TfW new service between Bristol and Cardiff

[TT-ONR-NRN]

Being as no FLIRT train operates the Manchester route, the advert should be referred to the Advertising Standards Authority. Anyway, this is off topic regarding the GWR issue.

Off topic it may be, but you can’t make an utterly ridiculous comment like that and not give people the chance to scoff at it!

 

[Jez]

This is an interesting advert - TfW advertising a £49.50 Manchester to Bristol ticket, with what is presumably a FLIRT or 231 as the train in the picture

Transport for Wales Trafnidiaeth Cymru

Travel from Manchester to Bristol from just £49.50 each way.

www.facebook.com

View attachment 211499

That seems very expensive to go to Manchester one way. Now if it was a return that would be a very attractive offer.

Assume it's valid via the Marches only give it's a TFW offer.

The type of traction on the promotion wouldn't bother me. And most non enthusiasts would likely not notice anyway.

 

[Parallel]

That seems very expensive to go to Manchester one way. Now if it was a return that would be a very attractive offer.

Assume it's valid via the Marches only give it's a TFW offer.

The type of traction on the promotion wouldn't bother me. And most non enthusiasts would likely not notice anyway.

A return is allegedly £99 Bristol to Manchester via Hereford which seems very expensive.

The BR Fares site shows GWR & TfW advance fares start at £20 so quite why they’re advertising the walk up product and not the advance purchase products, I have no idea.

 

[Djgr]

That seems very expensive to go to Manchester one way. Now if it was a return that would be a very attractive offer.

Assume it's valid via the Marches only give it's a TFW offer.

The type of traction on the promotion wouldn't bother me. And most non enthusiasts would likely not notice anyway.

TfW offers many tickets from the North West to the South West via the Marches.

These offer the double advantage of no XC and no Birmingham.

 

[Envoy]

If I was travelling any distance, I’d rather be on a 197 than a TFW FLIRT as the seat bases are too short & the backs too upright on the latter. I guess that TFW went with using the FLIRT in the advert for Bristol to Manchester because it looks better on the outside than a 197? Anyway, with the way things have been regarding a shortage of available 197’s, I really do wonder why TFW are trying to attract additional passengers to/from Bristol area at the present time?

Regarding the fake image used in the advertisement, TFW could have contacted me and purchased a real image of a train on the Marches:>

 

[Jez]

A return is allegedly £99 Bristol to Manchester via Hereford which seems very expensive.

The BR Fares site shows GWR & TfW advance fares start at £20 so quite why they’re advertising the walk up product and not the advance purchase products, I have no idea.

It is expensive unless you find a cheaper advance. When I go from Neath to Manchester its £122 for a return (but this ticket is very flexible in that you can return anytime on any train within 1 month and also travel via Birmingham/Bristol Parkaway or on the Birmingham-Cardiff direct service if you choose).

Often 2 advance singles are only slightly cheaper than this. TFW also dont seem to be doing rail sales anymore which is a shame as you could get an advance for half price - so Neath to Manchester for example was £30 each way.

 

[DS25]

Regarding the fake image used in the advertisement, TFW could have contacted me and purchased a real image of a train on the Marches:>

View attachment 211524

Much nicer than the horrid AI image!!

 

[positron]

What measurable material differences that a passenger may find and would significantly affect their journey would you like the ASA to consider?

Well to be fair FLIRTs have level boarding so perhaps there's a misrepresentation of accessibility angle. But also I do think it's ludicrous that an incorrect unit would be something to make someone go 'oh I know I'll report this to the regulator'.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 13 Sep 2026 ==

A return is allegedly £99 Bristol to Manchester via Hereford which seems very expensive.

The BR Fares site shows GWR & TfW advance fares start at £20 so quite why they’re advertising the walk up product and not the advance purchase products, I have no idea.

£99 sounds very expensive. What is it via the dreaded cross country route (where you can often get it free because they're cancelled or so full you can't ride)?

 

[Parallel]

£99 sounds very expensive. What is it via the dreaded cross country route (where you can often get it free because they're cancelled or so full you can't ride)?

£115 according to BR fares, for an off-peak return. Although splits are likely to bring that down, especially if you are returning the same day.

Advance purchase fares allegedly start from £28.90.

I am very surprised TfW have started marketing activity for Bristol, although presumably as they are the main carrier of the route, this isn't really much different for if GWR started advertising in the Welsh Valleys or Pembrokeshire.

 

[Envoy]

Much nicer than the horrid AI image!!

Yes, and they could mention that the scenery is better on this route as a good selling point.

I see that they don't make things easy at Newport to change between trains coming from Bristol Temple Meads (& beyond). GWR arrivals from BRI are more or less at the same time as the TFW trains depart for Manchester making an unviable connection. What’s more, rather than have an easy cross platform change from 2 to 3 at Newport, passengers have the hassle of getting over to platform 4 in order to head up the Marches line. This all swings things more in favour of Bristol to Manchester passengers using the direct Cross Country trains via Birmingham.

 

[Djgr]

Yes, and they could mention that the scenery is better on this route as a good selling point.

I see that they don't make things easy at Newport to change between trains coming from Bristol Temple Meads (& beyond). GWR arrivals from BRI are more or less at the same time as the TFW trains depart for Manchester making an unviable connection. What’s more, rather than have an easy cross platform change from 2 to 3 at Newport, passengers have the hassle of getting over to platform 4 in order to head up the Marches line. This all swings things more in favour of Bristol to Manchester passengers using the direct Cross Country trains via Birmingham.

Possibly but I think TfW have the edge for Bristol to Chester, North Wales, the Wirral and probably Liverpool (i.e. anywhere XC don't deign to serve directly).

Agree about the platforms at Newport though.

 

[Envoy]

Possibly but I think TfW have the edge for Bristol to Chester, North Wales, the Wirral and probably Liverpool (i.e. anywhere XC don't deign to serve directly).

Agree about the platforms at Newport though.

Yes, I agree that TFW have the edge for Bristol to Chester. It is regrettable that they have not got the proposed Cardiff to Liverpool service up and running.

 

[Krokodil]

Regarding the fake image used in the advertisement, TFW could have contacted me and purchased a real image of a train on the Marches:>

Unfortunately you've got the shaded side of the train.

I've got plenty on the coast, but I only pass through the Marches, I don't stop.

 

[Kilopylae]

If I was travelling any distance, I’d rather be on a 197 than a TFW FLIRT as the seat bases are too short & the backs too upright on the latter. I guess that TFW went with using the FLIRT in the advert for Bristol to Manchester because it looks better on the outside than a 197? Anyway, with the way things have been regarding a shortage of available 197’s, I really do wonder why TFW are trying to attract additional passengers to/from Bristol area at the present time?

Regarding the fake image used in the advertisement, TFW could have contacted me and purchased a real image of a train on the Marches:>

View attachment 211524

The topic of the thread aside, this is a beautiful photograph!

 

[Envoy]

Unfortunately you've got the shaded side of the train.

I've got plenty on the coast, but I only pass through the Marches, I don't stop.

I bet a lot of people are trying to figure out exactly where I was standing in order to get that photo. The black painted coaches of the TFW Premier trains on that route would have stood out even less. The view is looking more or less north to south so it is most likely to always be the shaded side of the train from that viewpoint. I just wish that Network Rail would cut down all the trackside bushes. So, how I did I manage to get the train in the best position between the bushes? Instead of taking a single shot at the precise moment - I took multiple shots on my phone - as you might at a sporting event; then, once back home, I went through the multiple shots & selected the one where the train was in the optimum position.

PS. I have also climbed that mountain and when on the summit, looking north you see the Black Mountains & realise why the Victorians chose that route to build the railway.

 

[DelW]

I see that they don't make things easy at Newport to change between trains coming from Bristol Temple Meads (& beyond). GWR arrivals from BRI are more or less at the same time as the TFW trains depart for Manchester making an unviable connection. What’s more, rather than have an easy cross platform change from 2 to 3 at Newport, passengers have the hassle of getting over to platform 4 in order to head up the Marches line. This all swings things more in favour of Bristol to Manchester passengers using the direct Cross Country trains via Birmingham.

I sometimes travel from Somerset to north Wales, and I much prefer the Marches route to XC's overcrowded Voyagers via Birmingham. So far I've never missed the tight connection at Newport, and if the times are right for a Holyhead train, that's the only connection on the whole journey. The 'via Hereford' fare is also much cheaper.

I bet a lot of people are trying to figure out exactly where I was standing in order to get that photo. The black painted coaches of the TFW Premier trains on that route would have stood out even less. The view is looking more or less north to south so it is most likely to always be the shaded side of the train from that viewpoint. I just wish that Network Rail would cut down all the trackside bushes.

My guess is that the hill is Ysgyryd Fawr north of Abergavenny, which would mean that the photo was taken from the hills west of Pandy. I agree that it's a lovely picture, though the poster who wanted TfW referred to the ASA would probably complain that such weather can't be guaranteed in the Marches.

 

[andystonehouse]

I can see one of the roughly two hourly planned trains from Bristol goes to Fishguard rather than Haverfordwest, but with 'service stop unnanounced'. Does that means it won't be usable from Bristol? https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:L00542/2026-12-16/detailed
Coming back, more seem to originate at Fishguard

 

[Krokodil]

I can see one of the roughly two hourly planned trains from Bristol goes to Fishguard rather than Haverfordwest, but with 'service stop unnanounced'. Does that means it won't be usable from Bristol? https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:L00542/2026-12-16/detailed
Coming back, more seem to originate at Fishguard

Looks like the path has been put in, but they don't want to commit to running it East of Cardiff yet.

 

[800002]

I can see one of the roughly two hourly planned trains from Bristol goes to Fishguard rather than Haverfordwest, but with 'service stop unnanounced'. Does that means it won't be usable from Bristol? https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:L00542/2026-12-16/detailed
Coming back, more seem to originate at Fishguard

Interestingly,
That schedudule was reuploaded to systems on the 30th September to make it non-advertised between Cardiff and Bristol.
It originally was showing as fully public stops.

Essentially, showing the intention not to operate publically beyond Cardiff I believe as the origin of Bristol is not publicly advertised.

It now appears that most of the TfW services are not being shown as publicly available between Cardiff and Bristol, with only a couple remaining.

 

[Envoy]

I have just been looking on Real Times Trains at some of the new Transport for Wales Bristol Temple Meads to west Wales services.

Why does it say “Unadvertised Service” and for Cardiff - “Stops to Pick Up Passengers Only”? Does that mean that passengers for Cardiff from places east are banned from boarding & if so, how would they impose that?

Here is an example run:> https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:L00542/2026-12-22/detailed

 

[Parallel]

I suspect they don’t have the rights to the paths yet but are leaving the service segment beyond Cardiff in the timetable so they can be made public at short notice, should they be awarded them. There has been no further communication published by the ORR yet on the status of TfW’s application.

If they aren’t awarded the paths, the services will not run.

 

[Cardiff123]

Given that TfW are desperately short of trains, thanks to the 398s being so delayed, what will they operate these extra services with? Double 153s or a 150 and cancel Cardiff to Cheltenham services?

 

[Coleridge]

I'm sure that a lot of people in Swansea and further west would like to see direct trains to Bristol - two of my friends who live in Neath drove to Bristol yesterday because of the hassle of changing trains in Cardiff - but many of us who live in south Wales would prefer it if TfW would get its act together on the routes it already operates before adding new services.

 

[Jez]

Given that TfW are desperately short of trains, thanks to the 398s being so delayed, what will they operate these extra services with? Double 153s or a 150 and cancel Cardiff to Cheltenham services?

I would imagine it would be a 2 car 197 given that these are extentions of West Wales to Cardiff services which also interwork with Manchester services. i.e. Manchester-Fishguard-Cardiff-Milford Haven etc
It will only require an extra unit I think as 1 train every 2 hours doing a 2 hour round trip.

It would make sense to postpone the Bristol service however as every single unit possible is needed at the moment given the amount of Sprinters on the likes of Maesteg/Ebbw/Cheltenham when most are booked 197.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 2 Oct 2026 ==

I'm sure that a lot of people in Swansea and further west would like to see direct trains to Bristol - two of my friends who live in Neath drove to Bristol yesterday because of the hassle of changing trains in Cardiff - but many of us who live in south Wales would prefer it if TfW would get its act together on the routes it already operates before adding new services.

I live in Neath (and sometimes get my train from Briton Ferry if the timing are good) and i have always found the Bristol TM connection one of the easiest at Cardiff. Although I am looking forward to trying the new direct service when it starts.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 2 Oct 2026 ==

Interestingly,
That schedudule was reuploaded to systems on the 30th September to make it non-advertised between Cardiff and Bristol.
It originally was showing as fully public stops.

Essentially, showing the intention not to operate publically beyond Cardiff I believe as the origin of Bristol is not publicly advertised.

It now appears that most of the TfW services are not being shown as publicly available between Cardiff and Bristol, with only a couple remaining.

Much as id welcome a direct service to Bristol TM I think this can wait until TFW sort themselves out first with other routes. Like getting 231's onto where they need to go to stop these services being mostly 150s!

 

[Anonymous10]

I suspect they don’t have the rights to the paths yet but are leaving the service segment beyond Cardiff in the timetable so they can be made public at short notice, should they be awarded them. There has been no further communication published by the ORR yet on the status of TfW’s application.

If they aren’t awarded the paths, the services will not run.

Either that or its to prevent revenue loss / overcrowding on the services. They will likely be 2 carriage 197s after all.

 

[Jez]

Maybe TFW are waiting to see how things go between now and December - even though the Bristol extension will only require one extra diagram they cant really afford any more 197 diagrams as things stand at the moment as the existing booked diagrams are not covered - Maesteg and Ebbw Vale has been nearly all Sprinters for the past month or so.

 

[Coleridge]

I live in Neath (and sometimes get my train from Briton Ferry if the timing are good) and i have always found the Bristol TM connection one of the easiest at Cardiff.

It should be, although there is generally a 15-20 minute wait. The main problem is, this being the UK, that taking two trains means you have twice the anxiety about a service being delayed or cancelled, and twice the anxiety about finding a seat. I can see why someone would choose to just get in the car.

 

[northernbelle]

It seems the planned new TfW services between Swansea and Bristol Temple Meads are likely to commence in December.

From Facebook (Swansea Scoop):

New direct train services between Swansea and Bristol are on track to launch this December, after Transport for Wales secured conditional support from Network Rail

The planned route would connect west Wales with Bristol Temple Meads, with stations including Bridgend, Port Talbot Parkway, Neath, Swansea and Carmarthen expected to feature, subject to final approval. TfW has applied to run nine return services a day, including one running via Bristol Parkway on weekdays.

TfW points to the sheer volume of cross-border traffic as the case for the new route, noting that around 80,000 vehicles cross the two Severn Bridges between south Wales and the south west every single day.

But there’s a catch: Network Rail's support currently only covers a 12-month period, something TfW has said it's disappointed by, while rival operator GWR has pushed back on claims the new service wouldn't compete with its existing Cardiff-Bristol trains.

Senedd Member Peter Fox welcomed the news, saying: "Whilst services already exist between South Wales and Bristol, increasing frequency is definitely a positive." He added: "Residents near Severn Tunnel Junction will welcome an increase in options that can take them towards Cardiff and Bristol, whilst other commuters will see the benefits too." On the timeline, he said: "I look forward to seeing these new services introduced in a few weeks."

Subject to final sign-off, TfW is aiming to get the new route running from December 2026.
Source: Transport for Wales / RAIL Magazine / Peter Fox MS | Image: Steve Hawkins Photography / Alamy

Route learning appears to have already started using a pair of Class 150s - 150245 and 150258 sighted at Temple Meads this morning.

Realtime trains links:
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:V42853/2026-10-12/detailed#allox_id=1
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:V42852/2026-10-12/detailed
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:V42851/2026-10-12/detailed
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:V42850/2026-10-12/detailed#allox_id=0
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:V42849/2026-10-12/detailed#allox_id=0
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:V42848/2026-10-12/detailed#allox_id=0
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:V42847/2026-10-12/detailed#allox_id=0
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:V43037/2026-10-12/detailed#allox_id=0

 

[Towers]

This seems pointless duplication, something which I thought GBR was supposed to be very much against? Struggling to see the point of ‘one service per weekday’ running via Parkway, difficult to see much benefit to that other than TFW being able to put some posters up?

 

[northernbelle]

This seems pointless duplication, something which I thought GBR was supposed to be very much against? Struggling to see the point of ‘one service per weekday’ running via Parkway, difficult to see much benefit to that other than TFW being able to put some posters up?

More capacity between busy Bristol, Cardiff and further West is a good thing, providing it doesn't affect the performance of the route. Having a through service between Swansea and Bristol is also a positive development.

Re: Bristol Parkway - I suspect it's to enable TfW crews to maintain route knowledge on a diversionary route between Patchway and Filton, which is sensible.