| Re: Transport for Wales train fares to be frozen for a year, from 1 March 2026 Posted by John D at 07:50, 1st March 2026 |     |
Wales might be freezing its rail fares, but for some parts of the Network it has temporarily retained old rolling stock too.
The class 398 tram-trains still not in use in the Cardiff area
A number of its new class 197 DMUs have never entered service, and a few others have been out of service for months because they have faults that are proving difficult to fix due to lack of spare parts. (and if can't get parts already, what will it be like in 30 years)
So in meantime, the aging class 150s, some class 153s (38-40 year old) and the class 158s and mk4 carriages (34-37 year old) continue in service.
From my occasional travels in South Wales it is also clear their train orders made 8 years ago (and which business case would have been formulated nearer 10 years ago), have rather too many 2car units which get crowded on certain services and desperately need lengthening to cope with current (and growing) passenger numbers
Overall good they are freezing fares, but TfW need a plan to handle the additional passengers their new trains (where they have been introduced) seem to be carrying.
| Transport for Wales train fares to be frozen for a year, from 1 March 2026 Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 20:49, 28th February 2026 | |
From the BBC:
Train fares in Wales to be frozen for a year
Rail fares will be frozen for the next 12 months on Transport for Wales services from St David's Day, in a decision agreed by the Welsh government.
First Minister Eluned Morgan said keeping fares at the current level would provide "certainty to passengers at a time when many are struggling with the cost of living".
While some rail passengers said they welcomed decision, Plaid Cymru said "decades of underfunding of rail funding" needed undoing.
Reform said Labour had failed while in power in Cardiff Bay despite having a "generation to establish a functioning transport network".
The move comes after the UK government announced rail fares in England would be frozen for the first time in 30 years.
Rail passengers in Bangor, Gwynedd, on Saturday morning welcomed the decision.
"At least it's not going up," said Edward Eggers. "I've got a railcard, as long as it stays at this price, I'm decently happy with it. I would always advocate for it being lower but I think the transport system just needs the money, so I'll pay what I need to."
Joshua Cooper said rail fares could be "quite expensive" with a return ticket between Cardiff and London costing in excess of £100 on Saturday. "When you compare car and train it doesn't look worth it to go by train," he said. "Many friends and family members talk about it being so expensive at the moment."
The fare freeze from 1 March will apply to advance single tickets, return tickets and the "tap in, tap out pay-as-you-go" service, the Welsh government said.
The system is currently used in south Wales and will be extended to other parts of the network in the near future.
"More people are choosing to travel by train in Wales, services are growing faster and they are more reliable," Morgan said, adding that the fare freeze would make train travel "more attractive and cheaper".
Plaid Cymru said: "To deliver real, tangible change in our rail network - we must begin the process of undoing decades of underfunding of rail funding by Westminster government and the devolution of rail infrastructure - something Labour have failed to demand."
Reform UK Wales said Labour had had a "generation to establish a functioning transport network in Wales" but had "failed to do that and now they're rightly being punished".
The Conservative Party, Liberal Democrats and Green Party have been asked to comment.
Rail fares will be frozen for the next 12 months on Transport for Wales services from St David's Day, in a decision agreed by the Welsh government.
First Minister Eluned Morgan said keeping fares at the current level would provide "certainty to passengers at a time when many are struggling with the cost of living".
While some rail passengers said they welcomed decision, Plaid Cymru said "decades of underfunding of rail funding" needed undoing.
Reform said Labour had failed while in power in Cardiff Bay despite having a "generation to establish a functioning transport network".
The move comes after the UK government announced rail fares in England would be frozen for the first time in 30 years.
Rail passengers in Bangor, Gwynedd, on Saturday morning welcomed the decision.
"At least it's not going up," said Edward Eggers. "I've got a railcard, as long as it stays at this price, I'm decently happy with it. I would always advocate for it being lower but I think the transport system just needs the money, so I'll pay what I need to."
Joshua Cooper said rail fares could be "quite expensive" with a return ticket between Cardiff and London costing in excess of £100 on Saturday. "When you compare car and train it doesn't look worth it to go by train," he said. "Many friends and family members talk about it being so expensive at the moment."
The fare freeze from 1 March will apply to advance single tickets, return tickets and the "tap in, tap out pay-as-you-go" service, the Welsh government said.
The system is currently used in south Wales and will be extended to other parts of the network in the near future.
"More people are choosing to travel by train in Wales, services are growing faster and they are more reliable," Morgan said, adding that the fare freeze would make train travel "more attractive and cheaper".
Plaid Cymru said: "To deliver real, tangible change in our rail network - we must begin the process of undoing decades of underfunding of rail funding by Westminster government and the devolution of rail infrastructure - something Labour have failed to demand."
Reform UK Wales said Labour had had a "generation to establish a functioning transport network in Wales" but had "failed to do that and now they're rightly being punished".
The Conservative Party, Liberal Democrats and Green Party have been asked to comment.
