So you're ready to pack your bag for Wales?
You’re going to have a trip of a lifetime traveling around this beautiful and fascinating country. We’ll help you make the key decisions about inbound, outbound and any other journey you might wish to make within Wales.
From UK international airports and Dublin, Ireland to Wales:
You will most probably use London Heathrow or Manchester and Birmingham are other options. If you have arrived from elsewhere in Europe, you may well use Liverpool or Glasgow (the latter if you were arriving via Scotland).
Traveling to North Wales
From London Heathrow, you would need to transfer to Euston rail station. You can do this by taxi, Heathrow Express train to London Paddington and then take a tube (metro, subway), or take a tube the whole way.
Trains from London Euston are provided by Avanti West Coast and take around 3 hours to reach North Wales, traveling through Chester. The principal destinations are Bangor and Llandudno Junction rail stations.
From Manchester airport, you can take a direct train to North Wales, provided by Transport for Wales.
Birmingham airport is also well served by trains, although you might have to change trains on the journey.
Another option that many overseas visitors are choosing is to fly to Dublin Airport in Ireland and then take the ferry to sail into Holyhead, Anglesey, en route to mainland Wales.
Traveling to South Wales
Cardiff, South Wales, has an International Airport although the range of destinations is more limited compared to London and Manchester. There are excellent train services to and from London Paddington station. There are also direct train services to many other UK destinations from Cardiff which is both the capital of and largest city in Wales.
South Wales to North Wales
There is a direct train to North Wales. For example, Cardiff to Bangor takes about 4 and a half hours - not the fastest trip, but it is a very pleasant and scenic journey.
For details on train services we recommend:
Avanti West Coast: https://www.avantiwestcoast.co.uk/
Transport for Wales: https://tfwrail.wales/
For information on ferry services to and from Ireland, contact:
Stena Line http://www.stenaline.co.uk
Irish Ferries https://www.irishferries.com/uk-en/routes-and-times/dublin-holyhead/
We would be pleased to meet you at Holyhead port, which is the gateway to North Wales if you travel from Dublin and the Republic of Ireland.
Train Tips:
· Some larger train stations will require you to put your ticket through a machine or show an online reservation as you go through the exit.
· It’s important that you have the card you purchased your tickets with you, you may need it to obtain the ticket from a machine.
· It’s highly recommended that you buy your tickets in advance of travel, especially at busy times of the day or year.
· On long-distance trains, it’s also highly recommended that you reserve seats. This will be shown on your train on an electronic display or card.
· Stations such as Chester, Llandudno Junction, and Bangor have lifts from the platform to help you with your luggage.