Transport for Wales (TfW) is moving forward with the South Wales Metro project as it prepares to electrify the Coryton and lower Rhymney railway lines in the coming weeks.
The Metro project includes the electrification of 170 km of track, of which 116 km has already been completed and activated. With the planned electrification of the Coryton and lower Rhymney lines—stretching from Caerphilly to Cardiff Queen Street—the total will reach 155 km.
This milestone will allow the introduction of new tri-mode trains on the Coryton and Caerphilly-to-Penarth routes starting in Spring 2025.
As TfW continues its electrification efforts across South Wales, the organization is emphasizing public safety through its “No Second Chances” campaign. Trespassing on railway tracks is illegal, and the addition of electrified lines significantly increases the risk of injury or death.
Rail services on the Coryton, Rhymney, and Cardiff Bay lines will be suspended from Friday, January 31, to Sunday, February 2, to facilitate testing of the Overhead Line Equipment (OLE) powering the new electric trains.
To ensure public safety during the testing period, several footbridges, level crossings, and road bridges along the affected routes will be closed on February 1 and 2. Further details about these closures are available on the Transport for Wales website.
The electrification of the Core Valley Lines is part of a broader transformation funded in part by the European Regional Development Fund through the Welsh Government. Once completed, the South Wales Metro will provide faster and more frequent services, enhancing connectivity between Cardiff and the heads of the valleys.
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