Going to and from Wales

[Carol & Jim]

On our August pre-cruise we want to travel from LHR to Cardiff, spend 4 days traveling around Wales, ending in Chester and train back to London. We arrive at LHR at 10am so we have the day to travel. Questions are:

 

Getting from LHR to Cardiff which is best, rent a car and drive, take a bus, or take a train? Does the train go direct from LHR to Cardiff? We will be renting a car in Wales so not sure if it's just as easy to pick it up at the airport and drive.

 

What is the best way to book rail tickets? Apparently you can only book tickets 12 weeks in advance, so we would have to wait until June to book. Is the National Rail site the best way to do that? And might it be cheaper to drive back to London instead of train? These train fares seem confusing, advance ticket, off time travel, etc., so many options!

 

We are returning to London on the 30th of August and it's a "bank holiday", what is that? Is everyone off of work that day so it's like our 3 day weekends? Are rail fares less because it's a holiday? I know in trying to book hotels/B&B's in Wales some were already booked up.

 

Thanks for any advice!!

[scottbee]

On our August pre-cruise we want to travel from LHR to Cardiff, spend 4 days traveling around Wales, ending in Chester and train back to London. We arrive at LHR at 10am so we have the day to travel. Questions are:

 

Getting from LHR to Cardiff which is best, rent a car and drive, take a bus, or take a train? Does the train go direct from LHR to Cardiff? We will be renting a car in Wales so not sure if it's just as easy to pick it up at the airport and drive.

 

What is the best way to book rail tickets? Apparently you can only book tickets 12 weeks in advance, so we would have to wait until June to book. Is the National Rail site the best way to do that? And might it be cheaper to drive back to London instead of train? These train fares seem confusing, advance ticket, off time travel, etc., so many options!

 

We are returning to London on the 30th of August and it's a "bank holiday", what is that? Is everyone off of work that day so it's like our 3 day weekends? Are rail fares less because it's a holiday? I know in trying to book hotels/B&B's in Wales some were already booked up.

 

Thanks for any advice!!

 

RailAir bus to Reading Station, then join the Great Western Main Line at Reading. You can get a full schedule at http://nationalrail.co.uk/

 

dep: 1135 Heathrow Central Bus Station [HTR]

arr: 1228 Reading [RDG]

 

dep: 1241 Reading [RDG]

arr: 1422 Cardiff Central [CDF]

[newport dave]

There are regular National Express coach services from Heathrow to Cardiff on a daily basis.

 

www.nationalexpress.com

Also if you are looking for things to do in South Wales then the below might be helpful.

Cardiff City Centre

 

Cardiff Castle in the city centre - http://www.cardiffcastle.com/

 

National Museum and Gallery - http://www.museumwales.ac.uk/en/cardiff/

plus plenty of architecture in the Civic Area of Cardiff by the above Museum inc. Law Courts, Cardiff University, City Hall.

 

Bute Park (next to castle) - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bute_Park

 

Cardiff HOHO Bus ( operates from outside the castle) - http://www.partner.viator.com/en/267...our/d6-2065CWL

 

Wales Millennium Stadium - http://www.millenniumstadium.com/197_211.php

 

 

Cardiff Bay, where you can find the

 

Wales Millennium Centre (spectacular modern building) - http://www.wmc.org.uk/,

 

Senedd (Welsh Assmebly, pronounced Seneth)(again another spectacular modern building) - http://www.assemblywales.org/sen-home.htm ,

 

Norwegian Church Arts Centre - http://members.lycos.co.uk/Norwegian...2/Cardiff.html

 

Techniquest - http://www.techniquest.org/start/

plus loads of restaurants and bars.

 

 

Outskirts of Cardiff

 

National Museum of Welsh Life (my favourite dayout in Cardiff) (will need taxi to reach) - http://www.museumwales.ac.uk/en/stfagans/

 

Llandaff Cathedral - http://www.llandaffcathedral.org.uk/

 

The following sites list the above plus extra stuff in the area and further afield - http://www.cardifflife.net/cardiffthingstodo.html

http://www.walesinstyle.com/things_t...n_cardiff.aspx

http://www.thingstodo.net/cardiff/ca...s-of-interest/

http://wales-travel.suite101.com/art..._do_in_cardiff

 

 

Newport

 

Tredegar House Stately Home - http://www.newport.gov.uk/_dc/index.....tredegarhouse

 

Fourteen Locks - http://www.newport.gov.uk/_dc/index.....tredegarhouse

 

Newport Wetlands Reserve - http://www.newport.gov.uk/_dc/index....naturereserves

 

Caerleon (site of Roman remains) - http://www.newport.gov.uk/_dc/index....rleon.homepage

 

 

Outside of Newport

 

Blaenavon World Heritage Site - http://www.world-heritage-blaenavon.org.uk/

[John Bull]

Scottbee's answer is the way to do it by rail.

And you are right about fares - too many ticket types/restrictions, too many train companies, too many different ticket agencies, most of them with very poor websites. OK for seasoned railtravellers, but very off-putting for the rest of us. Which is a shame, because it's an easy & relaxing way to travel.

 

If you chose to drive, getting to Cardiff is very simple since Heathrow is at the junction of the M25 London orbital motorway and the M4 motorway to South Wales. These are freeways.

 

You may have to join the M25 for a very short distance first, or go directly onto the M4, depending where on the airport your car-hire depot is, but they can point you the right way. Important that you keep in the correct lane & be very careful when switching lanes, but signage is good.

In 5 mins or less you'll be on the M4 and its a very very simple run for about 100 miles/1.5 hours to pass Bristol, then you again need to be careful about being in the correct lane to stay on the M4 and cross the long bridge over the Severn estuary into Wales.

No passports etc :rolleyes:, its like going from one US state to another, but a few miles past the bridge you'll come to a toll-booth.

Despite what Welsh folk may tell you, this isn't a Welsh entrance fee :D, it's a toll for using the bridge, I don't know the cost for a car but its under £10, I don't know if credit cards are accepted but cash needs to be sterling, correct change not neccessary. Use a manned booth - machine booths are for advance-paid vehicles. (There is no toll to cross in the opposite direction).

From here on, there are many off-ramps where the nearside lane leads off the motorway, so its back to being careful about being in the correct lane for the next 30 miles to Cardiff. Total journey about 2.25 hrs, 135 miles to Cardiff outskirts.

 

Gas is very expensive in the UK - currently about £1.20 per litre. ($7 to$8 per US gallon?) so about £20 gas Heathrow/Cardiff

Journey times South Wales to North Wales are very slow, expect to average no better than about 40mph.

 

The August Bank Holiday is simply a 3-day weekend, banks, offices, factories will be closed but not the services that you need such as gas stations, restaurants, little tourist shops.

The rail service I think is similar to a sunday service & such weekends are used for engineering works so there may be short sections of line closed, with replacement buses operating.

So the monday is not a good day to travel by rail :eek:

And worse by road, particularly afternoon/evening heading for London :eek::eek: From any direction. This is Londoners heading home after the break.

If you're due at Heathrow on the monday morning that's reasonably ok unless bad weather prompts Londoners to return early. But sorry, not a good time to travel

 

John Bull

[aquilegia]

Current bridge toll for crossing the Severn is £5.50. It's very easy to get from Heathrow to Cardiff by road.

[ShipsandDipper]

As for getting your car at Heathrow, take into account that you're going to be jet-lagged. Are you going to feel comfortable driving on the other side of the road when you're not in top mental condition? We just returned from our first driving trip in the UK, and my husband did great. He said it wasn't too difficult on the motorways, but it does take some getting used to (especially gauging how much room to leave on the left of the car). But we spent a few days in London first, so we were rested; I don't think I would have wanted him to try to drive our first day there.

 

Definitely get a GPS (my husband downloaded an app to his iPhone which worked great).

 

If you're into books, be sure to stop at Hay-on-Wye, the town of bookstores.

[newport dave]

As for getting your car at Heathrow, take into account that you're going to be jet-lagged. Are you going to feel comfortable driving on the other side of the road when you're not in top mental condition? We just returned from our first driving trip in the UK, and my husband did great. He said it wasn't too difficult on the motorways, but it does take some getting used to (especially gauging how much room to leave on the left of the car). But we spent a few days in London first, so we were rested; I don't think I would have wanted him to try to drive our first day there.

 

Definitely get a GPS (my husband downloaded an app to his iPhone which worked great).

 

If you're into books, be sure to stop at Hay-on-Wye, the town of bookstores.

 

Got to agree about Hay-on-Wye, excellent place, infact I think it's time for my annual pilgramage to stock on some reading material.

 

One word of caution though, most of the M4 will be 70mph speed limit, but once you get to J24 (Newport) all the way to J32 (Cardiff West) the speed limit is 50mph this is monitored by "average speed" speed cameras along that stretch.

[Chester & Brewster]

I don't know the cost for a car but its under £10, I don't know if credit cards are accepted but cash needs to be sterling, correct change not neccessary. Use a manned booth - machine booths are for advance-paid vehicles.

 

It's cash only to cross the Severn Bridge.

 

Slightly confusing, but there are 2 Severn Bridges; the original Severn Bridge & the second Severn crossing.

[aquilegia]

Just to avoid any confusion, Hay-on-Wye mentioned by a couple of posters is presumably a suggestion for a place to visit while you're in Wales (and it's certainly unique). It's not on the way from Heathrow to Cardiff though.

[Carol & Jim]

Found it , Hay-on-Wye, on the map, not exactly in the direction we are going. We are actually going to visit as many mining museums and old mines as we can in 4 days time! Hubby is a collector of antique mining artifacts and Wales has a long history of mining with lots of mining sites. Our stops, so far, are Rhonnda, The Big Pit, Dolaucothi Gold Mine, Llywernog Silver Mine, Llechwedd Slate Caverns, Sygun Copper Mine, Welsh Slate Museum and The Great Orme Copper Mine! Whew! Good thing I don't have to pronounce them, I'd really be in trouble!! :eek: It's hard to decide where to stay but so far one night in Cardiff then we'll stop in Llandeilo or Llandovery, then Blaenau Ffestiniog, then to Chester overnight and catch the train in a.m. Let me know if this is seems too ambitious an itinerary. Having never been to Wales it's hard to judge.

[bsquare12]

I'd definately say get the car at LHR and go at your own pace rather than lug cases on/off trains.

 

Everyone has their own preferences I guess, but public transport is always at the very bottom of my list as I feel more 'in control' of my own itinerary by car.

 

We are at this moment in the middle of a 2 week trek around California by rental car that we picked up in San Francisco.

 

Our petrol (gas) is expensive in the UK, but judging from your current gas prices the difference isn't anything like what it used to be.

[Carol & Jim]

bsquare12, think I agree about driving, better to do it ourselves.

Hope you're having a wonderful time here, wish it wasn't raining. It's suppose to stop tonight for a week. At least all the hills are nice and green right now, makes it all look very pretty! :D

[scottbee]

bsquare12, think I agree about driving, better to do it ourselves.

Hope you're having a wonderful time here, wish it wasn't raining. It's suppose to stop tonight for a week. At least all the hills are nice and green right now, makes it all look very pretty! :D

 

Sorry, I have to agree with Shipsand on this one, driving on the other side of the road on unfamiliar roads, while jetlagged, is not my choice. UK trains are efficient, and the cost to hire a car at Heathrow, petrol, insurance and toll to get to Cardiff certainly isn't going to save you much over the train.

[John Bull]

Hubby is a collector of antique mining artifacts and Wales has a long history of mining with lots of mining sites. Our stops, so far, are Rhonnda, The Big Pit, Dolaucothi Gold Mine, Llywernog Silver Mine, Llechwedd Slate Caverns, Sygun Copper Mine, Welsh Slate Museum and The Great Orme Copper Mine! Whew! Good thing I don't have to pronounce them, I'd really be in trouble!! :eek: It's hard to decide where to stay but so far one night in Cardiff then we'll stop in Llandeilo or Llandovery, then Blaenau Ffestiniog, then to Chester overnight and catch the train in a.m. Let me know if this is seems too ambitious an itinerary. Having never been to Wales it's hard to judge.

 

The Rhondda is the heart (ooops, was the heart) of the Welsh coal-mining industry, the "heads of the valley" road has super views.

 

Take in the Brecon Beacons on your way north from here.

 

Instead of over-nighting at Llandloes or Llandovery you may want to consider the seaside resorts of Aberystwyth or Barmouth for a good selection of accommodation, and the Tal-y-llyn railway http://www.talyllyn.co.uk/home - best known of all the "little trains of Wales"

Harlech Castle is then on your route next day.

 

And instead of accommodation at Blaenau Ffestiniog, for a surreal experience, consider staying at the 1920's italianate village of Portmeirion, the creation of an eccentric. http://www.portmeirion-village.com/

From Blaenau Ffestiniog, it's ten miles away and a thousand miles away at the same time.

Blaenau Ffestiniog is the welsh slate industry, Llechwedd Caverns are well worth the underground trips even if mines aren't your scene. And another super little railway to experience, formerly used for hauling slate.

The Welsh slate museum at Llanberis, under the shadow of Snowdon, is also worth a couple of hours (check out the often-missed cottages at the back) and heading north you are taking the Llanberis Pass in the best direction. But the "little train" route here is not a patch on the others.

Take in Conwy, and visit its castle esp if you didn't visit Harlech, on your way to Llandudno and the Great Orme. I don't know the copper mine, but you can take either a tram or cablecar to the Orme's Head, or you can drive.

Best to take the fairly fast A55 highway to Chester, the coast road is not as interesting as it looks on paper and the minor inland roads eg Denbigh & Ruthin, although interesting are slow and twisting.

The centre of Chester is a little bit of "olde England", but can get congested.

Your itinerary is very interesting & different to the usual old-hat places :), but try to spend some of your time above-ground :D

 

John Bull

[Cazz]

Hubby is a collector of antique mining artifacts and Wales has a long history of mining with lots of mining sites. Our stops, so far, are Rhonnda, ...

 

If by 'Rhondda' you mean to stop at the Rhondda Heritage Museum (the site of the Lewis Merthyr Colliery), then you may like to consider the hotel next door - the Heritage Park Hotel:

http://www.heritageparkhotel.co.uk/

 

I've not stayed over but often pop in for lunch as I work in the area. The journey from the M4 would be straightforward, take Junction 32 North on the A470 for 12 miles (my daily commute!) and follow the signs for Rhondda Valleys for another 2-3 miles.

 

Any interesting website:

http://www.wales-underground.org.uk/rhondda/index.shtml

[sheeper370]

I'd definately say get the car at LHR and go at your own pace rather than lug cases on/off trains.

 

Everyone has their own preferences I guess, but public transport is always at the very bottom of my list as I feel more 'in control' of my own itinerary by car.

 

We are at this moment in the middle of a 2 week trek around California by rental car that we picked up in San Francisco.

 

Our petrol (gas) is expensive in the UK, but judging from your current gas prices the difference isn't anything like what it used to be.

 

I agree.

 

Given the OP's detailed and specific itinerary, a car is the only practical option. You need to enjoy a carefree trip, not turn it into a planning/logistics fest!

[Carol & Jim]

Thanks everyone, so much information, it's great! I'm feeling much better about where to go and what to do and how to get there. I think the train will work out, just have to wait until the schedules are up for August to see fares and engineering closures for my routes. How crazy they actually close the tracks for certain routes! At least they warn you, don't think our Amtrak does that, they don't care if you get delayed! But, we don't have to decide until the rail schedule comes up in a couple of months.

Great to have experts to ask when planning these trips!!;)

[newport dave]

Thanks everyone, so much information, it's great! I'm feeling much better about where to go and what to do and how to get there. I think the train will work out, just have to wait until the schedules are up for August to see fares and engineering closures for my routes. How crazy they actually close the tracks for certain routes! At least they warn you, don't think our Amtrak does that, they don't care if you get delayed! But, we don't have to decide until the rail schedule comes up in a couple of months.

Great to have experts to ask when planning these trips!!;)

 

If they do close routes for engineering works, then they normally provide a replacement bus service instead.

[John Bull]

How crazy they actually close the tracks for certain routes!

 

As (blind :D) Dave & I mentioned, where sections of track are closed for works, rail-replacement coaches are laid on but can add to your journey time. Done at weekends because their volume trade is weekday commuters.

JB