With the Guinness Men’s Six Nations returning to Cardiff in 2026, tens of thousands of fans will once again descend on the city for matchdays at Principality Stadium. If you are heading into the city for the rugby, planning ahead will make a huge difference to your day.
Below is a clear guide to road closures, public transport, parking and the best ways to get in and out of Cardiff on matchdays.
Match dates and road closure times
A series of city centre road closures will be in place on health and safety grounds for each fixture.
Wales v France
Sunday 15 February
Kick off 3.10pm
Road closures from 11am to 7.15pm
Wales v Scotland
Saturday 21 February
Kick off 4.40pm
Road closures from 12.30pm to 9pm
Wales v Italy
Saturday 14 March
Kick off 4.40pm
Road closures from 12.30pm to 9pm
Fans are strongly advised to arrive early and allow extra time for travel, especially if driving.
Key road closures to be aware of
From 7am, Scott Road and Park Street will close to prepare Gate 5 and manage queuing.
During the full city centre closure, the following routes will be affected:
- Kingsway from North Road to Duke Street
- Cowbridge Road East from Cathedral Road to Westgate Street
- Tudor Street from Clare Road to Wood Street, with limited access for residents and traders
- Plantagenet Street and Beauchamp Street between Despenser Place and Tudor Street
The following roads will be fully closed:
Duke Street, Castle Street, 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 will be buses only between Newport Road and Churchill Way to maintain access to satellite bus points.
Penarth Road will close 30 minutes before the final whistle and up to one hour after the match for rail passenger safety.
Civic Centre access and parking controls
Access to parts of the Civic Centre will be controlled throughout the day. Only event parking, limited commuter parking, loading and private car park access will be allowed.
Roads affected include King Edward VII Avenue, Museum Avenue, City Hall Road, College Road and Gorsedd Gardens Road.
Motorway advice and traffic updates
The M4 is expected to be extremely busy on all matchdays. Drivers are advised to avoid the city centre and use Park and Ride facilities where possible.
For live traffic updates, check the Traffic Wales website or follow @TrafficWalesS on social media.
Trains and rail travel
Great Western Railway
GWR will run additional services to Swansea, Newport, Bristol and London after matches. Trains will be busy and queueing systems will be in place outside Cardiff Central.
Passengers should check connections in advance at gwr.com/check.
Transport for Wales
TfW will provide extra capacity where possible. A full queueing system will operate for Wales v France and Wales v Scotland.
- Mainline queues will be on Central Square
- Valleys service queues will be to the rear of the station
Cardiff Queen Street station will be closed for the first two fixtures except for accessible travel and Cardiff Bay services. Cardiff Bus Interchange will also be closed during road closures.
Car park closures will be in place at Cardiff Central. Rail tickets should be purchased before entering queueing systems.
Pay as you go is available on TfW and CrossCountry services across the South Wales Metro, but not on GWR services.
Park and Ride
The main Park and Ride site will operate from the car park by Vindico Arena, International Drive, Cardiff Bay, CF11 0JS.
Drop off point in the city centre is Tresillian Way.
Wales v France
Car park opens 9.30am
First bus 10am
Last bus from city centre 6pm
Wales v Scotland and Wales v Italy
Car park opens 9.30am
First bus 10am
Last bus from city centre 7.30pm
Cost is £15, cash only.
Event day parking options
Civic Centre
- £20 for cars, £30 for coaches
- Card payments accepted
- Opens 8am, closes midnight
Sophia Gardens
- £20 for cars, £30 for coaches
- Card payments accepted
- Opens 8am, closes midnight
- Vehicles left after closing may be fined
City centre shopping car parks are also available including St David’s, John Lewis, Capitol and NCP sites.
Buses and coaches
Local bus services will be diverted during closures. Check operator websites in advance.
- Cardiff Bus
- Stagecoach
- NAT Group
National Express coaches will continue to use Sophia Gardens.
Cycling and walking
Cycleways and pop up cycle routes within the closure zone will remain open. Cyclists are asked to ride with care due to high pedestrian numbers.
Road closures apply to motor vehicles only, not pedal cycles. For local residents, cycling or walking is often the fastest option. Over half of car journeys in Cardiff are under 5km, which can be cycled in around 20 minutes.
Disabled parking and taxis
Disabled drivers are advised to use Sophia Gardens or private car parks where available.
St Mary Street taxi rank will be closed in line with road closures for each match.
Final tips before you travel
- Arrive early and plan your route in advance
- Check the bag policy at principalitystadium.wales, large bags are not permitted
- Buy train tickets before travelling
- Consider Park and Ride, walking or cycling where possible
With a little planning, matchday in Cardiff can still be a great experience. The city will be busy, loud and full of rugby energy, so give yourself time and enjoy the occasion.
