Transport in Cardiff

Junctions

The A48(M) connects junction 29 to the city centre, with exits for the suburbs of St Mellons, where it becomes the A48, Pontprennau (M4 junction 30, via the A4232), Pentwyn, Rumney, Llanedeyrn and the University Hospital of Wales.

The A4232, also known as the Peripheral Distributor Road, connects M4 junction 33 with 30 by bypassing through the south of the city. From junction 33, exits are at Culverhouse Cross Interchange, Leckwith Interchange, Ferry Road Interchange (for Barry and Penarth) and Butetown, the road ends at Queen's Gate Roundabout, where the long-awaited Eastern Bay Link Road will eventually link with the Southern Way Link Road. It then continues to the M4 at junction 30, via the A48 (Eastern Avenue) and the Pentwyn Link Road (A4232).

The A470 is the main North–South Wales route running from Cardiff Bay to Llandudno, via exits for the suburbs of Tongwynlais and Taff's Well. It provides an important link with the Heads of the Valleys road to Mid and North Wales.

As with many other cities car traffic has caused congestion problems and, as such, Cardiff Council has designated bus lanes to improve transport into and out of the city centre. The Welsh Assembly Government considered the introduction of variable congestion charging in the city centre, but only once there has been significant investment in the city's public transport network; the council formally backed away from a controversial city-wide road user congestion charge in July 2026.

There are several road and railway bridges that cross the river Taff, including the Clarence Road Bridge. This is comparatively modern, having replaced a swing bridge that was demolished in 1975, and is named after the Duke of Clarence.

Much of Cardiff's central shopping zone is pedestrianised; further pedestrianisation is planned as part of the St David's 2 regeneration scheme.

National

Central station is the tenth busiest in the United Kingdom outside of London, with eight platforms. It is a principal station on the South Wales Main Line; national services are operated by three train operating companies on the following routes:

Great Western Railway

• London Paddington, via Bristol Parkway and Reading
• Swansea and West Wales
• Portsmouth Harbour, via Bristol Temple Meads, Bath Spa and Southampton Central.

Transport for Wales

• Holyhead, via Newport, Abergavenny, Wrexham General, Chester and Llandudno Junction
• Manchester Piccadilly, via Newport, Abergavenny, Hereford, Shrewsbury and Crewe
• Milford Haven, via Swansea, Carmarthen and Haverfordwest
• Pembroke Dock, via Swansea and Carmarthen.

CrossCountry

• Nottingham, via Bristol Temple Meads and Birmingham New Street.

Suburban

Central and Queen Street stations are the hubs of the Valley Lines network, operated by Transport for Wales (TfW). Electrification of the core lines was completed in early 2026. There are eight lines that connect the city to:

• 20 smaller stations in the city
• 26 stations in the wider urban area, including Taffs Well, Penarth and Dinas Powys
• More than 60 in the South Wales valleys and the Vale of Glamorgan.

Park and ride

There are four railway-based park and ride systems operating in the city; over 2,000 parking spaces are provided at 24 railway stations, all within 30 minutes of Central station by train:

• Cardiff North: from ten stations, including Caerphilly and Pontypridd
• Cardiff East: from five stations, including Cwmbran and Newport
• Cardiff South: from five stations, including Barry and Penarth
• Cardiff West: from four stations, including Bridgend.

These services form part of the council's Sustainable Cardiff initiative, which is partly funded by the Welsh Assembly Government.

National

Cardiff Bus Interchange is the main hub for services to destinations outside Cardiff and the Vale, such as First Cymru's X2 to Bridgend and Porthcawl, 320 to Talbot Green and Stagecoach South Wales services to the Valleys.

TrawsCymru route T1C to Carmarthen and Aberystwyth departs from Tresilian Way.

National Express operates routes to Swansea, Llanelli, Bristol Airport, Heathrow Airport, Gatwick Airport and London Victoria from Pontcanna, near Sophia Gardens.

FlixBus services link the city with Swansea, Bristol, Gatwick Airport, London Victoria, Birmingham, Sheffield, Leeds and Newcastle-upon-Tyne from Kingsway bus stop stop in the Castle Quarter.

Local

Cardiff Bus operates a comprehensive network of routes in and around the city; it also operates routes to Newport, Penarth, Barry, Cardiff Airport and Llantwit Major. Stagecoach South Wales, Edwards Coaches, First Cymru and EST Buses also operate services in the city.

Cardiff Central bus station was closed in 2015, as part of the redevelopment of Central Square; its replacement is Cardiff Bus Interchange, which opened in May 2024. Other main bus stops in the city are located in Westgate Street, St Mary Street, Castle Street, Kingsway, Greyfriars Road, Dumfries Place and Queen Street station.

Park and ride

Cardiff’s park and ride bus services operate differently from TfW’s railway-based facilities. Cardiff Council's park and ride currently highlights a free hospital service from Cardiff East to the University Hospital of Wales and special arrangements for large events at the Millennium Stadium.