Transport for Wales (TfW) is set to trial a new post-match crowd management plan during the upcoming Six Nations match between Wales and Italy, as preparations continue for the redevelopment of Cardiff Central station. Passengers are being asked to plan ahead and leave plenty of time for travel.

The fixture takes place on Saturday, 14 March, and will be the final home game for Wales in this year’s tournament. After the match, supporters travelling on Valleys and Vale services will be directed to Cardiff Queen Street station, rather than Cardiff Central.

The change comes ahead of redevelopment at the rear of Cardiff Central as part of the Cardiff Central Enhancements project and the Cardiff Crossrail programme. The area currently used for post-match queuing will no longer be available once work begins.

Although the trial will mean a slightly longer walk for some fans, the new arrangement will provide dedicated queues for individual routes at Cardiff Queen Street, helping reduce waiting times, speed up boarding, and improve passenger flow.

Fans are encouraged to have a valid ticket before travelling. Contactless pay-as-you-go is available across the South Wales Metro network, while tickets can also be purchased in advance through the Transport for Wales app.

TfW has asked passengers to check their travel plans before setting off and to remain respectful to frontline staff who will be on hand to help manage crowds and ensure supporters can travel home safely.

Accessibility assistance will continue to be available at Cardiff Central for both mainline and Valley line passengers.

 “We’re preparing for the £140 million redevelopment of Cardiff Central station and looking at the best ways to get people home on event days

“This event gives us the perfect opportunity to work with our customers to test a smarter, more targeted approach to moving large numbers of fans out of the city.

“Keeping Cardiff Queen Street open for Valleys and Vale services allows us to ease pressure on Cardiff Central station, distribute passenger flow more effectively and get people home sooner.

“These changes give us the opportunity to engage with our customers more effectively on the day, with teams on the ground making sure everyone gets to the right place. We’ll continue to adapt our plans based on what we learn from the trial.”

Georgina Porter, Customer Delivery and Events Planning Manager for Transport for Wales.