Road closures will take place in Cardiff for Wales' opening game of the 2023 Six Nations. Warren Gatland's side take on Ireland at the Principality Stadium in his first game since returning as head coach in December.
The championship opener kicks off at 2.15pm on Saturday, February 4. As tens of thousands of fans descend on the city for the game, a full city centre road closure will be in place throughout the day.
Supporters travelling to the game have been strongly advised to plan ahead and get to the city early, with the M4 motorway expected to be very busy. Train services are also set to be exceptionally busy, with queues typically stretching across Central Square outside Cardiff Central station after matchdays.
Read more: Six Nations 2023 fixtures, kick-off times and TV channel info for every game
While there are no rail strikes planned for Saturday, industrial action on Friday could cause some minor disruption to services ahead of the game. Bus services will also be affected, but fans can get across the city using a park and ride scheme or taxis.
To prevent you from getting caught out, here is all the in-depth travel information you need to know for the Wales v Ireland match on Saturday including road closures, trains, buses and parking facilities.
Road Closures
From 7am on Saturday Scott Road and Park Street will be closed because of the need to prepare Gate 5 of the stadium and protect queuing fans. The following roads will be closed as part of the full city centre road closure which will take place from 10.15am until 6:15pm.
Kingsway from its junction with North Road to its junction with Duke Street.
Cowbridge Road East from its junction with Cathedral Road to its junction with Westgate Street.
Tudor Street from its junction with Clare Road to its junction with Wood Street (access for residents and traders will be permitted via Fitzhammon Embankment.)
Plantagenet Street and Beauchamp Street from their junctions with Despenser Place to their junctions with Tudor Street (access for residents and traders will be permitted.)
The following roads will be fully closed: Duke Street, Castle St, High Street, St Mary Street, Caroline Street, Wood Street, Central Square, Westgate Street, Quay Street, Guildhall Place, Golate, Park Street, Havelock Street and Scott Road.
Station Terrace and Guildford Street from the junction with Newport Road to the junction with Churchill Way will be access for buses only during the times of the road closures. This is to ensure that there is reliable access for buses to the satellite points in Churchill Way.
Additionally, Penarth Road will be closed 30 minutes before the game finishes and up to an hour after the final whistle on safety grounds for train passengers arriving and departing from the train station.
Access to part of the Civic Centre will be controlled throughout the day, with access allowed only for event parking, limited commuter parking, loading and access to private car parks. Roads affected include King Edward VII Avenue, Museum Avenue, City Hall Road, College Road and Gorsedd Gardens Road.
Trains
Transport for Wales
Transport for Wales is running a full timetable in and out of Cardiff on Saturday, February 4, but services will be very busy, with passengers urged to allow plenty of time for their journey. Following the game, queues for mainline services will be on Central Square and queues for Valleys services will be to the rear of the station. The latest travel information is available on the TfW website and the new TfW app.
Great Western Railway
While there is no industrial action planned for Saturday, members of the ASLEF and RMT unions are going on strike on Friday, February 3, which means that some Great Western Railway services will not run on that day. There is expected to be a normal level of service on Saturday but the strike action could mean that there are some "very limited alterations or cancellations of services" on game day.
Buses
Bus services will be diverted while the city centre road closures are in place. You should visit the relevant bus operator's website for more information about your specific bus routes. For Stagecoach services click here; for Cardiff Bus services click here; for NAT services click here. National Express coaches will use Sophia Gardens as usual.
Park and Ride
The event park and ride facilities will be at County Hall in Cardiff Bay and the drop-off point in the city centre will be Callaghan Square. The park and ride site will open at 9am, with the first bus leaving at 9.10am. The last bus from the city centre will be at 6.30pm with the site closing at 7pm.
Parking
Sophia Gardens
To get there, exit junction 32 off the M4. Parking for cars costs £15, which is payable on the day at the car park and card payments are now available. The car park opens at 8am and closes at midnight, while it will be staffed until 7pm.
All vehicles are left on site at the owner's risk, with Cardiff Council saying they will not be held responsible for any theft or damage to motor vehicles or personal possessions. Any vehicles left in the car park after closing time will be fined. Disabled drivers are advised to use Sophia Gardens. Disabled parking is also available at various private car parks.
Civic Centre
To get there, exit junction 32 of the M4, head south on the A470 towards the city centre and follow signage to the civic centre. Parking for cars costs £15, which is payable on the day at the car park and card payments are now available. The car park will open at 8am and closes at midnight.
Shopping parking
Shoppers are advised to make use of the dedicated Shopping Park & Ride sites at Pentwyn or County Hall. City centre car parks are also available at North Road Car Parks, St David's Shopping Centre, John Lewis, Capitol Shopping Centre, and NCP (Adam Street, Dumfries Place and Greyfriars Road).
Taxis
St Mary Street taxi rank (outside House of Fraser) will close at 10.15am and will re-open at 6.15pm.
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