Thousands of supporters heading to the Principality Stadium this month are being urged to plan ahead, with reservation-only services and changes to where passengers catch trains home

Thousands of Wales rugby fans heading to Cardiff for this month's autumn internationals have been warned of major changes to train services, with some journeys becoming reservation-only and supporters being directed to different stations after matches.

Great Western Railway (GWR) and Transport for Wales (TfW) have announced additional services for Wales' three home fixtures against Japan, New Zealand and Australia at the Principality Stadium this month.

However, all GWR services travelling into Cardiff Central before the matches will be reservation-only, meaning supporters are being urged to secure their seats in advance to avoid disappointment.

There will also be significant changes to post-match travel arrangements, with thousands of fans who would ordinarily catch trains home from Cardiff Central instead being directed to Cardiff Queen Street station.

The arrangements follow a new crowd management approach trialled during Wales' Six Nations clash with Italy in March, when supporters travelling to the Valleys and Vale of Glamorgan were instructed to use Queen Street rather than Cardiff Central.

That change was introduced partly in preparation for the £140million redevelopment of Cardiff Central station, with space previously used for post-match queues set to be affected by improvement works.

The same approach will now be used for the autumn internationals, beginning with Wales' clash against Japan this Saturday, November 7, which kicks off at 4.40pm.

TfW said: "Post-match queuing systems will be in place. If you're travelling to Cardiff, the Valleys or the Vale of Glamorgan, head to Cardiff Queen Street station, not Cardiff Central."

Steve Tandy's side then host New Zealand on Saturday, November 14 (2.10pm), before facing Australia on Saturday, November 21 (8.10pm).

Supporters are being advised to allow plenty of time for their journeys, particularly with football fixtures also taking place on the same dates, placing additional pressure on the rail network.

Rachel Geliamassi, GWR Customer Services Director, said: "We're really pleased to be providing additional trains for this year's Autumn Internationals at the Principality Stadium.

"Services into Cardiff Central will be reservation only, so we'd urge fans to plan ahead and secure their seats early to avoid disappointment.

"Please allow plenty of time for your journey and remember that trains will be extremely busy both before kick-off and immediately after the matches."

Where Wales rugby fans will need to catch their trains

Under the arrangements, supporters travelling home to destinations across the South Wales Valleys and Vale of Glamorgan on TfW services will be directed to Cardiff Queen Street station after each international.

Queen Street is around a 15-minute walk from the Principality Stadium, meaning some fans will face a longer journey on foot than they might ordinarily expect.

The change affects passengers travelling towards destinations including Pontypridd, Caerphilly, Merthyr Tydfil, Aberdare, Treherbert, Rhymney, Barry, Penarth and Barry Island, among others.

Meanwhile, passengers using services to Ebbw Vale and Maesteg will continue to queue outside Cardiff Central, alongside those catching GWR trains towards Swansea, Newport, north Wales, Bristol and London.

Queueing systems will be in place outside both stations to manage the large numbers of supporters leaving the city following the final whistle.

An accessibility queue will also be available at both Cardiff Central and Cardiff Queen Street.

The arrangements are designed to ease congestion around Cardiff Central and distribute passengers more evenly across the city's rail network.

During the Six Nations earlier this year, TfW explained that the changes were intended to improve the matchday experience while preparing for major redevelopment work at Cardiff Central.

The trial was designed to reduce waiting times and allow passengers to board trains more quickly by separating queues for different routes.

Fans warned to buy tickets before travelling

Rail operators have also confirmed that ticket checks will take place before and after matches at Cardiff Central.

Passengers are being urged to purchase their tickets before boarding trains or joining the post-match queues.

Pay-as-you-go travel will be available on TfW and CrossCountry services across the South Wales Metro network.

Those using the system should tap in at their departure station and tap out using the same payment method at the dedicated pay-as-you-go revenue lanes when leaving Cardiff Central.

TfW volunteers will be on hand to assist passengers.

James Gough, Customer Operations Director at Transport for Wales, said: "We're delighted to be working alongside our partners at Great Western Railway to support the Autumn Internationals and get rugby fans to and from Cardiff safely.

"With extra services running across our networks, we're encouraging everyone to plan ahead and allow plenty of time for their journey.

"Most importantly, we hope everyone has a brilliant day out and enjoys the game."

With tens of thousands of supporters expected to descend on the Welsh capital for each fixture, fans are being encouraged to check their routes and secure tickets before setting off.

Tickets and journey information can be found through Great Western Railway and Transport for Wales.