Overview

Originally opened in 1850 as Cardiff Station, it later became Cardiff General in the 1920s and was ultimately renamed Cardiff Central in the 1970s. This station provides links to Manchester, Gloucester, Birmingham, Nottingham, London, Swansea, Bristol, Bath, Taunton, Portsmouth, and Southampton, among other locations. Centrally located, it's aptly named, not far from the main sights of the city and half a mile from Cardiff Castle. Although far from the fanciest of stations, it has many of the essentials. It's also a stone's throw from the Cardiff Bus Interchange, where you'll find several accessible toilets and a Changing Places toilet. Ten hours into what was supposed to be a six-hour journey, Cardiff Central Railway Station was a welcome sight.

Transport & Parking

Cardiff Central Riverside Car Park, located at the rear of the train station, has two accessible parking spaces and 101 standard parking spaces. APCOA, which operates the car park, advises that Blue Badge holders are entitled to 20 minutes of free parking. The closest buses can be found at the Cardiff Bus interchange across Central Square, little more than a hop, being only 75 metres away. There are taxis on your right as you exit the station. None of the taxis I saw on my visit accommodated wheelchairs, although it may be possible to order a WAV via Dragon Taxis.

Access

There are automatic sliding doors at the entrance to the station, leading to the main foyer, where you'll find an M&S Food for travel snacks and the accessibility desk. The desk has a lowered section, although it doesn't appear to be in use, and an induction loop. I spoke with a lady here who was remarkably helpful. Ticket machines are also available in this area. There are ticket gates leading to the lifts up to the platforms, several of which are double-wide to accommodate mobility devices. The lifts are large and feature braille buttons and an induction loop. On my visit, one of the two lifts was out of order. On the platforms, you'll find plenty of seating, hearing loops, and an Upper Crust kiosk. On Platform 1, there's a passenger lounge with soft seating, power sockets, and even a lowered desk at the back of the room where mobility devices can be plugged in. There's a touchpad for the door, both inside and outside the lounge. It should be noted that the doors open inwards, are quite slow, and don’t open fully. They also close fairly quickly, so just be careful when trying to enter. The platform edges have tactile paving.

Toilets

There are two accessible toilets at this location, situated at the East Subway and on Platform 8, both requiring a RADAR key for access. I wasn’t able to visit the one on Platform 8. The door to the East Subway accessible toilet opens outwards, with the toilet located at the back of the room. There’s space for a left-side transfer, and the toilet features a contrasting seat with grab rails on either side. The small sink has a lever-style tap and contrasting rails on either side. The red cord hangs to your right when seated and was free of obstruction during my visit. The room is spacious enough for a powerchair user and two additional people. The toilets are as clean as one might expect from a train station. If you need a toilet, it’s worth noting that across the square in the bus interchange, there are four accessible toilets and a Changing Places toilet. Keep in mind that the Changing Places toilet requires both a RADAR key and a PIN, which must be obtained from a member of staff.

Staff

I spoke with a lady at the accessibility desk, who was immensely helpful. She quickly arranged my assistance and directed me to the correct location for catching my train. It's nice to find a friendly face, especially when travelling alone.

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