Travel advice issued ahead of Six Nations matches in Cardiff

Motorists and rugby fans are being urged to plan ahead as a series of major road closures and transport changes are put in place for Wales’ home matches in the Guinness Men’s Six Nations Championship 2026 at the Principality Stadium.

Cardiff Council and transport operators have confirmed that extensive city-centre road closures will be implemented on matchdays for public safety, with disruption expected across the wider road and rail network.

Wales will host three Six Nations fixtures in Cardiff this year. On Sunday February 15, when Wales play France with a 3.10pm kick-off, roads around the stadium will close from 11am until approximately 7.15pm. For Saturday fixtures against Scotland on February 21 and Italy on March 14, both kicking off at 4.40pm, closures will be in place from 12.30pm until 9pm.

The M4 motorway is expected to be particularly busy on all three matchdays, and drivers are being advised to avoid the city centre where possible.

Officials are encouraging spectators to use park and ride facilities, public transport, or active travel options such as walking and cycling.

City centre road closures

A full city-centre closure will be enforced on each matchday. Roads affected include Castle Street, High Street, St Mary Street, Westgate Street, Wood Street, Central Square, Caroline Street, Duke Street, Quay Street, Guildhall Place, Golate, Park Street, Havelock Street and Scott Road.

Kingsway will close between North Road and Duke Street, while Cowbridge Road East will close between Cathedral Road and Westgate Street. Tudor Street will close between Clare Road and Wood Street, with limited access maintained for residents and traders. Plantagenet Street and Beauchamp Street will also close, again with restricted access.

Penarth Road will shut 30 minutes before the final whistle and remain closed for up to an hour afterwards to manage pedestrian flows around Cardiff Central station.

Access to parts of the Civic Centre will be controlled throughout matchdays, including King Edward VII Avenue, Museum Avenue, City Hall Road, College Road and Gorsedd Gardens Road. Entry will be restricted to event parking, limited commuter parking and private car parks.

Rail travel

Train services are expected to be extremely busy, particularly after matches. Great Western Railway will operate additional services to Swansea, Newport, Bristol and London, while Transport for Wales will provide extra capacity where possible on regional routes.

A queuing system will be in place outside Cardiff Central station for the France and Scotland fixtures. Mainline rail queues will operate on Central Square, with Valleys services queues located to the rear of the station. Cardiff Queen Street station will be closed for those two matches, except for accessible travel and Cardiff Bay services.

Passengers are advised to buy tickets in advance and allow extra time. Pay-as-you-go travel is available on Transport for Wales and CrossCountry services across the South Wales Metro, but not on GWR trains.

Park and ride and parking

The main park and ride facility will operate from the Vindico Arena car park in Cardiff Bay. Buses will drop off and collect passengers on Tresillian Way. The service will open at 9.30am on all three matchdays, with last return buses at 6pm for the France game and 7.30pm for the Scotland and Italy fixtures. The cost is £15, cash only.

Event-day parking will also be available at the Civic Centre and Sophia Gardens. Prices are £20 for cars and £30 for coaches. Both sites open at 8am and close at midnight.

Buses, taxis and active travel

Local bus services will be diverted while road closures are in place, with passengers advised to check operator websites for route changes. National Express coaches will continue to operate from Sophia Gardens.

St Mary Street taxi rank will be closed on matchdays. Cyclists are permitted to use roads within the closure zone, and all cycleways will remain open. Officials are encouraging residents to walk or cycle where possible, noting that many journeys into the city centre are under five kilometres.

Supporters attending matches are also reminded to check stadium entry requirements in advance, including bag restrictions, to avoid delays.

Further travel updates will be available via Traffic Wales and local transport operators as matchdays approach.