Rail transport in Wales began in the early 19th century initially used for industrial purposes and shortly began to be used for commercial purposes. The Beeching cuts had a significant impact on rail transport in Wales, closing a large number of railway stations. Since then some stations have reopened in Wales and following Welsh devolution, the Wales and Borders passenger rail franchise was established in 2001 and the operator was taken into public ownership by the Welsh Government in 2021.
Rail services are generally managed by the Welsh Government whilst rail infrastructure is generally the responsibility of the UK Government. Rail in Wales is mostly operated by Transport for Wales Rail. Current developments include the North Wales Metro, South Wales Metro and Swansea Bay and West Wales Metro.
History
Early history
The world's oldest known iron railway bridge, Pont-y-Cafnau was designed and built in 1793. On 21 February 1804 the first recorded steam-hauled journey on rails took place in Merthyr Tydfil from Penydarren to the Glamorganshire Canal.
Swansea and Mumbles Railway was opened in 1807, becoming the first fare-paying passenger rail service in the world.
In 1832 Ffestiniog Railway opened and is the world's oldest surviving railway company.
Some stations with particular industry works were saved. Larry Davies, an Arriva Trains Wales' community manager in 2013 said, "Although there were a lot of local protest from people as one would expect, I think the traffic that came from the power station saved the Conwy Valley line". The Wales & Borders Train Company was formed on 14 October 2001 and ran by National Express.
In 2016, Transport for Wales was established, and would oversee the procurement of the next operator of the franchise, then operated by Arriva Trains Wales, as well as Metro services on the Valley Lines.
In 2018, KeolisAmey Wales was appointed to operate the Wales and Borders franchise on behalf of Transport for Wales, replacing Arriva Trains Wales as the operator of the Wales and Borders franchise, and would be operating as a "partnership" between KeolisAmey and Transport for Wales while being branded as the latter. It commenced operations in October 2018.
In 2020, Transport for Wales took ownership of Core Valley Lines from Network Rail, which runs from Cardiff to Aberdare, Merthyr Tydfil, Treherbert, Rhymney and Coryton. In the same year, a new app was launched and Bow Street railway station became the first Transport for Wales built station.
Network
thumb|Rail network of Wales
Geography
The Welsh railway system is split into three detached parts: The South Wales network, consisting of the South Wales Main Line, the West Wales lines and their complex network of associated branches, including the Valley Lines, the Cambrian Line serving mid-Wales, and in North Wales, the North Wales Coast Line and its associated branches. The three parts are linked together by the Welsh Marches Line and Shrewsbury–Chester line which both run partly through Wales and partly through England.