via Crawshay Street. There is likely a pedestrian entrance/exist facing the Station. Once the old car park is gone, an individual parking in the multi-story who's intent on going to Cardiff Central will not have to cross any roads.

 

[Peter Sarf]

Look's like the vehicular entrance is via Crawshay Street. There is likely a pedestrian entrance/exist facing the Station. Once the old car park is gone, an individual parking in the multi-story who's intent on going to Cardiff Central will not have to cross any roads.

Well that looks like the correct building in the photograph. In which case the APCOA map is wrong. They have it on the other side of Crawshey Road (further to the left) !. Also the buildings that I thought could be in the way of a walking route have gone because that is actually where the car park is !.

I agree there is bound to be a pedestrian entrance facing towards the station. Bit surprised there is not a vehicular entrance off the surface car park as well tbh.

Thanks for posting.

 

[Daniel Boone]

Well that looks like the correct building in the photograph. In which case the APCOA map is wrong. They have it on the other side of Crawshey Road (further to the left) !. Also the buildings that I thought could be in the way of a walking route have gone because that is actually where the car park is !.

I agree there is bound to be a pedestrian entrance facing towards the station. Bit surprised there is not a vehicular entrance off the surface car park as well tbh.

Thanks for posting.

Oh woah, fair play to you. That map provided by APCOA is completely wrong. Google Maps are to blame, they haven't updated it.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 23 Jan 2026 ==

Oh woah, fair play to you. That map provided by APCOA is completely wrong. Google Maps are to blame, they haven't updated it.

The new carpark hasn't been added to OSM yet either.

 

[Peter Sarf]

Oh woah, fair play to you. That map provided by APCOA is completely wrong. Google Maps are to blame, they haven't updated it.

I suppose Google Maps is out of date by only a couple of years - maybe only one if construction was rapid ?. But APCOA would be better off having their own poorly drawn map there instead.