How much more your train journey costs after rail fares rise 4.9% in Wales

A 4.9% rail fare increase in Wales has come into effect. The price rise was announced earlier this year by Welsh Government and came into effect on March 3.

The increases – which are the same as those which have been introduced in England – come after Cardiff Bay ministers changed their budget mid-year in 2023 to give Transport for Wales (TfW) a more than 50% raise to £125m. It said at the time that without this extra funding TfW, which is Welsh Government-run, "would have been unable to maintain the continued operation of all of its rail services".

TfW also announced last week that it will introduce penalty fares on south Wales mainline trains as part of measures to address an estimated £10m loss in revenues from fare evasion and fraud. The operator said that from March 25 anyone travelling without a valid ticket or permit for their journey will get a penalty of £20 or twice the full fare, whichever is greater. You can read more about that here.

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Although 4.9% is hardly a huge increase it will add a few more pence onto your journeys. We've had a look at some of the most common journeys within Wales and how much they now cost after the increases and it looks as though many have gone up around 20p. Here are some of the most common journeys and how much they now cost:

Single trips:

Cardiff to Swansea - £5.50 (from around £5.30)

Cardiff to Newport - £6.20 (from around £6)

Cardiff to Barry Island - £4.40

Cardiff to Caerphilly - £5.40

Cardiff to Haverfordwest - £12.70

Cardiff to Llanelli - £5.60

Cardiff to Carmarthen - £7.50

Swansea to Aberystwyth - £8.70

Swansea to Bridgend - £3.40

Swansea to Carmarthen - £5.20

Swansea to Llanelli - £2.30

Swansea to Neath - £1.60

Swansea to Port Talbot Parkway - £2.20

Newport to Barry Island - £7.60

Ebbw Vale to Newport - £5.40 (from around £5.20)

Merthyr to Cardiff - £5.40

Maesteg to Cardiff - £5.40

Pontypridd to Cardiff - £5.40

Pontypridd to Aberdare - £3.70

Pontypridd to Cwmbran - £14.40

Pontypridd to Abergavenny - £16.80

Neath to Cardiff - £4.50

Radyr to Cardiff - £3.70

Pyle to Cardiff - £9.20

Holyhead to Bangor - £7.70

Ystrad Mynach to Cardiff - £5.40

Llanharan to Cardiff - £5.40

Llantwit Major to Cardiff - £5.40

Pontyclun to Cardiff - £5.40

Trefforest to Cardiff - £5.40

Bangor to Llandudno Junction - £5.20

Pengam to Cardiff - £5.40

Treherbert to Pontypridd - £3.70

Cwmbran to Cardiff - £7.40

Caerphilly to Cardiff - £5.40

Prestatyn to Rhyl - £2

Chepstow to Cardiff - £10.80

Llandudno Junction to Conwy - £1.30

Machynlleth to Aberystwyth - £5

Colwyn Bay to Llandudno Junction - £2.10