Travel Advice for Wales v Australia, Saturday 26th November
22nd November 2022, 2:24 pm By Principality Stadium
With the kick-off taking place at 3.15pm – there will be a full city centre road closure from 11.15am until 7.15pm to ensure all ticket holders can get into and out of the stadium safely.
Rail passengers are being urged to plan their journeys carefully as industrial action is set to impact services across the Wales and Borders network.
The M4 motorway is expected to be very busy – please plan ahead – and avoid the congestion in Cardiff by using the park & ride at County Hall in Cardiff Bay.
Gates open at 12.45pm, those attending the rugby match are strongly advised to plan their journey and get in early. Please pay attention to the prohibited items listed at principalitystadium.wales, in particular the bag policy (no large bags permitted) before travelling into the city.
Road closures
From 7am, Scott Road and Park Street will be closed because of the need to prepare Gate 5 and protect queuing fans.
The following roads will be closed as part of the full city centre road closure which will take place at 11.15am until 7.15pm.
• Kingsway from its junction with North Road to its junction with Duke Street.
• Cowbridge Road East from its junction with Cathedral Road to its junction with Westgate Street.
• Tudor Street from its junction with Clare Road to its junction with Wood Street (access for residents and traders will be permitted via Fitzhammon Embankment.)
• Plantagenet Street and Beauchamp Street from their junctions with Despenser Place to their junctions with Tudor Street (access for residents and traders will be permitted.)
• The following roads will be closed in their entirety: Duke Street, Castle St, High Street, St Mary Street, Caroline Street, Wood Street, Central Square, Westgate Street, Quay Street, Guildhall Place, Golate, Park Street, Havelock Street and Scott Road.
• Station Terrace and Guildford Street from the junction with Newport Road to the junction with Churchill Way will be access for buses only during the times of the road closures. This is to ensure that there is reliable access for buses to the satellite points in Churchill Way.
• Additionally, Penarth Road from the rear of the train station throughout its length to St Mary Street will be closed to ensure that train passengers can arrive and depart from the train station safely.
Additions:
Civic Centre: Access to part of the Civic Centre will be controlled throughout the day, with access allowed only for event parking, limited commuter parking, loading and access to private car parks.
Roads affected include King Edward VII Avenue, Museum Avenue, City Hall Road, College Road and Gorsedd Gardens Road.
Trains
Rail passengers are being urged to plan their journeys carefully this Saturday (26 November) with industrial action set to impact services across the Wales and Borders network.
Transport for Wales (TfW) is not involved in Saturday’s strikes, but industrial action by the train drivers’ union ASLEF at 12 other operators means TfW services across the network are likely to be very busy.
Saturday 26 November
TfW services in South Wales between Carmarthen and Newport are expected to be very busy because there are no Great Western Railway (GWR) services running in/out of Wales on Saturday 26 November.
All customers are strongly advised to check for the latest travel information on the TfW website, mobile app or social media channels before making their journey.
TfW is providing coach services between Swansea – Cardiff and Newport – Cardiff to provide additional capacity for the rugby. To book coach travel please visit https://tfw.wales/places/events/wales-v-australia
Big Green Coach Return Coach Travel
If you’re not travelling with TfW, a separate coach service will be available. The Welsh Rugby Union has partnered with Big Green Coach, the largest events travel company in the UK, to put on special coach services for supporters travelling into Cardiff for the Wales v Australia match.
Return coach travel is available from four locations including Bristol, Swindon, Reading and London (King’s Cross). Return coach seats start from £33, and all coaches are timetabled to arrive in plenty of time before the game and will take fans home again, after full time.
Tickets can be purchased online here.
Park & Ride facilities
The event park & ride facilities will be at County Hall in Cardiff Bay.
The drop of point in the city centre is Callaghan Square.
The park & ride site will open at 8.50am, with the first bus leaving at 9am. The last bus from the city centre will be at 7pm with the site closing at soon after.
Cost: £10 payable on the day – card payments are now available.
Civic Centre Event Day Parking (Cars and Coaches)
Getting there: Exit Junction 32 of the M4, head south on the A470 towards the city centre and follow signage to the civic centre.
Cost: £15 payable on the day at the car park – card payments are also now available.
Parking time: The car park will open at 8am and closes at 12 Midnight.
Event Day Parking at Sophia Gardens
Sophia Gardens (cars)
(Approximately, 0.5 mile walk to the Principality Stadium, Gate 2).
Sophia Gardens Event Day Parking
Getting there: Exit junction 32 off the M4
Cost: £15 payable on the day at the car park – card payments are now available.
Parking time: Car park opens at 8.00am and closes at 12 midnight
Please note: Sophia Gardens car park will be staffed until 7.00pm all vehicles are left on site at the owner’s risk. Cardiff Council will not be held responsible for any theft or damage to motor vehicles or personal possessions. Any vehicles left in the car park after closing time will be fined.
Bus
Local buses:
Bus services will be diverted while the city centre road closures are in place
Please visit the relevant bus operator’s website for more information about your specific bus routes.
For Stagecoach services, please visit: Welcome to Stagecoach (stagecoachbus.com)
For Cardiff Bus services, please visit: https://www.cardiffbus.com/principality-stadium
For NAT services, please visit: https://www.natgroup.co.uk/
National Express:
National Express coaches will use Sophia Gardens as usual when the roads are open. During the road closures, National Express services will operate from Cathedral Road
Can you cycle or walk?
Those who live locally in Cardiff may want to travel by bicycle or walk. Research shows us that 52% of car trips made in the Welsh capital are less than 5km. This is a distance that can be comfortably cycled in 20 minutes.
We also know that 28% of Cardiff residents who currently do not cycle would like to do so.
When the roads are congested this makes cycling an even more attractive option as travel by bicycle would be quicker than a car during rush hours or during big events.
Shopping Parking
Shoppers are advised to make use of the dedicated Shopping Park & Ride sites at Pentwyn or County Hall. Or city centre car parks are also available: North Road Car Parks, St David’s Shopping Centre, John Lewis, Capitol Shopping Centre, and NCP (Adam Street, Dumfries Place and Greyfriars Road.)
Disabled parking
Disabled drivers are advised to use Sophia Gardens. Disabled parking is also available at various private car parks.
Please check individual websites for availability.
Taxis
St Mary Street taxi rank (outside the House of Fraser) will close at 11.15am and will re-open at 7.15pm.