Rolling stock › In serviceData updated
Class 398 Citylink
Stadler's Citylink tram-trains for the South Wales Metro, built in Valencia: three-section vehicles that take power from 25 kV overhead wires or batteries, with level boarding and no toilets. They are built to run on street tramways too, though none has yet been built in Cardiff.
Scale
131 ft (40.07 m) over couplers
Class 398 Citylink · schematic drawing GB Trains · gbtrains.uk/stock/398/ · CC BY 4.0
You’re welcome to use this drawing
Free to use, change and share, in print or online, under CC BY 4.0. Please credit it:
Drawing: GB Trains, gbtrains.uk, CC BY 4.0Online, link the words to this page. The downloaded file already carries the credit; please leave it on. What the licence covers
- Type
- Tram-train (overhead electric and battery)
- Builder
- Stadler, Valencia (Spain)
- In service
- since 2026
- Operators
- Transport for Wales
- Formation
- Three sections, 131 ft (40.07 m), double-ended; up to three units together
- Trains in fleet
- 36
- Fleets
- Transport for Wales: 36
- Top speed
- 60 mph (97 km/h) in train mode; 45 mph (72 km/h) in tram mode
- Power
- 25 kV AC overhead and traction batteries; four 150 kW motors · how it works
- Bogies
- Stadler Citylink tram-train bogies: a motor bogie under each cab section and two trailer bogies under the middle section, each with a magnetic track brake (Class 398)
- Train length
- 131 ft (40.07 m)
- Car height
- 12 ft 8 in (3.865 m)
- Car width
- 8 ft 8 in (2.65 m)
- Profile
- light rail
- Air-conditioned
- Yes
- Seats per train
- 126
- Total capacity
- 126 seats including tip-ups and 252 passengers in all at 4 per m² (Stadler; TfW's 2023 notice). TfW's 2026 guide gives 104 seats and 28 tip-up. No toilets.
- Status
- First in passenger service on 23 June 2026, between Pontypridd and Cardiff Bay. Six had carried passengers by late September 2026, when Transport for Wales paused their use while Stadler updated software. All 36 are to run on the Treherbert, Aberdare and Merthyr lines and to Cardiff Bay, from Taff's Well depot.
Car types
| Code | Car | Length | Doors per side |
|---|---|---|---|
| DMS2 | Driving motor standard (DMS2), over a motor bogie | 1 double | |
| PTS | Pantograph trailer standard (PTS) | 1 double | |
| DMS1 | Driving motor standard (DMS1), over a motor bogie | 1 double |
Sources
How we source figures → · Spotted a mistake? Tell us → (opens in a new tab)
Show the 15 sources from Wikimedia Commons, Stadler, Nation.Cymru and 7 more
- Citylink tram-train, Transport for Wales (data sheet CTTWB0922e) Stadler, September 202236 vehicles; Bo'2'2'Bo'; 131 ft (40,070 mm); width 8 ft 8 in (2,650 mm); entrance 3 ft 0 in (915 mm); 126 seats, 252 in all; three double doors a side; wheels 2 ft 5 in (740 mm); 82 ft (25 m) curves; 4 x 150 kW; 100 km/h (62 mph); p. 2's side view, to scale, measured for the drawing
- Citylink tram-train, Transport for Wales, UK (data sheet CL_TfW1025en) Stadler, October 202525 kV AC and batteries; built by Stadler Valencia; commissioning 2026; 131 ft (40,000 mm)
- Transport for Wales Rail Ltd CVL Vehicle Change proposal: Class 398 (v2) Transport for Wales Rail Ltd, 23 August 2023formation DMS2-PTS-DMS1; one pantograph on the middle vehicle; 60 mph (97 km/h) train mode, 45 mph (72 km/h) tram mode; 131 ft (40.07 m); height 12 ft 8 in (3.865 m; pantograph down); width 8 ft 8 in (2.65 m); 73.22 t; one double door a side per vehicle; no toilets; up to three units; Taff's Well depot; first units delivered March 2023
- Tram-trains enter service in South Wales British Trams Online (Gareth Prior), 29 June 2026first passengers 23 June 2026 on 398 028, Pontypridd to Cardiff Bay; deliveries
- First new Metro tram-trains enters passenger services Nation.Cymru, 24 June 2026first service; Taff's Well depot; routes to Aberdare, Merthyr Tydfil and Treherbert
- Stadler Citylink for Transport for Wales finally enters service Railcolor News, 25 June 2026entry into service 23 June 2026; ordered 2018-19; first unit shown at InnoTrans 2022
- Concern as further delays hit roll-out of tram-trains Nation.Cymru, 26 September 202636 delivered since March 2023, six in passenger service; use paused while Stadler updates software (September 2026)
- A guide to our fleet of trains: fleet accessibility specifications (V3, updated June 2026) Transport for Wales, June 202636 tram-trains; roll-out from June 2026 on Pontypridd to Cardiff Bay; 104 seats and 28 tip-up; no toilets
- Case study: Wales & Borders, commercial and contract management Apex Rail, accessed 7 October 2026owned by SMBC Leasing and Equitix
- British Rail Class 398 Wikipedia, accessed 7 October 2026withdrawal date 19 September 2026, citing WalesOnline (last resort)
- TfW Rail 398024 at Cardiff Bay 1 July 2026 (photograph, CC BY 4.0) Wikimedia Commons (Anamyd), 1 July 2026the drawing: the cab door side, cab, window panels and livery (photograph, layout and colour only)
- Class 398 tram-train at Butetown station (geograph 8349266; photograph, CC BY-SA 2.0) Wikimedia Commons (Gareth James, from geograph.org.uk), 2026the drawing: the other side's cab, skirt band and livery (photograph, layout and colour only)
- Class 398 tram-train at Cardiff Bay station (geograph 8349268; photograph, CC BY-SA 2.0) Wikimedia Commons (Gareth James, from geograph.org.uk), 2026the drawing: the whole unit's livery and running gear from outside (photograph, layout and colour only)
- The Greatest Gathering Saturday, 54714404003 and 54714404148 (photographs of a Class 398, CC BY 4.0) Wikimedia Commons (dphotos01, via Flickr), 2 August 2025, Alstom Derby Worksthe drawing: the coupler cover, the track brake and the skirts (photographs, layout only)
- Valley Lines Electrification: Overhead Line Equipment (TAM area), construction phase case study Constructing Excellence in Wales (Amey Infrastructure Wales, for Transport for Wales), 2025, p. 2the Core Valley Lines' contact wire, about 16 ft 5 in (5.0 m; as for the Class 756)
unverified
- In service now: TfW said in late September 2026 that it was 'temporarily pausing their use'; Wikipedia, citing WalesOnline (not read), says they were withdrawn on 19 September 2026
- First day: British Trams Online gives Tuesday 23 June 2026 (398 028); Nation.Cymru, published 24 June, says 'Monday'
- Seats: 126 including tip-ups (Stadler; TfW, 2023) against 104 and 28 tip-up in TfW's 2026 guide
- Length: 131 ft (40,070 mm; Stadler, 2022; TfW, 2023); Stadler's 2025 sheet rounds it to 131 ft (40,000 mm). The lengths of the three sections aren't given
- Speed: TfW gives 60 mph (97 km/h; train mode) and 45 mph (72 km/h; tram mode); Stadler gives a maximum of 100 km/h (62 mph)
- Deliveries: British Trams Online (June 2026) had 33 in South Wales, one at Old Dalby and two still to come; Nation.Cymru (September 2026) says TfW had taken delivery of all 36
- Build years: not confirmed; the first unit reached Britain in May 2022 and Taff's Well in March 2023
- Owners: SMBC Leasing and Equitix, from a consultant's case study (Apex Rail)
- Drawing: measured off Stadler's side view (to scale, without dimensions) at 9.915 mm per pixel, the printed 131 ft (40,070 mm) read as over the coupler faces: the bodies then measure 128 ft (38.94 m) nose to nose (12.60 + 0.84 + 12.05 + 0.84 + 12.60 m); the bogie centres, the 6 ft 5 in (1,950 mm) wheelbase and every height are read off it, good to about 20 mm
- Folded pantograph: it measures 13 ft 0 in (3,957 mm) over the rail on Stadler's side view, about 90 mm over TfW's 12 ft 8 in (3.865 m) 'pantograph down', which matches the roof equipment's 12 ft 8 in (3,867 mm); drawn as the side view has it
Know a source for one of these? Send it to us → (opens in a new tab)