The main rail companies for long distance cross-country services to and from Cardiff are First Great Western (tel: 0845 700 0125; website: www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk) and Virgin Trains (tel: 0845 722 2333; website: www.virgintrains.co.uk). Express services are generally fast and comfortable, although the further west they go, the more frequent are the stops and the slower the run. Local and regional routes are operated by Arriva Trains Wales (tel: 0870 900 0773 for tickets; website: www.arrivatrainswales.co.uk). Local services are by their nature less rapid, serving numerous smaller stations. Most trains are relatively new but there is still some older rolling stock in service on the minor Valley Lines routes, which can be a bit noisy and rough-riding. National Rail Enquiries (tel: 0845 748 4950; website: www.nationalrail.co.uk) handles all rail enquiries.

Cardiff Central, Central Square, is the main rail station. The booking office is open Monday to Saturday 0545-2130 and Sunday 0645-2130. Facilities include ATMs, newsagent/bookseller and a fast-food outlet. Hertz has a car hire office immediately outside the main building in Central Square.

Rail services: Hourly services to and from London Paddington are run by First Great Western via Reading, Swindon, Bristol Parkway and Newport (journey time - 2 hours). There are also rail connections between Cardiff, Swansea (journey time - 1 hour) and West Wales, as well as long distance cross-country services to cities such as Newcastle-upon-Tyne (journey time - 6 hours), York (journey time - 4 hours 40 minutes), Sheffield (journey time - 3 hours 30 minutes) and Birmingham (journey time - 2 hours), operated by Virgin Trains.