First tram-trains in Wales are nearing launch, with Transport for Wales preparing to place the new electric vehicles into passenger service on the Pontypridd–Cardiff Bay route this summer.

First tram-trains in Wales prepare for launch
First tram-trains in Wales prepare for launch

The introduction is part of the South Wales Metro programme⁠, which is intended to improve links between Cardiff and the valleys of South Wales by supporting quicker and more regular journeys.

Transport for Wales, the public transport operator in Wales, is completing the final preparations⁠ before the first tram-trains enter operation. At the initial stage, the vehicles will run on the Pontypridd–Cardiff Bay service, where they will replace the older Class 150 trains now used on the route.

Crew training has already started, and testing is taking place almost every day. The first units from a 36-vehicle fleet of Stadler Citylink tram-trains⁠ are expected to begin service this summer.

The vehicles are fully electric and are described as a core part of delivering the South Wales Metro timetable. The programme is focused on improving public transport between Cardiff and the South Welsh valleys.

First tram-trains in Wales linked to faster services

According to Transport for Wales, the new tram-trains and completed infrastructure works will cut journey times to about 50 minutes between Cardiff and Treherbert, Aberdare, and Merthyr.

Services on these routes are planned to operate every 15 minutes. The changes will be introduced gradually, in several phases.

The tram-trains can also operate on light rail infrastructure, giving TfW the option to expand the network in future. This capability is relevant to the Cardiff Crossrail project, which is expected to bring rail service to several communities.

Metro-style vehicles for frequent short trips

The new rolling stock has been designed for short and frequent journeys, with a hop-on-hop-off pattern similar to a metro or urban tram network.

Each tram-train consists of three cars and has an open interior layout. The vehicles also provide more space for wheelchairs and bicycles. Boarding and alighting should be easier because access between the platform and the vehicle will be level.

Dan Tipper, Chief Infrastructure Officer at Transport for Wales, said preparations are continuing as the launch approaches.

“Our teams are working extremely hard as we enter the final stages before the first tram-trains enter service. With the training of mechanics and train conductors nearing completion and tests taking place almost daily, we are making solid progress toward the launch of these services,”

He said the tram-trains are intended to support quicker and more frequent journeys under the South Wales Metro programme.

“Tram-trains are essential to delivering the faster and more frequent journeys promised by the South Wales Metro, and, together with the pay-as-you-go system, will support a true turn-up-and-go service for communities in the valleys,”

Station restrooms prepared for tram-train routes

TfW’s tram-trains will not include onboard restrooms⁠, in line with other metro systems in the UK and Europe. Transport for Wales says restroom access remains important for passengers, so it has invested in station facilities on the lines where the vehicles will operate.

The operator is adding nine new restrooms and refurbishing five existing facilities on the Treherbert, Aberdare, and Merthyr lines. TfW says these works should mean that passengers using the tram-trains are never more than 20 minutes away from a restroom during a journey.

The new facilities are being designed with accessibility in mind. They will include wheelchair access, grab bars, assistive handrails inside and outside, baby-changing areas, and hygiene product dispensers.