The first of Transport for Wales’ new £800m fleet of trains was officially launched by Lesley Griffiths MS at a ceremony in North Wales.

Built in Wales by train manufacturer CAF, the 77 (51 two-car and 26 three-car) new Class 197 trains will be used across TfW’s services across the network in the coming years.

Offering Eleather seats, modern air conditioning systems, wider doors and customer information screens, the brand-new trains will play a key role in TfW’s plans to transform the customer experience on its services.

The new trains entered into passenger service on the Conwy Valley line at the end of 2022 and were unveiled at a ceremony at Llandudno railway station today.

Lee Waters, Deputy Minister for Climate Change with responsibility for Transport, said:

“This is great news. Funded by our £800m investment in a new fleet of trains, the Class 197s play an important part in our plans to transform rail services in Wales.

James Price, Transport for Wales CEO, said:

“The official launch of the Class 197s is a landmark day in the history of Transport for Wales and the Welsh rail industry, with the unveiling of the first brand new trains in Wales in a generation."