Transport for Wales is to make major changes to its timetable in December, which will increase services at some stations and include later services from Cardiff Central and Swansea.
It will also introduce more new trains and will regularise services to depart at the same time each hour.
TfW has been replacing older trains with new Class 197 trains over the past two years, and it explains that the new fleet’s enhanced capabilities have enabled it to make these improvements.
The operator has been developing the new timetable over a period of four years and describes it as the “most significant mainline timetable change in a generation”. It expects faster journeys, more frequent train services and more seats across the network.
The new timetable will be in effect from Sunday 15 December, and every mainline service will be retimed.
The timetable changes will also impact other rail companies that operate services within Wales and in the border area.
TfW will also be deploying new electric tri-mode Class 756 trains on the Core Valley Lines this month. The line has been undergoing upgrade work.
However, Transport for Wales is reducing the number of services on the Cambrian and Heart of Wales lines, following a Strategic Timetable Review carried out earlier this year.
Passengers can see how their journeys will change by visiting TfW’s online journey planner and entering journey details for a date after 15 December.
“This is a major change which will make a real difference to customers, who will benefit from a more consistent service. This has been made possible by our £800m investment in new trains and it’s great to see the results coming through across Wales.”
Ken Skates, Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales
Responses
Maybe TfW could order more trains and to replace the older trains and to transfer them to other operators or to be stored or scrapped. The Class 756 FLIRT Tri-mode is the best option to operate on railway lines in Wales that are not electrified and these trains can operate on either diesel or battery mode. And the Class 231 FLIRT that are diesel only can also operate on routes that are not electrified.
It’s great to see investment in new services such as the Metro, but it’s saddening to see the damage being done to rural services on the Heart of Wales and Cambrian Coast lines. If frequency is cut to just four through trains a day and reliability of those is poor, then it’s hardly surprising if passenger numbers fall. Worse, my own experience is that conductors don’t bother to check or issue tickets, so one has to question the accuracy of passenger data used to justify the cuts. TfW look to be using the Beeching playbook when it comes to services in mid Wales
The Heart of Wales and Cambrian lines should not have reduced services. 197’s are uncomfortable to travel in for more than one hour, with “ironing board” seats. Much worse than the 175’s and 158’s
Across Wales!! Try living on the cambrian coast where our train service is being slashed to provide more trains in Cardiff.
I totally agree, losing the first and last trains on the Cambrian coast makes days out impossible so the traffic will reduce making closure more likely.