My husband and I will travel to Wales this spring with the intention to stay several days in each of these locations; St. David’s, Porthmadog and Conwy. We want to secure accommodation ASAP and wonder if before doing, so we need to make sure of available public transportation between them. For example would buses/trains only run on some days of the week. Any help would be appreciated.
Posted by
Lake District, England
5747 posts
Buses to St David's run from both Fishguard and Haverfordwest- they run on Monday to Saturday only- https://www.richardsbros.co.uk/T11
Haverfordwest is the usual rail head, although Fishguard does have infrequent train service, and a relatively new town station, as well as the Harbour Station for the ferries to Ireland.
This is the West Wales train timetable- https://tfw.wales/sites/default/files/2023-10/6%20West%20Wales%20-%20Cardiff%20Sep%202023.pdf
Usually you can catch a train straight through to Shrewsbury, change for trains to Porthmadog - https://tfw.wales/sites/default/files/2023-09/TfW%20Timetable%20Cambrian%20Sep%202023.pdf
Alternatively, using the Traws Cymru bus network from either Fishguard or Haverfordwest you can take the T5 then T2 bus to Porthmadog- a wonderful full day ride- https://traws.cymru/en
From Porthmadog to Conwy is a 7 day a week train service, changing at Shrewsbury-
or 7 days a week T2 bus to Bangor, then frequent service 6 bus to Conwy- https://passenger-line-assets.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/transportforwales/LLCO/T2-timetable-20231105-1368e5c9.pdf
or, more fun, the Ffestiniog Railway narrow gauge steam train 7 days a week from Porthmadog to Blaenau Ffestiniog for the main line train to Llandudno Junction for Conwy.
Posted by
2405 posts
You don't say where you are coming from. It is a long way from London to St.David’s. You may like to consider breaking the journey at Cardiff for a night or 2.
When going from St.David;s to Porthmadog, take buses up the west coast via Cardigan. Aberaeron is a nice place to spend an hour or so if it possible to catch a later bus to continue to Aberystwyth. From Aberystwyth, you can continue to Porthmadog by train with a change at Machynlleth or by bus.
From Porthmadog to Conwy, I would use the Ffestiniog narrow gauge steam railway to Blaenau Ffestiniog where you transfer to a normal train to Llandudno Junction - which is 1 mile east of Conwy. (You can go by train or bus between LJ & Conwy).
www.nationalrail.co.uk tells you the train schedules for all operators in Britain. For long journeys - book around 10 weeks out for the lowest one way ‘Advance’ fares.