Does anyone have experience using trains and buses to explore southern Wales? If you do, I'd like to hear your opinion. I received a negative response from one poster (and I vaue his opinion) on my other thread, but would like to get more than one opinion before making decision. Main determining factor is cost. I had planned to use a train/bus pass for 8 days in the southern part of the country and rent a car for 6 days for the northern/middle part. Other poster suggested renting car for all 14 days but it's so much more expensive that I'm not sure I can do it. My option would be to probably shorten my total time in Wales and I don't like that idea. Any thoughts or advice would be appeciated.
Posted by
Whittington
984 posts
Without a link to your previous post I could not comment. 'Does anyone have experience using trains and buses to explore southern Wales?' Yes, but not for some years. I live on the borders, mid to North Wales ish. As a generality - little, if any, transport will be scheduled for you, the tourist, if you are going somewhere out of the way. Without knowing where you want to go, I cannot help other than suggest you look at the major bus company website for the South - http://tinyurl.com/cacqmf5 and obviously the national rail website and see what works with your itinerary, loosely constructed or not. See what day, week or multi-journey saver tickets are available with the buses.
Posted by
OP
Corvallis OR
7161 posts
Neil, thanks for your comments. My other post is in "To the North", title: Wales trip - early planning stages. I am looking at an Explore Wales pass for South Wales which includes 8 days of travel (4 train days and 8 bus days) anywhere in that region. The cost of rental car would be about 2-3 times the cost of the pass (plus petrol of course) so I wanted to check on the feasibility of getting to most of the "must see" sights in that region by public transport vs car. Maybe what I should ask is this: "Could I get as far and see as much in 10 days with a car (split between the South and North) as I could in 14 days with the combo (8 days train/bus (South) and 6 days with a car (North)?"
Posted by
Northamptonshire, England
33845 posts
I agree that it is very difficult to answer your question based on the very limited information shared. Where in Wales do you want to go? Just to say southern or northern doesn't help. Although Wales is the smallest bit of Great Britain it is still quite large, and the parts are quite different. If you look at a topographical map of Wales (or Google Earth) you will see loads of mountains and hills. Neither buses or trains like mountains much, and many of the valleys are dead ends. You can get up a valley but to go to the next one you need to go back down until you get to a jumping off place for it. But that is all vague generality. Without knowing what places you want to visit and see I am all at sea.
Posted by
OP
Corvallis OR
7161 posts
Hi all. Thanks for your input. After much research I have decided to rent a car while in Wales. I have another post going now under "To the North" called: Itinerary feedback requested-Wales, Channel Islands, Isle of Man, in which I have given a more detailed itinerary. Any and all comments, opinions, suggestions are welcome.