Cardiff Advances Bay Tram Link With Contractor
GRAHAM selected as contractor for £100m Cardiff tram-train linking Central station to Bay
Cardiff Tram Link Gets Contractor for Bay Route
Cardiff's getting a new tram-train connection between Cardiff Central station and Cardiff Bay after the city council approved GRAHAM as the preferred contractor for the first phase of Cardiff Crossrail. The £100 million project, backed by joint funding from the Welsh Government and the UK Government's Levelling Up Fund, will create new tram platforms at both stations and a twin-track tramway through Callaghan Square. Construction's scheduled to begin in summer 2026, with the first phase set for completion in 2028.
The Cardiff Crossrail scheme represents one of Wales' most ambitious urban transit projects in decades, aiming to modernize connections between the city centre and the rapidly developing Cardiff Bay waterfront area. The tram-train system will provide a dedicated transit corridor separate from road traffic, improving reliability and journey times for commuters and visitors. The project also supports access to Cardiff Bay's new 16,500-seat indoor arena currently under construction. Transit officials said the scheme aligns with broader goals to reduce car dependency and improve sustainable transport options across the Welsh capital.
Planned infrastructure includes new tram platforms at Cardiff Central station and Cardiff Bay, a twin-track tramway running through Callaghan Square, and redesigned road layouts to accommodate the new transit corridor. The scheme will also introduce segregated cycle routes, new pedestrian crossings, landscaping and sustainable drainage systems throughout the corridor. Officials said construction through Callaghan Square will be particularly complex and will require traffic management measures while work's carried out. The wider Cardiff Crossrail vision would eventually extend the tram network from Plasdwr in the north-west to a proposed new Parkway station in the east, though officials haven't provided a timeline for those future phases.
Final contracts with GRAHAM are expected to be completed in spring, with construction due to begin in summer 2026. The first phase is scheduled for completion in 2028, officials confirmed. The project timeline includes detailed planning for traffic management and coordination with other development projects in the Cardiff Bay area. Officials haven't specified how long construction will take at each station or provided a detailed phasing schedule for the Callaghan Square works.
The tram link's expected to improve connections between the city centre and Cardiff Bay, providing faster and more reliable transit for commuters, residents and visitors accessing the waterfront district. Riders will benefit from dedicated transit infrastructure that won't be affected by road congestion. Officials said they'll release more detailed service information, including frequency and operating hours, closer to the 2028 completion date. Moovit provides real-time updates and trip planning for transit systems worldwide, including Cardiff's public transport network.
