The railway in Wales has a long tradition – the first horse tram with passenger in Swansea gave birth to passenger railways. Nowadays, tourists from all over the world are attracted by heritage railways, especially the Snowdon Mountain Railway. Train travel in Wales, especially on board of heritage trains is an unforgettable experience. However, please note, that tickets on the most famous heritage railways are very expensive.
Last updated: 08.02.2024
Train travel in Wales – regular passenger services
Trains in Wales reach most major cities. The regional passenger trains are operated by Arriva Trains Wales. In addition to local trains, there are also long-distance trains connecting, among others, Cardiff with London and operated by other British carriers.
If you plan to travel a lot around Wales by train, there is an offer Explore Wales Pass. The network ticket is valid for four consecutive days. The pass is available in four variants: North & Mid Wales Pass, South Wales Pass. The Explore Wales Pass can only be purchased at main Welsh stations. It is a relatively expensive ticket and unless you travel frequently, it is not worth buying.
People planning to travel by train within Cardiff can purchase an Explore the Capital ticket, which allows you to travel on Arriva Train Wales within the capital and to designated stations throughout the day. The ticket is relatively cheap but is also limited to Cardiff area.
Arriva Train Wales offers several other one-day network tickets for an unlimited number of journeys on the day the ticket is valid within a specific area. For example, Explore Cambrian Coast entitles you to travel between Pwllheli stations – Aberystwyth and Machynlleth.
Transport for Wales – tickets and passes for tourists
Arriva Trains Wales – official website
Train travel in Wales – heritage railways
There are many heritage railways in Wales – narrow gauge railways, rack railways, tourist trains and funicular railways. The list includes only most important Welsh heritage railways.
Due to the very large number of active railways, I don’t mentioned miniature railways running on very short routes and railway museums. The list is not complete.
Aberystwyth Cliff Railway – the funicular railway in Aberystwyth carries passengers to Constitution Hill. From the hill you can enjoy a beautiful panorama of the surrounding hills, the town and the sea. The funicular was put into operation in 1896. It is open every day from April to October.
Aberystwyth Cliff Railway – official website
Bala Lake Railway – a narrow gauge railway between Llanuwchllyn and Bala stations, along the shore of the picturesque Bala Lake. The round trip takes an hour, and the train covers approximately seven kilometers. There are short stops at intermediate stations. Trains run relatively frequently from the end of March to the end of September and on selected weekends in October.
Bala Lake Railway – official website
Blaenavon’s Heritage Railway – vintage train rides on the Big Pit – Whistle Inn route on selected days, most often on Sundays. A one-way journey takes 20 minutes. Various rolling stock is used – retro carriages + a diesel or steam locomotive, or vintage railbuses.
Blaenavon’ Heritage Railway – official website
Brecon Mountain Railway – a narrow gauge railway carrying tourists along a scenic route in the Brecon Beacons National Park. One of the most popular attractions in the region. The trains are comprised of a steam locomotive and stylish, covered carriages. It runs on selected days throughout the year, on average 4 times a week, every day in June, July and August. The return journey, including the 20-minute stop at Pontsticill, takes 65 minutes. The distance between the start and end stations is approximately 4,800 meters.
Brecon Mountain Railway – official website
Cambrian Heritage Railways – rides on short sections of disused railway lines at Llynclys and Oswetry. Trips take place most often on weekends from April to October. In addition to trains, vintage buses run between Llynclys and Oswetry on selected days.
Cambrian Heritage Railways – official website
Corris Railway – a narrow gauge railway in Corris, opened in 1859. Initially a horse-drawn railway. In 1878, horses were replaced by steam locomotives. The railway closed in 1948 and the tracks were dismantled shortly after. In 1970, the Corris Railway museum was opened, and thanks to the efforts of volunteers, the railway was rebuilt in 2002, and train services were reinstated in 2005.
The railway runs only on selected days, on a very short distance (about 1 kilometer), but there are plans to extend the route by another three kilometers.
Corris Railway – official website
Fairbourne Steam Railway – steam train rides on the four-mile route from Fairbourne to Penrhyn Point, where ferries depart for Barmouth. Trains run on selected days from February to the end of October, and in August, trains run every day.
Fairbourne Steam Railway – official website
Ffestiniog Railway – one of the most popular Welsh narrow gauge railways. It runs between Porthmadog and Blaenau Ffestiniog stations, covering a distance of 21.6 km. The one-way journey takes approximately 75 minutes. The trains are composed of a steam locomotive and stylish vintage carriages. Blaenau Ffestiniog can be reached by trains from the Welsh Arriva.
Ffestiniog Railway – official website
Great Orme Tramway – an interesting historic tram in Llandudno. Heritage trams run on two routes: Victoria – Halfway and Halfway – Summit. The tram has been running since 1902. It is only funicular, or cable-hauled, tramway that travels on public roads.
Great Orme Tramway – official website
Gwili Railway – a nostalgic train rides from Bronwydd Arms to Danycoed (approx. 3.6 km). Trains are usually composed of vintage carriages and a steam locomotive; They run quite often, but not every day. There is also a miniature railway at Llwyfan Cerrig Station.
Gwili Railway – official website
Llanberis Lake Railway – a narrow gauge railway from Llanberis to Gilfach. The four-kilometer route mainly leads along the lake. The return journey takes approximately 60 minutes. The trains are driven by historic steam locomotives. The line has been recently extended. Trains run on designated days.
Llanberis Lake Railway – official website
Llangollen Railway – vintage trains occasionally run from Llangollen to Carrog on a 12 kilometer route. One of the attractions is ride through a long tunnel. The tracks were laid on a former railway line, which was closed to passenger traffic in 1965 and to freight traffic three years later. Railway enthusiasts founded the Llangollen Railway Association in 1975 with the goal of restoring the closed line to original condition.
Llangollen Railway – official website
Llechwedd Slate Caverns – two mine trains carrying tourists around the former slate mine in Llechwedd near Blaenau Ffestiniog. The first is something like a funicular, the second one is the Miner’s Tramway going about 700 meters into the former mine.
Margam ParkTrain – a park railway at Margam Country Park near Port Talbot. The trains are composed of a diesel locomotive stylized as a steam loco and three covered carriages – each of them can accommodate 24 passengers. The route is approximately 2,300 meters long.
Margam Park Train – official website
Rhyl Miniature Railway – the oldest miniature railway in the UK, operating since 1911. The length of the route is worth noting – it is approximately 1,600 meters. The trains are driven by miniature steam locomotives manufactured in the 1920s or miniature diesel locomotives.
Rhyl Miniature Railway – official website
Snowdon Mountain Railway – probably the most famous Welsh heritage railway and the only rack railway in the UK. It carries passengers from Llanberis (near Llanberis Lake Railway station) to the summit of Snowdon. The length of the route is 7.6 km. It reaches the top only in the summer season, from March to mid-May the trains end in Clogwyn due to weather conditions. Due to the beautiful views, the railway is very popular, so it is worth buying tickets in advance, which, however, involves a reservation feeThe connections are served by two types of trains – a classic train with a diesel locomotive and a historic train with a steam locomotive. Tickets are expensive.
Snowdon Mountain Railway – official website
Talyllyn Railway – a very popular narrow gauge railway from Tywyn to Nant Gwernol. Trains composed of a steam locomotive and a vintage carriages cover a distance of 11.6 km. Trains run every day from the first days of April to the end of October.
Talyllyn Railway – official website
Teifi Valley Railway – a narrow gauge railway running on selected days between Henllan and Pont Goch. The length of the route is approximately 2.5 kilometers. The return journey, including a long stop at the final station, takes an hour.
Teifi Valley Railway – official website
Vale of Rheidol Railway – scenic narrow gauge railway. The trains run between Aberystwyth and Devil’s Bridge (18.9km). The trains are hauled by steam locomotives. The line opened in 1902 was considered a masterpiece of engineering. The one-way journey takes an hour.
Vale of Rheidol Railway – official website
Welsh Highland Railway – probably the longest and most famous Welsh narrow gauge railway. The length of the route is 40.2 km. During the over two-hour journey from Porthmadog to Caernarfon, passengers in vintage carriages can admire beautiful views of mountains, rivers and forests. Tickets are expensive
Welsh Highland Railway – official website
Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway – a narrow gauge railway connecting Welshpool with Llanfair. It takes 50 minutes to cover approximately 13 kilometers through beautiful Mid Wales countryside. The line was opened in 1903. Passenger traffic was suspended in 1931 and the line was closed in 1956. All trains are hauled by a steam locomotive.
Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway – official website
Related articles:
Train travel in Great Britain
Train travel in Scotland
The best heritage railways in England
The best scenic railways in England
Railways in Europe by country
