Cardiff Central railway station

Where is it?

Cardiff Central is located at Central Square in Cardiff city centre. It’s a Grade II listed building, easy to spot thanks to its grand stature and location in the heart of this historic city. Find things to do in Cardiff and buy your Advance tickets with no booking fees today. Want to know how busy your train to or from Cardiff Central is likely to be? Use our handy capacity checker.

The history of Cardiff Central Railway station

A major station on the South Wales Main Line, Cardiff Central carries a big responsibility for getting people across Wales and the UK where they need to be. Its grand halls with glorious Art Deco architecture truly reflect the golden age of train travel.

The site of Cardiff Central was once part of the River Taff’s floodplain. It was up to the great man himself, Isambard Kingdom Brunel, to come up with a workable solution. His idea was to reroute the river, creating a safe and stable location for the station. In 1850, the original station was opened for business. With several rebuilds and additions through the ensuing years, the glamorous Art Deco style was incorporated in the early 1930s. Today, the Grade II listed station is the busiest in Wales.

It’s just a 10-minute walk to the home of Welsh rugby - the Principality Stadium, the Millennium Centre and so much more that the city has to offer. Looking for inspiration? Check out this list of things to do in Cardiff that we’ve put together for you.

Take a virtual tour of our stations

Virtual tour of Cardiff Central station

See all of our TfW 3D station tours here and learn how they work.

• How long does it take to get from Cardiff Central station to Cardiff airport?

  • To travel from Cardiff Central station to Cardiff airport, you need to hop on the train to Rhoose Cardiff International Airport station, and from there catch the convenient shuttle bus service to the airport. 

• How long does it take to walk from Cardiff Central station to Cardiff city centre?

  • The walk to Cardiff city centre, via St. Mary Street, takes an easy five minutes.

• What car parking facilities are available at Cardiff Central station?

  • The 24-hour car park has 402 spaces, including Blue Badge spaces.

• What facilities are there for bike storage at Cardiff Central station?

  • With 90 available bike spaces, including sheltered storage, there’s plenty of space, and it’s all overlooked by CCTV.

• What other facilities are available at Cardiff Central station? 

  • Toilets, including baby changing facilities
  • Station buffet
  • Shops
  • Coin and card telephones
  • ATM
  • Wi-Fi
  • First-class lounge
  • Disabled access - step-free throughout the station, ramps and induction loop available

• Which popular destinations can be reached from Cardiff Central station?

  • Cardiff to Manchester
  • Cardiff to Swansea
  • Cardiff to Liverpool
  • Cardiff to Bangor
  • Cardiff to Chester
  • For more popular routes from Cardiff station, click here.