Wales

Getting around

It’s worth considering car hire for at least part of your trip to Wales, as getting around the country by public transport can be a bit of a challenge. Regional coordination of transport services is limited, nonstop bus services are almost nonexistent and many remote areas are not served by any transport at all. But if you aren’t in a hurry, you can patch together an odyssey by taking public transport and perhaps the odd taxi ride, Postbus trip, walk or bicycle journey.

Buses are nearly always the cheapest way to get around but you may be able to snare a bargain on the trains if you’re lucky. For information on services your best bet is the local tourist office, where you’ll be able to pick up maps, timetables, and a copy of the free and indispensable Wales Bus, Rail and Tourist Map and Guide.

For up-to-date information on public transport throughout Wales call Traveline(0871 200 22 33; www.traveline.org.uk).

Hitching

Hitching is never entirely safe anywhere, and we don’t recommend it. Travellers who hitch should understand that they are taking a small but potentially serious risk. Travel in pairs and let someone know where you are planning to go. Women hitching on their own should be extremely careful when choosing lifts – if in doubt, don’t get in.

It’s against the law to hitch on motorways or the immediate slip roads (access ramps); make a sign and use approach roads, roundabouts, or service stations instead.

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Bus & tram

Bus

Long-distance bus services are thin on the ground in Wales, but half-a-dozen longer routes (run by a range of operators) have been gathered under the banner of the TrawsCambria (www.trawscambria.info) network. The routes on this network include Bangor to Aberystwyth, Aberystwyth to Cardiff, Aberystwyth to Cardigan and Brecon to Newtown.

However, most longer bus journeys have to be cobbled together from a web of routes operated by some 70 private bus companies across the country. Traveline Cymru (0871 200 22 33; www.traveline-cymru.org.uk) is the one-stop shop for all bus route and timetable information.

The biggest bus operators in Wales:

Arriva Cymru (08701 201 088; www.arrivabus.co.uk) Services in North and West Wales.

First Cymru (01792-572255; www.firstcymru.co.uk) Services in southwest Wales.

National Express (0870 580 8080; www.nationalexpress.com) UK-wide services.

Stagecoach (www.stagecoachbus.com/southwales) Services in southeast Wales.

Bus passes

Apart from the combined bus and rail Flexipasses, there are lots of regional and local one-day and one-week passes, but many are only worthwhile if you’re planning to do a lot of travelling.

For example, the FirstWeek South & West Wales pass (adult/child £22/10) gives unlimited travel for seven days on all First bus services in South and West Wales. The FirstDay Swansea Bay pass (adult/child £3.60/2) gives unlimited travel for a day (on the day of purchase only) on First and Pullman buses in Swansea and the Gower Peninsula. You can buy these passes in Swansea bus station, or from the driver on any First bus.

The West Wales Rover pass (adult/child £6/4) allows unlimited travel for one day on most local bus services in Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion. The Red Rover (adult/child £4.95/2.45) is valid for one day on buses 1 to 99 in Gwynedd and the Isle of Anglesey in northwest Wales. The Stagecoach Explorer (adult/child £5.50/3.50) gives unlimited travel for one day on all Stagecoach services in South Wales. Again, you can buy these tickets from the driver; for full details, ask at a tourist office.

If you’re planning to travel throughout the UK, National Express has a variety of passes and discount cards, including options for senior travellers. Details are available online at www.nationalexpress.com.

Postbus

For an authentic look at rural Wales, travel with the Royal Mail Postbus (0845 774 0740; www.postbus.royalmail.com). You won’t get anywhere fast, but you’ll get a unique insight into rural Wales. The services are often the only means of public transport in remote parts of Mid-Wales. Buses carry between four and 10 passengers, and can be hailed anywhere en route. Fares range from 40p to £4.

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Car & motorcycle

If you want to see the more remote regions of Wales or cram in as much as possible in a short time, travelling by car or motorcycle is the easiest way to go. Petrol, however, is expensive – about 90p per litre at the time of research.

Getting around North or South Wales is easy, but elsewhere roads are considerably slower, especially in the mountains and through Mid-Wales. To get from the northeast to the southeast, it’s quickest to go via England. Rural roads are often single-track affairs with passing places only at intervals, and they can be treacherous in winter.

Wales can be a dream for motorcyclists, with good-quality winding roads and stunning scenery. Just make sure your wet-weather gear is up to scratch.

In built-up areas be sure to check the parking restrictions as traffic wardens and clampers can be merciless.

The main motoring organisations in the UK include the following:

Auto-CycleUnion (01788-566400; www.acu.org.uk)

Automobile Association (AA; 0800 085 2721; www.theaa.co.uk)

Bike Tours UK (www.biketours-uk.com) For information on motorcycle touring.

Royal Automobile Club (RAC; 08705 722 722; www.rac.co.uk)

Hire

Hire cars are expensive in the UK, and you’ll often get a better rate by taking advantage of package deals booked in advance. The best deals can usually be found on the internet. To hire a car, drivers must usually be between 23 and 65 years of age – outside these limits special conditions or insurance requirements may apply. You will also need a credit card to make an advance booking and act as a deposit.

For a compact car, expect to pay in the region of £135 a week (including insurance etc). Most cars are manual; automatic cars are available but they’re generally more expensive to hire. If you need a baby chair or booster seat specify this at the time of booking.

Some agencies in the UK:

Alamo (0870 400 4562; www.alamo.co.uk)

Avis (0870 608 6363; www.avis.co.uk)

Budget (0844 581 2231; www.budget.co.uk)

Europcar (0845 758 5375; www.europcar.co.uk)

Fast Quote (0870 900 0533; www.fastquotecarhire.co.uk)

Hertz (0870 844 8844; www.hertz.co.uk)

HolidayAutos (0870 400 4461; www.holidayautos.co.uk)

Insurance

If you are bringing your own vehicle from abroad, make sure you check that your insurance will cover you in the UK. In the UK, third-party insurance is a minimum requirement. If you’re renting a car, check the fine print – policies can vary widely and the cheapest hire rates often include an excess (for which you are liable in the event of an accident) of up to £800.

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Train

Like the rest of the UK, the Welsh rail network has been privatised; almost all train services in Wales are run by Arriva (www.arrivatrainswales.co.uk), except for the London (Paddington) – Cardiff–Swansea route (operated by First Great Western) and the London (Euston) –Chester–Holyhead route (Virgin Trains).

The National Rail Enquiry Service (08457 484950; www.nationalrail.co.uk) provides centralised timetable information for all train operators in the UK, and allows you to buy tickets and make reservations by phone using a credit card. You can buy tickets online through www.thetrainline.com, though you’ll need a UK address to register with the site.

To a large extent, trains along Wales’ north and south coasts serve to link the English rail network with seaports at Swansea, Pembroke Dock, Fishguard and Holyhead. But there are some fine rail journeys across the middle of the country, and an amazing number of ‘heritage’ railways (mainly steam and narrow-gauge), survivors of an earlier era.

Wales’ most beautiful railway journeys fan out from Shrewsbury in England: the Heart of Wales line through southern Mid-Wales, the Cambrian line across northern Mid-Wales to Aberystwyth, and its spectacular branch line up the coast and along the Llŷn. Another gem is the Conwy Valley line down through Snowdonia. Each trip is worth the fare just for the scenery and the hypnotic, clickety-clack pace.

Classes

There are two classes of rail travel in the UK: 1st class and what is referred to as ‘standard’ class. First class costs about 30% to 50% more than standard and, except on very crowded trains, simply isn’t worth the extra money.

Costs

You can just roll up to a station and buy a standard single (one-way) or return ticket any time, but this is often the most expensive way to go. Each train-operating company sets its own fares and has its own discount schemes, and passengers can only use their tickets on services operated by the company that issued the ticket.

You might find that the same journey will have a different fare depending on whether you buy it at the station, over the phone or on the internet. The system is so bizarre that in some cases two singles are cheaper than a return ticket, and even a one-way journey can be cheaper if you split it into two (ie if you’re going from A to C, it can be cheaper to buy a single from A to B, and another single from B to C; go figure). If you have the time, it’s worth playing around with various combinations on www.thetrainline.com.

The cheapest fares have advance-purchase and minimum-stay requirements, as well as limited availability. Children under five travel free; those aged between five and 15 pay half-price for most tickets. However, when travelling with children it is almost always worth buying a Family Railcard. See table below for approximate one-way fares for various train journeys:

The main fare classifications include:

Apex For outward and return journeys not on the same day, but at fixed times and dates; it’s the cheapest long-term return ticket, but must be booked well in advance and has limited availability.

Cheap Day Return For outward and return journeys on the same day, with restricted outward travel time (eg only after 9.30am); often costs barely more than a single. A great deal for day-trippers.

Open Return For outward travel on a stated day and return on any day within a month.

Saver Open return but with no travel allowed during weekday peak-traffic periods.

SuperSaver Open return but with no travel allowed during weekday peak-traffic periods, nor on Friday at any time, nor on certain other high-traffic days (eg during the Christmas and Easter holidays).

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Tours

Scores of local and regional outfits offer walking, cycling and multiactivity tours.

For a fun way to see Wales and to meet new people, several companies offer minibus tours of the country, in which there are a variety of possible routes and activities on offer.

For more information try the following organisations.

Bus Wales (0800 328 0284; www.buswales.co.uk) Offers three-day tours, including Snowdonia, Brecon Beacons, Wye Valley and Gower Surf and Beach. Aimed at independent travellers, backpackers and students.

Bushwakkers (01874-636552; www.bushwakkers.co.uk) Weekend horse riding and canoeing adventure trips to Wales by minibus; mostly for the under-35s.

DragonTours (01874-658124; www.dragonback packertours.co.uk) Tours to off-the-beaten-track destinations. Aimed at under-35s.

Shaggy Sheep (01267-281202; www.shaggysheep.com) Jump-on, jump-off tours of the Brecon Beacons, Pembrokeshire coast and Snowdonia, as well as surfing and other activity weekends. Aimed at young backpackers.

The following international companies offer UK tours or packages with a Wales component.

British Travel International(www.britishtravel.com) Aimed at travellers over 50.

Contiki (www.contiki.com) Mostly for the under-35s.

HaggisTours (www.radicaltravel.com) Aimed at the youth market.

Home at First (www.homeatfirst.com) Tours suited to over-50s.

Insight (www.insightvacations.com) Caters for the over-50s market.

Roadtrip(www.roadtrip.co.uk) Tours will appeal to under-35s.

Saga Holidays (www.saga.co.uk) Holidays for the over-50s.

WalesCountryside Holidays (www.holidays-in-wales.com) Tours for all age groups.

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Bicycle

Rural Wales is a great place for cycling enthusiasts; traffic on back roads is limited, there are loads of multiuse trails and three long-distance cycling routes as part of Sustrans’ National Cycle Network. Distances are generally short. For long-distance travel around Wales, though, the hilly and often mountainous terrain is mostly for experienced cycle tourers.

In the larger towns and cities, there are few cycle lanes and there is also a general disrespect for cyclists by motorists. Bike theft can also be a major problem in urban areas; try to keep your bike in a secure area (many guest houses and hotels offer secure bicycle storage).

Purchase & hire

All large towns have bicycle shops where you can buy a bike on arrival; you may even be able to negotiate a deal for the shop to buy the bike back later.

Most sizable or tourist towns in Wales have at least one shop where you can hire bikes for around £10 to £15 per day for a tourer and between £17 and £25 for a full- suspension mountain bike. Many hire outfits will require you to make a deposit of about £50 for a tourer and up to £100 for a top-of-the-line mean machine.

Transporting your bicycle

Bikes can be taken on most trains, although there is limited space for them. On most train services in Wales it’s compulsory to make a reservation for your bike at least 24 hours in advance; there is a small charge for this on some routes. On others, bikes are carried free as long as there is space available; if not, you’re stuck. Timetables usually have an ‘R’ symbol above each service on which a reservation is necessary.

Arriva TrainsWales (www.arrivatrainswales.co.uk), which operates most rail services in Wales, publishes an annual guide called Cycling by Train. It’s also available for download from the website.

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