Cardiff Principality Stadium

[JuicyFruitToot]

Taking DD to see Harry Styles in a couple of weeks. Hotels are either fully booked or very expensive so an old friend said we could park at her house and get an Uber.
But I’ve been reading about road closures for events and wondering if there’s a better solution for parking. The prebookable sites are full. We can’t catch a train, the concert finishes too late so driving is the only option. There’s a Park and Ride but I wonder if it gets booked up? We can’t arrive before 5pm due to other commitments.
Any advice or tips welcome.

Where in Wales does your friend live? Not sure where you’re coming from but if you’re not aiming to come to Cardiff for 5pm then you’d be lucky to get a space close and see Harry Styles. Suss out the park and ride options. Their not that far from the city and with the shuttle buses.

word of warning all roads to Cardiff on an event day is chaos and be prepared to wait hours.

I'd get the train from somewhere along the London mainline if I were you. It'll be so much easier.

Hmmm...I'd probably get a taxi to Sophia Gardens. It's an easy 15 min walk from there. Dragon taxis are the Cardiff firm and they have an app or there's Uber

Thanks all. I’ve found a Park and Ride just off the motorway called Leckwith Stadium. Would that sound a good option?

If you're aiming to arrive at 5pm you'll probably miss the concert, the roads will be complete mayhem for hours prior to the concert starting.

This should help. It’s for the Coldplay gigs but will apply for HS gig.

https://www.visitcardiff.com/news/2023/06/01/traffic-and-travel-advice-for-coldplay-at-principality-stadium-on-june-6th-and-june-7th/

The Parade, Roath it's my secret parking spot (not anymore) get there early and you should be able to park. You cannot pre book it but I've been to cardiff while Sofia gardens and principality stadium had sold out shows on the same night, and never had a problem parking. You can also attempt to park in any of the NCPs around cardiff arena however these can be a nightmare to get out of.

I'd work out where the latest trains go to and park there!

Cardiff is a nightmare when events are on. When Ed Sheeran was here some people missed it because traffic on the M4 was so bad.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-61607768

There's a multi storey car park next to the principality and last half term people got stuck in it for 2 hours because traffic was so bad. There wasn't even an event on, just the layout is so bad that the extra people in Cardiff because of the school holiday was enough to effect it.

Where does your friend live? I don't want to sound negative but if you try to get here after 5 you might miss it. I'd seriously consider cancelling whatever you have planned earlier.

You can walk in from there in about 30 mins if traffic is bad. The issue is getting there. Is there really no way you can get in earlier?

Check the P&R. It often locks at 7pm on events days

Thank you so much for the replies, I can see that I’m going to struggle. I’ve got a long awaited medical appointment that I really can’t cancel.
We’re coming on the M4, google maps tells me it should take 2 hours normally and I’ve factored in 3 but I can it isn’t realistic.
I suppose we could miss the support acts.

Where does your friend live? Much of Cardiff is very walkable, your friend might be happy to drop you so far and you can walk the rest.

We stayed at air B n B in Bristol and got the train to Cardiff for a Rugby Match . It worked for us .

That's not enough. Could easily be 4 or 5 hours. There's trains to Swansea that leave at 1.00am if you could drive there?

Honestly Cardiff just can't cope with big events, it's a shit show. Can someone else take your dc? I'm just imagining the sadness and frustration if you spend 3 hours in traffic only to miss half the concert.

I used the park & ride in leckwith for Beyonce. You pay for the car and there are dedicated buses that drop off by the stadium. There was plenty of space. Had to wait about 15 minutes to get a bus back after the concert (big queue but 9 double deckers waiting). I would definitely recommend it.

Hi. I was at Beyoncé on the 17th May. We used the park & walk service at City Hall. Location is out of the road closures and getting out at the end of the night was quick and easy.

It was £5 (cash only) and pay on arrival. We arrived about 4ish and found

Sorry posted too soon.

foind plenty of spaces and it was a straightforward, well-lit 20 min walk to the stadium.

Can you get a train back to Bristol maybe? Or a coach?

If you can get to Leckwith it's fine, but it's whether you can get there in time. I would drive to Bristol Parkway and get the train.

The M4 will be carnage. Leckwith isn’t that far, but like others said it’s the sheer volume of traffic. TFW are cancelling trains for both Coldplay & Harry Styles, they didn’t for Beyoncé. All you need is a crash on the M4 and you’re stuffed.

Agree with everyone else sadly. 5pm risks missing it all. The M4 is a nightmare on quiet days, and with train strikes that have threatened all year and the increase likelihood of minors (ie parents driving) I imagine it will be worse.
Train in and walk back/book taxi to friends seems the only possibility, but I also think someone else should take her.

I’m so glad I asked, the thought of sitting on the M4 with DD in her cowboy hat is too awful. I’m going to rearrange my appointment and give us 6 hours with time for a pre show dinner.
Your help is so appreciated, thank you.

This. My Dad lived in Cardiff a number of years ago and 30 mins walk out the centre from the Stadium. In all honesty parking there for a gig, and walking was quicker by the time the traffic cleared. And it was free.