How To Get To Wales From Manchester

One of the most frequently asked questions in our Facebook group is how to travel to Wales from England and other parts of the UK using public transport. We all know that travelling can be confusing. It’s also not always as convenient (or cheap!) as we would like it to be.

To make things a little bit easier, we have started building a series of handy guides to help you reach some of Wales’ most popular destinations. In this article, the first in the series, we explore how to get to Wales from Manchester, the capital of the North.

Manchester has four train stations in the city centre: Manchester Piccadilly, Manchester Oxford Road, Manchester Victoria, and Deansgate. The ones that mainly concern you when travelling to Wales are Piccadilly and Oxford Road. We have also included information from Manchester Airport, which has its own train station as well.

Editor’s note: We’ve done our best to include the most accurate and up-to-date information to give you a realistic idea of the kind of journey you should expect. However, please make sure to check the official public transport websites for the latest timetables, service disruptions, and prices. All the links can be found at the end of this article. If there’s a specific destination we’ve missed that you’re trying to plan a route for, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.

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Credits

Photos of trains at Piccadilly station, and photo of the Sherpa’r Wyddfa bus are from the Transport for Wales media library.

Photos of Bangor, Elan Valley, Heart Of Wales Train, Cardiff, Rhossilli and Tenby, as well as the cover photo (train on Barmouth Bridge) are from the Wales Asset database. © Hawlfraint y Goron / © Crown copyright (2022) Cymru Wales. Additional credits can be found on individual photos.

All the other remaining photos are property of Mathieu Gasquet / We Travel Wales.

This article was written with contributions from Nia Bolland.

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Traveling to North Wales from Manchester

Getting into North Wales from Manchester might be easier (and cheaper!) than you’d expect. There are direct trains to popular destinations along the north coast, including Llandudno – one of North Wales’ most popular seaside resorts – and even as far as Holyhead on the Isle of Anglesey.

However, depending on the time of day or season, you might need to change trains at least once. Generally, your first stop will be Chester, which has direct services from Manchester Piccadilly and Manchester Airport every hour, making it the easiest place to swap trains. It’s an easy station to navigate, and from there it’s relatively straightforward to access a wide range of destinations along the North Wales coast, as well as reach other well-known towns in the north-east, such as Wrexham.

Crewe is another option when changing trains, offering direct connections to Wrexham and Bangor. However, compared to Chester, it has fewer services, and when planning your journey you’ll quickly notice that many connections require a change at Chester. Crewe is a more relevant stop when heading south, as the train you board is likely to be bound for Cardiff, Swansea, or Carmarthen.

Now, let’s take a closer look at how to reach some of the most popular destinations in North Wales.

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From Manchester Airport to Llandudno

• direct train available (also stops at man. piccadilly and man. oxford road)
• duration: 2 h 40 min
• tickets from: £19 (single, one-way)

Llandudno has been a major seaside holiday destination for generations and offers a wide range of activities and attractions — from walking along the iconic Victorian pier, to enjoying the expansive promenade and multiple beaches, to exploring historical sites, nature reserves, and a farm park. The vibrant town centre is also home to numerous shops, hotels, and restaurants.

During the spring and summer months, there can be up to nine direct trains running all the way from Manchester Airport to Llandudno station, making it very convenient for visitors from England as well as tourists visiting from overseas.

If you’re travelling in the late afternoon or early evening (the last direct train departs at 16:25), or at a time of year when there are fewer direct connections available, you will need to make a few changes, usually at Chester and Llandudno Junction. Note that on average, there aren’t many options to reach the town after 7 o’clock in the evening, so this is something to keep in mind.

Llandudno is a great base from which to explore the north-west. The Conwy Valley Line takes you from the town into the heart of Eryri (Snowdonia) National Park, stopping at popular locations such as Llanrwst, Betws-y-Coed, and Blaenau Ffestiniog.

If you prefer the coast, changing at Llandudno Junction allows you to travel east or west to all the seaside towns, as well as to landmarks such as Conwy and its magnificent castle.

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From Manchester Airport to Bangor

• direct train available (also stops at man. piccadilly and man. oxford road)
• duration: 2 h 45 min
• tickets from: £22 (single, one-way)

Bangor is the oldest city in Wales and boasts an intriguing blend of local history, heritage, and a vibrant student population. It also serves as an excellent base for exploring other parts of the north – not only due to its proximity to Anglesey, but also because it offers multiple bus connections to Eryri National Park, as well as to other must-visit destinations such as Caernarfon, and the north-west coast (Criccieth, Porthmadog).

From Manchester Airport, there are up to four direct trains to Bangor, although only one runs in the morning. Two depart in the late afternoon and one just before midnight, so the timings are not always convenient.

Don’t worry though – if the direct train times don’t suit, there are plenty of alternative options by changing at Chester. The total journey time will typically only be about half an hour longer.

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From Manchester Airport to Holyhead (Anglesey)

• direct train available (also stops at man. piccadilly and man. oxford road)
• duration: 3 h 10 min
• tickets from: £27 (single, one-way)

The direct line from Manchester Airport to Holyhead, on the far west side of Anglesey, is very convenient – but it only runs twice a day (once in the morning and once in the early evening), so it’s a bit risky if you miss your train!

Alternatively, your best option is to change at either Crewe or Chester. From Crewe, there are a few direct services to Holyhead but it’s generally easier to change at Chester, where there are direct connections running every hour.

Another advantage of changing at Chester is that you have more flexibility: the trains can stop at any of the six other stations on the island before reaching Holyhead, whereas services from Crewe do not make intermediate stops after Bangor.

Holyhead is known for its ferry port and connections to Ireland, but Anglesey has much more to offer visitors — including picturesque villages, romantic lighthouses, and breathtaking landscapes and nature reserves. However, do keep in mind that there are no additional train services for travelling around the island, so you’ll need to rely on local buses. Unfortunately, some popular locations — such as South Stack Lighthouse and Ynys Llanddwyn — are not accessible by public transport, so taking a taxi will be your only option.

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From Manchester Airport to Eryri (Snowdonia)

• train + bus (train also stops at man. piccadilly and man. oxford road)
• duration: around 4h
• cost from: £25 (single, one-way)

If you’d like to visit the beautiful national park of Eryri – home to Wales’ highest mountain, Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) – you’ll want to begin by making your way to one of the major towns in the north of Wales.

Bangor is your best option as an access point due to its good bus connections to the park. Notably, the Snowdon Sherpa bus service can take you to popular locations such as Llanberis, Pen-y-Pass and Beddgelert, just to name a few. Llanberis is also where you’ll find the Snowdon Mountain Railway, which takes you to the summit of Yr Wyddfa itself!

Another option is to travel from Manchester to Llandudno Junction, then take the train to Betws-y-Coed. From there, one of the Sherpa buses will take you all around Eryri National Park.

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From Manchester Airport to Wrexham and Llangollen

• train + bus
• duration: between 2h and 3h
• cost from: £20 (single, one-way)

Wrexham offers an interesting mix of arts, culture, and history. It has a vibrant nightlife, and of course, football has taken centre stage internationally in recent years, thanks to the success of the team owned by Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.

Heading to Wrexham involves a change at Chester station, but with frequent trains in both directions, the journey should take less than two hours. Note that if you’re starting from the airport, you’ll need to change at Manchester Piccadilly first.

Not far from Wrexham is the beautiful town of Llangollen, with its scenic canals leading to the impressive Pontcysyllte Aqueduct – the highest canal aqueduct in the world. From Wrexham, the T3 bus will take you there, but if you’re coming from Manchester, I’d recommend getting off the train at Ruabon, the next station after Wrexham. This is because the bus stop is directly outside Ruabon station, whereas in Wrexham you have to take a six-minute walk from General station.

For the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, you should get off the bus in Trevor, which is before Llangollen, and then walk to the aqueduct (about 10 minutes). From there, footpaths lead all the way to Llangollen if you fancy a bit of exercise (around 4 miles).

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Getting to Mid Wales from Manchester

If you want to explore rural Mid Wales and the west coast, your best option is to travel via Shrewsbury – an English market town just east of the border. There are hourly services from Manchester Piccadilly. If you’re starting from the airport, you’ll first need to change at either Piccadilly or Chester.

From Shrewsbury, you’ll be able to connect to most major towns in Mid Wales and along a large stretch of Cardigan Bay. Welshpool is just a short journey away, Machynlleth is around an hour and fifteen minutes, and Aberdyfi is less than two hours. The same train continues through other popular destinations such as Aberystwyth, Tywyn, Barmouth, Harlech, and all the way to the Llŷn Peninsula (Pwllheli).

One particularly useful thing to know about Shrewsbury is that Platform 3 – from which many of the trains to Wales depart – is separate from the rest of the station. If you’re changing at Shrewsbury and need to get to Platform 3 from any other platform (or vice versa), you’ll have to go through the ticket gates. So when booking a train with a change at Shrewsbury, it’s a good idea to allow a bit more time than you might think you’ll need for the transfer.

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From Manchester Airport to the North-West Coast (Aberdovey, Harlech, Porthmadog, Pwllheli)

• multiple trains (1 change from piccadilly, 2 from the airport)
• duration: up to 6h
• tickets from: £30

From Manchester Piccadilly, there are frequent direct trains to Shrewsbury. If your journey starts from the Airport, you will need to first take the train to Piccadilly station.

From Shrewsbury, the Cambrian Line – which actually starts at Birmingham Airport – takes you west through the countryside and then along the coast, stopping at popular seaside towns such as Aberdyfi and Tywyn (home of the Talyllyn Railway). It then continues north via Barmouth, Harlech, Porthmadog (home of the Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railways), and Criccieth, before ending in Pwllheli on the Llŷn Peninsula.

Some of these towns allow you to extend your journey further into Eryri National Park, with Tywyn and Aberdyfi offering bus connections to Dolgellau, and both Barmouth and Dolgellau providing links to other popular locations such as Bala. Porthmadog connects easily with the Sherpa’r Wyddfa network of buses, which will take you to Beddgelert, Betws-y-Coed, Llanberis, and other popular destinations around Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon).

Additional reading:

• 10 things to do in and around Aberdyfi
• 10 things to do in and around Tywyn

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From Manchester Airport to the Southern West Coast (Aberystwyth, Aberaeron, New Quay, Cardigan)

• multiple trains (1 change from piccadilly, 2 from the airport)
• duration: 4 h
• tickets from: £38

If you fancy exploring the west coast heading south, the same Cambrian Line will take you from Shrewsbury all the way to Aberystwyth. The latter is a vibrant university town with a great atmosphere, home to one of Wales’ largest arts centres, as well as plenty of restaurants and shops. It’s also an excellent base for exploring the southern area of Cardigan Bay, as well as attractions further inland.

Note that although you don’t need to change trains, when you arrive in Machynlleth, the service – composed of four carriages – splits into two: one half continues north to Pwllheli, and the other heads south to Aberystwyth. You just need to make sure you’re in the correct carriage, but train staff are always on hand to check and ensure passengers don’t get mixed up.

Trains don’t run further south than Aberystwyth, but a coastal bus service connects you to many popular seaside villages, including the colourful Aberaeron, New Quay (known for its dolphin-spotting boat trips), and Cardigan — and even as far south as Pembrokeshire, with stops in Fishguard, St Davids, and Haverfordwest. You can also travel by bus from Aberystwyth to Carmarthen, Swansea, and Cardiff.

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From Manchester to Elan Valley

• train, bus, taxi
• duration: 3 h 30 min + taxi
• tickets from: £40 + taxi fee

If you fancy more rugged landscapes and forests — complete with majestic dams and reservoirs — you may want to visit the spectacular Elan Valley, which offers beautiful walks and stunning scenery in the heart of the Cambrian Mountains in Mid Wales.

From Manchester Piccadilly, take the train down to Shrewsbury and change to the Heart Of Wales line to get to Llandrindod. From here, the X47 bus will lead you to Rhayader.

Finally, you will need to complete your journey with a Taxi Link service operated by S.P. Cars (Simon Price). Note that a 2 hours advance notice is required. You can find more information and a telephone number on the Elan Valley website.

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Getting to South Wales from Manchester

Given the geography, you might expect it to take longer to reach South Wales from Manchester than from most other parts of the country, with several changes involved. But thankfully, there are trains to major cities like Cardiff and Swansea — and all the way to Pembrokeshire’s gems, such as Tenby in the south-west. Even better, some of these services offer a direct connection from Manchester Piccadilly!

There are also several lines that, from the south coast, run back north, giving you access to the Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons) National Park, for example, where you can then use local buses to reach your specific destination.

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From Manchester to Cardiff

• transport: direct train (1 change if leaving from the airport)
• duration: 3 h 15 min (add half an hour if leaving from the airport)
• tickets from: £45

There is a direct train from Manchester Piccadilly to the Welsh capital that runs every hour, starting early in the morning, with the last direct train departing at 20:30. Prices vary depending on the time of day, but they tend to be on the higher side – you’ll be lucky to find a ticket for under £50.

It is possible to save money by taking a coach, which can cost less than £30. However, the coach journey from Manchester to Cardiff is not particularly convenient. The total travel time can be anywhere between seven and ten hours and usually involves a change in London, Bristol, or Birmingham.

Cardiff is a great base, not only because there are plenty of things to do in the Welsh capital, but also because it offers easy train connections to other southern cities such as Swansea, counties like Pembrokeshire, and areas including the Vale of Glamorgan (home to Barry Island), the South Wales Valleys, and the Brecon Beacons National Park.

Cardiff also hosts Wales’s only major domestic and international airport, offering direct flights from Northern Ireland, Scotland, and various European countries, as well as connecting flights to other continents.

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From Manchester to Swansea and Gower National Park

• transport: direct train from piccadilly (1 change if leaving from the airport)
• duration: 4 h 10 min (add half an hour if leaving from the airport)
• tickets from: £54

The same line that takes you to Cardiff – the Marches Line – continues onwards to Swansea for a similar price, although double check when booking because some trains terminate at Cardiff. Services that continue to Swansea usually run every two hours from Manchester Piccadilly. Alternatively, you can take a train to Cardiff and change if you need to travel at a more specific time, but this option will generally be more expensive.

Swansea is another interesting city to visit in the south, thanks to its modern architecture, museums, and culture hubs. Its railway station offers connections with the Heart of Wales Line, which runs north to Shrewsbury via the rural uplands of Carmarthenshire, Powys, and Shropshire, as well as with the West Wales Line, which takes you to the south of Pembrokeshire — including destinations such as Tenby and Pembroke.

And of course, we must mention the Gower National Landscape — with its award-winning beaches, dramatic coastline, rolling downs, and traditional villages. To get there from Swansea, you can use local buses, such as those operated by Adventure Travel, to reach must-see destinations like Rhossili.

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From Manchester to Pembrokeshire (Tenby, Harverfordwest, St Davids, Fishguard)

• multiple trains
• duration: 5h to 6h
• tickets from: £70

The same direct train from Manchester Piccadilly to Swansea is actually part of a longer service that continues all the way to Pembrokeshire, stopping at Bridgend, Llanelli, and Carmarthen along the way. These longer journeys, which are available roughly two or three times a day, will take you either to Haverfordwest and Milford Haven in the south of the county, or to Fishguard in the north.

For other destinations, you’ll need to change. For example, the T11 bus runs from Fishguard or Haverfordwest to St Davids. To reach Tenby, Pembroke, and other lovely coastal towns in the south, you’ll need to change at Swansea or Carmarthen and take the West Wales Line.

Alternatively, you can reach most popular towns using one of the Pembrokeshire coastal bus services, which generally operate between May and September. There may be exceptions, but outside of that period services are much reduced and shouldn’t be relied upon.

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From Manchester to Brecon Beacons National Park

• train, bus
• duration: 5 h to 6h
• tickets from: £60

Another great destination in South Wales is, of course, the Brecon Beacons National Park. Brecon itself no longer has a working train station, but you can take a direct train from Manchester Piccadilly to Hereford, on the eastern edge of the park, and then continue via the T14 bus. Abergavenny, the stop after Hereford, also provides access to the Black Mountains, and the X43 bus will take you to Brecon.

Another option is to travel all the way to Cardiff and then head north via the South Wales Valleys Line, which can take you to Pontypridd and Merthyr Tydfil. From there, you’re close to the Brecon Mountain Railway, while the T4 bus can take you to the start of the climb to Pen y Fan.

The western side of the park, with stations such as Llandovery, can be accessed via the Heart of Wales Line. From Manchester, you would change at Shrewsbury. Alternatively, you can travel up from Swansea.

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Extra Information And Resources

The maps I designed for this article highlight some of the most popular itineraries and destinations — but of course, there’s always more to discover. If you’d like to explore further train and bus connections, start by looking at this Rail and Bus Network map from TfW. It’s well put together and provides additional information about the options available when travelling by public transport.

There are various websites where you can buy train tickets, each of which may offer its own special deals in addition to standard discounts. In general, I like to start with the Transport for Wales (TfW) website (a mobile app is also available). It’s a reliable source for planning your train journey, buying tickets, and staying informed about the latest disruptions and cancellations — which, unfortunately, do occur from time to time. Usually, when a train is cancelled, a replacement bus is provided, but it’s always better to be informed in advance.

If you need to take both a train and a bus to reach your destination, I recommend starting with the Traveline Cymru website. Not only does it suggest itineraries that include both modes of transport, but it also provides comprehensive information about all the train and bus services available across the country. It will also alert you to any disruptions or diversions. Please note, however, that you cannot purchase tickets directly from this website.

Speaking of buying tickets, there are a lot of options available — and when it comes to buses, a variety of different companies — which can make the process a bit confusing if you’re trying to sort everything out in advance.

I recommend reading our dedicated article about travelling in Wales by public transport, where you’ll find a comprehensive explanation of the types of ticket available, when they are most convenient, and a list of all the bus operators in the country and the areas they serve.