Advice on train from Newport to Conwy?

The number of no change trains on this route are very limited - 3 all day. Most require a change in one or more of Crewe, Chester or Shrewsbury. Timetable is here. Note Conwy is a request stop, The journey takes nearly 3.5 hours at a minimum, sometimes an hour more than this.

No seat reservations so it is pot luck. If your Friday evening is one of the bank holiday weekends, very good luck!

It would be the weekend before the bank holiday weekend. Sounds like it may be best committing to point-to-point tickets. Thank you for the reply!

Point to point tickets wouldn't be an advantage for a seat as there are usually no seat reservations possible. However, the cost for this journey of an advance is £22.

Beware, Newport is one of the most common place names in the UK. If you are talking about, or searching for info on Newport, you should really say which one, or you may cause confusion:

• Newport, Cornwall
• Newport, East Riding of Yorkshire
• Newport, Essex
• Newport, Gloucestershire
• Newport, Isle of Wight
• Newport, Shropshire
• Newport Pagnell
• Newport-on-Tay
• Newport, Wales
• Newport, Pembrokeshire

Wow, I suppose we'll take our chances on seats then. You've got me thinking about capacity, though -- is it at all possible that the trains may actually be sold out if I just turn up at the last minute with a Britrail pass?

(And I'm definitely asking about Newport, Wales.)

Few a few exceptions trains in the UK don't sell out as there is no requirement to reserve. Whether you can squeeze on comfortably can be another matter.

Regarding the multiple Newports, the only one you need to be careful of in Great Britain in a railway station sense in Newport in Essex. Casnewydd works in most but not all timetable searches.

Thank you again! It is so helpful to have an idea of what to expect.

I hope soon someone comes along with more experience of the trains on this route - used them in South Wales but no where else recently.

I take it that you are travelling from Newport in south east Wales. An express leaves Newport at 17.31 for north Wales and it arrives in Llandudno Junction at 20.53. The train continues to Holyhead but as it is an express, it does not stop at Conway. The next train from Llandudno Junction to Conway departs at 21.29 and takes 2 minutes to do the trip. So, you might like to use the express to Llandudno Junction (Fares can be pre-booked about 11 weeks in advance for about £29 to LLJ and this will include seat reservations). You may like to get a bus or taxi from Llandudno Junction (LLJ) to Conway.

Friday evening is the busiest time on the railways. If you go to www.nationalrail.co.uk and put in for NWP to CNW, you will get the timings for the journey - fares go up as date approaches. On the 17.31 from Newport, it will tell you to change at Chester to a slow stopping train to Conway = the 21.29 from LLJ. DON"T change at Chester but stay on the more comfortable express to LLJ.

Other trains also operate between Newport & Conway. If on a train to Conway, make sure the conductor knows that you wish to get off at Conway = a request stop. If on the express, it does have what they call Premier or Business Class for a supplementary fare. This entitles you to a meal in a dining car. The company that runs the trains on this route is Arriva Trains Wales.http://www.arrivatrainswales.co.uk/BusinessClass/

Please double check all facts & timings with Arriva.

Thank you very much! Great information!