Editing Valleys & Cardiff Local Routes

{{Short description|Cardiff's suburban rail network}}
{{Redirect|Valley Lines|the company|Valley Lines (train operating company)|other uses|Valley Line (disambiguation){{!}}Valley line}}
{{Valley Lines Network}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{update|date=June 2022|reason=It needs more explanation of the South Wales Metro}}
{{Use British English|date=July 2017}}
'''Valleys & Cardiff Local Routes''' (formerly '''Valley Lines''') is the [[Urban rail|urban]] and [[suburban rail]] network radiating from [[Cardiff]], Wales. It includes lines within the city itself, the [[Vale of Glamorgan]] and the [[South Wales Valleys]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.networkrail.co.uk/browse%20documents/StrategicBusinessPlan/RoutePlans/2008/Route%2015%20-%20South%20Wales%20Valleys.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=29 October 2008 |archive-date=7 June 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110607092114/http://www.networkrail.co.uk/browse%20documents/StrategicBusinessPlan/RoutePlans/2008/Route%2015%20-%20South%20Wales%20Valleys.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The services are currently operated by [[Transport for Wales Rail]]. In total, it serves 81 stations in six unitary authority areas: [[List of railway stations in Cardiff|20 in the city of Cardiff]], 11 in the [[Vale of Glamorgan]], 25 in [[Rhondda Cynon Taf]], 16 in [[Caerphilly County Borough|Caerphilly]], 8 in [[Bridgend County Borough|Bridgend]] and 5 in [[Merthyr Tydfil County Borough|Merthyr Tydfil]].<ref name="arrivatrainswales.co.uk">{{cite web |url=http://www.arrivatrainswales.co.uk/WorkArea/showcontent.aspx?id=4776 |title=Showcontent |access-date=2008-05-20 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110525204307/http://www.arrivatrainswales.co.uk/WorkArea/showcontent.aspx?id=4776 |archive-date=25 May 2011 }}</ref>

Services on these routes are currently provided by a transitional fleet of [[British Rail Class 150|Class 150]] [[Diesel multiple unit|DMUs]], [[British Rail Class 231|Class 231]] Diesel–electric multiple units and [[British Rail Class 756|Class 756]] tri-mode multiple units. They are typically end-to-end, in that they run from one branch terminus, through [[Cardiff Queen Street railway station|Cardiff Queen Street station]], to another branch terminus, e.g. from [[Pontypridd]] to [[Barry Island (Vale of Glamorgan)|Barry Island]].

The major hubs of the network are {{Stnlnk|Cardiff Queen Street}} and {{Stnlnk|Cardiff Central}}. Other hubs are {{Stnlnk|Pontypridd}}, {{Stnlnk|Bridgend}} and {{Stnlnk|Barry}}.<ref>Cardiff Central and Queen Street are where all services pass through, and Cardiff Central is the main interchange to the national network. Pontypridd and Barry are the two stations with the largest passenger numbers outside of Cardiff and they are only served by this network. See respective Wikipedia pages.</ref>

==History==

A stretch of the [[Vale of Glamorgan Line]], on which passenger services were closed under the [[Beeching Axe]], re-opened for passenger service, with services from {{Stnlnk|Cardiff Central}} to {{Stnlnk|Bridgend}}, via {{Stnlnk|Barry}}, [[Rhoose Cardiff International Airport railway station|Rhoose Cardiff Intl. Airport]] and [[Llantwit Major railway station|Llantwit Major]].  These services were originally advertised to start in April 2005, but commenced on 12 June 2005.<ref>{{cite web|title=Vale of Glamorgen|url=http://www.railfuture.org.uk/tiki-index.php?page=Vale+of+Glamorgan|publisher=[[Railfuture]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|date=4 May 2004|title=Airport rail link 'open in 2005'|publisher=BBC News|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/3683923.stm|access-date=9 April 2010}}</ref> Previously services only went as far as Barry.

On 28 March 2020, ownership of the lines between Cardiff and Treherbert, Aberdare, Merthyr Tydfil, Coryton, Rhymney and Cwmbargoed (the "Core Valley Lines") was transferred from [[Network Rail]] to [[Transport for Wales]], who leased them to operator [[KeolisAmey Wales|AKIL]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Core Valley Lines Infrastructure Manager|url=https://tfwrail.wales/about-us/metro/core-valley-lines-infrastructure-manager|access-date=2021-02-05|website=Transport for Wales|language=en}}</ref>

==Electrification==
{{see also|Proposed railway electrification in Great Britain}}
On 16 July 2012 the UK Government announced plans to extend the electrification of the network at a cost of £350 million. This was at the same time of the announcement of electrification of the [[South Wales Main Line]] from Cardiff to Swansea. This would also see investment in new trains and continued improvements to stations.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-18852955 |title=Rail electrification to Swansea and south Wales valleys welcomed |publisher=BBC News Wales |date=16 July 2012 |access-date=16 July 2012 }}</ref>

The investment will require new trains and should result in reduced journey times and cheaper maintenance of the network. Work was expected to start between 2014 and 2019, but has since been pushed back to between 2019 and 2024.<ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.networkrail.co.uk/running-the-railway/our-routes/wales/cardiff-and-valleys/| title=Cardiff And Valleys Station Upgrades| website=Network Rail| date=16 May 2018| access-date=16 May 2018| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180517010051/https://www.networkrail.co.uk/running-the-railway/our-routes/wales/cardiff-and-valleys/| archive-date=17 May 2018| url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Lines==
[[File:South-east Wales rail network map.svg|thumb|right|300px|The Valley Lines network and surrounding routes]]
The colours used below are from the official network map (see [[#External links|External links]]). Stations in '''bold''' are major interchanges for the network.<ref name="arrivatrainswales.co.uk"/>

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 90%"
!{{Color box|#{{CV colour|Butetown}}|border=darkgray}} [[Butetown branch line|Cardiff Bay Line]]
!{{Color box|#{{CV colour|City}}|border=darkgray}} [[Cardiff City Line|City Line]]
!{{Color box|#{{CV colour|Coryton}}|border=darkgray}} [[Coryton Line]]
!{{Color box|#{{CV colour|Vale of Glamorgan}}|border=darkgray}} [[Vale of Glamorgan Line]]
|- valign="top"
|
'''[[Cardiff Queen Street railway station|Cardiff Queen St.]]'''<br />
[[Cardiff Bay railway station|Cardiff Bay]]<br />
|
'''[[Cardiff Queen Street railway station|Cardiff Queen St.]]'''<br />
'''[[Cardiff Central railway station|Cardiff Central]]'''<br />
[[Ninian Park railway station|Ninian Park]]<br />
[[Waun-Gron Park railway station|Waun-Gron Park]]<br />
[[Fairwater railway station|Fairwater]]<br />
[[Danescourt railway station|Danescourt]]<br />
[[Radyr railway station|Radyr]]<br />
|
'''[[Cardiff Central railway station|Cardiff Central]]'''<br />
'''[[Cardiff Queen Street railway station|Cardiff Queen St.]]'''<br />
[[Heath Low Level railway station|Heath Low Level]]<br />
[[Ty Glas railway station|Ty Glas]]<br />
[[Birchgrove railway station|Birchgrove]]<br />
[[Rhiwbina railway station|Rhiwbina]]<br />
[[Whitchurch (Glamorgan) railway station|Whitchurch]]<br />
[[Coryton railway station (Cardiff)|Coryton]]
|
'''[[Cardiff Central railway station|Cardiff Central]]'''<br />
[[Grangetown railway station|Grangetown]]<br />
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[[Dingle Road railway station|Dingle Road]]<br />
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[[Penarth railway station|Penarth]]<br />
[[Cogan railway station|Cogan]]<br />
[[Eastbrook railway station|Eastbrook]]<br />
[[Dinas Powys railway station|Dinas Powys]]<br />
[[Cadoxton railway station|Cadoxton]]<br />
[[Barry Docks railway station|Barry Docks]]<br />
[[Barry railway station|Barry]]<br />
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[[Barry Island railway station|Barry Island]]<br />
[[Rhoose Cardiff International Airport railway station|Rhoose Cardiff Int. Airport]]<br />
[[Llantwit Major railway station|Llantwit Major]]<br />
[[Bridgend railway station|Bridgend]]<br />
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 90%"
!{{Color box|#{{CV colour|Merthyr}}|border=darkgray}} [[Merthyr Line]]
!{{Color box|#{{CV colour|Merthyr}}|border=darkgray}} [[Merthyr Line]]
!{{Color box|#{{CV colour|Rhondda}}|border=darkgray}} [[Rhondda Line]]
!{{Color box|#{{CV colour|Rhymney}}|border=darkgray}} [[Rhymney Line]]
|- valign="top"
|
'''[[Cardiff Central railway station|Cardiff Central]]'''<br />
'''[[Cardiff Queen Street railway station|Cardiff Queen St.]]'''<br />
{{Stnlnk|Cathays}}<br />
{{Stnlnk|Llandaf}}<br />
{{Stnlnk|Radyr}}<br />
{{Stnlnk|Taffs Well}}<br />
{{Stnlnk|Treforest Estate}}<br />
{{Stnlnk|Treforest}}<br />
{{Stnlnk|Pontypridd}}<br />
{{Stnlnk|Abercynon}}<br />
{{Stnlnk|Quakers Yard}}<br />
{{Stnlnk|Merthyr Vale}}<br />
{{Stnlnk|Troed-y-rhiw}}<br />
{{Stnlnk|Pentre-bach}}<br />
{{Stnlnk|Merthyr Tydfil}}
|
'''[[Cardiff Central railway station|Cardiff Central]]'''<br />
'''[[Cardiff Queen Street railway station|Cardiff Queen St.]]'''<br />
{{Stnlnk|Cathays}}<br />
{{Stnlnk|Llandaf}}<br />
{{Stnlnk|Radyr}}<br />
{{Stnlnk|Taffs Well}}<br />
{{Stnlnk|Treforest Estate}}<br />
{{Stnlnk|Treforest}}<br />
{{Stnlnk|Pontypridd}}<br />
{{Stnlnk|Abercynon}}<br />
{{Stnlnk|Penrhiwceiber}}<br />
{{Stnlnk|Mountain Ash}}<br />
{{Stnlnk|Fernhill}}<br />
{{Stnlnk|Cwmbach}}<br />
{{Stnlnk|Aberdare}}<br />
|
'''[[Cardiff Central railway station|Cardiff Central]]'''<br />
'''[[Cardiff Queen Street railway station|Cardiff Queen St.]]'''<br />
[[Cathays railway station|Cathays]]<br />
[[Llandaf railway station|Llandaf]]<br />
[[Radyr railway station|Radyr]]<br />
[[Taffs Well railway station|Taffs Well]]<br />
{{Stnlnk|Treforest Estate}}<br />
{{Stnlnk|Treforest}}<br />
{{Stnlnk|Pontypridd}}<br />
[[Trehafod railway station|Trehafod]]<br />
[[Porth railway station|Porth]]<br />
[[Dinas Rhondda railway station|Dinas Rhondda]]<br />
[[Tonypandy railway station|Tonypandy]]<br />
[[Llwynypia railway station|Llwynypia]]<br />
[[Ystrad Rhondda railway station|Ystrad Rhondda]]<br />
[[Ton Pentre railway station|Ton Pentre]]<br />
[[Treorchy railway station|Treorchy]]<br />
[[Ynyswen railway station|Ynyswen]]<br />
[[Treherbert railway station|Treherbert]]
|
'''{{Stnlnk|Cardiff Central}}'''<br />
'''[[Cardiff Queen Street railway station|Cardiff Queen St.]]'''<br />
[[Heath High Level railway station|Heath High Level]]<br />
[[Llanishen railway station|Llanishen]]<br />
[[Lisvane and Thornhill railway station|Lisvane & Thornhill]]<br />
[[Caerphilly railway station|Caerphilly]]<br />
[[Aber railway station|Aber]]<br />
[[Energlyn and Churchill Park railway station|Energlyn and Churchill Park]]<br />
[[Llanbradach railway station|Llanbradach]]<br />
[[Ystrad Mynach railway station|Ystrad Mynach]]<br />
[[Hengoed railway station|Hengoed]]<br />
[[Pengam railway station|Pengam]]<br />
[[Gilfach Fargoed railway station|Gilfach Fargoed]]<br />
[[Bargoed railway station|Bargoed]]<br />
[[Brithdir railway station|Brithdir]]<br />
[[Tir-Phil railway station|Tir-Phil]]<br />
[[Pontlottyn railway station|Pontlottyn]]<br />
{{Stnlnk|Rhymney}}<br />
|}

===Routes===
Generally trains run from one line to another, joining at Cardiff Central eliminating the need for changing trains there. However they may not run for the whole length of the line.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.arrivatrainswales.co.uk/WorkArea/showcontent.aspx?id=5952|title=Search & Buy Train Tickets with Arriva Trains Wales for travel in Wales and UK}}</ref>

Before the June 2024 train timetable changes, Services had run between:
*Bridgend/Barry Island and Merthyr Tydfil/Aberdare – incorporating the Vale of Glamorgan and Merthyr/Aberdare Lines
*Penarth and Rhymney/Bargoed – incorporating the Vale of Glamorgan and Rhymney Lines
*Radyr and Coryton – incorporating the City and Coryton Lines
*Cardiff Central and Treherbert – incorporating the Rhondda Line only
*Cardiff Queen Street and Cardiff Bay – incorporating the Butetown Branch Line only

After the June 2024 train timetable changes, Services now run between:<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=South Wales Metro June 2024 timetable change {{!}} Transport for Wales |url=https://tfw.wales/projects/metro/south-wales-metro/june-2024 |access-date=2024-10-07 |website=tfw.wales |language=en}}</ref>
*Bridgend/Barry Island and Rhymney/Bargoed – incorporating the Vale of Glamorgan and Rhymney Lines
*Penarth and Coryton/Caerphilly – incorporating the Vale of Glamorgan and Rhymney/Coryton Lines
*Cardiff Central and Merthyr Tydfil/Aberdare  – incorporating the City and Merthyr/Aberdare Lines (trains from Aberdare to Cardiff now travel after Radyr via the City Line, and after Cardiff Central then go on to Cardiff Queen St and proceed to Merthyr Tydfil; trains from Merthyr Tydfil continue on to Aberdare after Cardiff Central)<ref name=":0"/>
*Cardiff Central and Treherbert – incorporating the Rhondda Line only
*Cardiff Queen Street/Pontypridd and Cardiff Bay – incorporating the Butetown Branch Line only

==Surrounding lines==
The following lines also serve Cardiff and the South Wales Valleys but are not considered part of the network by Transport for Wales and use more "mainline" rolling stock (currently [[British Rail Class 197|Class 197]] units).<ref>{{Cite web |date=19 February 2024 |title=Brand new trains on the Maesteg Line |url=https://news.tfw.wales/news/brand-new-trains-on-the-maesteg-line}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|last=Pritchard|first=Robert|title=Ebbw Vale launch for 197s|department= Rolling Stock News|magazine=[[Today's Railways UK]] |issue=268|date=June 2024|page=61}}</ref>
<!-- These lines now appear on the Valleys map again -->

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 90%"
!<span style="color:#{{CV colour|Maesteg}};">█</span> [[Maesteg Line|Maesteg]] – [[Gloucester to Newport Line|Cheltenham]]
!<span style="color:#{{CV colour|Ebbw Vale}};">█</span> [[Ebbw Valley Railway]]
|- valign="top"
|
[[Cheltenham Spa railway station|Cheltenham Spa]]<br />
[[Gloucester railway station|Gloucester]]<br />
[[Lydney railway station|Lydney]]<br />
[[Chepstow railway station|Chepstow]]<br />
[[Caldicot railway station|Caldicot]]<br />
[[Severn Tunnel Junction railway station|Severn Tunnel Junction]]<br />
[[Newport railway station|Newport]]<br />
'''[[Cardiff Central railway station|Cardiff Central]]'''<br />
[[Pontyclun railway station|Pontyclun]]<br />
[[Llanharan railway station|Llanharan]]<br />
[[Pencoed railway station|Pencoed]]<br />
[[Bridgend railway station|Bridgend]]<br />
[[Wildmill railway station|Wildmill]]<br />
[[Sarn railway station|Sarn]]<br />
[[Tondu railway station|Tondu]]<br />
[[Garth (Mid Glamorgan) railway station|Garth]]<br />
[[Maesteg (Ewenny Road) railway station|Maesteg (Ewenny Road)]]<br />
[[Maesteg railway station|Maesteg]]
|
'''[[Cardiff Central railway station|Cardiff Central]]'''<br />
(and/or [[Newport railway station|Newport]])<br />
[[Pye Corner railway station|Pye Corner]]<br />
[[Rogerstone railway station|Rogerstone]]<br />
[[Risca and Pontymister railway station|Risca and Pontymister]]<br />
[[Crosskeys railway station|Crosskeys]]<br />
[[Newbridge railway station (Wales)|Newbridge]]<br />
[[Llanhilleth railway station|Llanhilleth]]<br />
[[Ebbw Vale Parkway railway station|Ebbw Vale Parkway]]<br />
[[Ebbw Vale Town railway station|Ebbw Vale Town]]
|}

==See also==
*[[South East Wales Metro]]
*[[Rail transport in Cardiff]]
*[[List of Valley Lines stations]]
*[[List of railway stations in Wales]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://tfw.wales/sites/default/files/2021-04/TfW%20Valley%20Lines%20Map-A4.pdf Route map] – Transport for Wales
* [http://www.arrivatrainswales.co.uk/ Arriva Trains Wales]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20050424075315/http://members.aol.com/Walesrails/crcva.htm Descriptions of the Valley Lines] – Deryck Lewis, archived in 2005
* [https://tfw.wales/projects/metro/south-wales-metro/june-2024 South Wales Metro – June 2024 timetable change] – Transport For Wales

{{Britishmetros}}
{{Cardiff, Newport and the Valleys railway stations}}
{{Current rail infrastructure projects in the United Kingdom}}
{{Transport in Wales|state=collapsed}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Valleys and Cardiff Local Routes}}
[[Category:Railway lines in Wales]]
[[Category:Standard gauge railways in Wales]]
[[Category:Rail transport in Cardiff]]