UK Information
Joined: 21 Oct 2006
Posts: 26
Home Country: uk
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 Posted: Mon Nov 13, 2006 6:59 am Post subject: GETTING AROUND IN UK (WALES) |
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GETTING AROUND IN UK (WALES)
RAIL
There are two main-line routes into Wales. One runs from London Paddington to Fishguard along the South Wales coast (branching at Whitland to serve Haverford West and Milford Haven), while the other links Holyhead with Chester and northwest England. In addition, the line from Cardiff to Chester (via Newport, Hereford and Shrewsbury) links the south Wales cities with Abergavenny in Gwent and Wrexham in Clwyd. There are also two smaller cross-country lines: these run from Shrewsbury to Welshpool, Barmouth, Harlech, Porthmadog and Pwllheli; from Shrewsbury via Welshpool to Aberystwyth; and from Craven Arms (on the Shrewsbury–Ludlow line) through Llandrindod Wells and Llandovery down to Swansea. There are also a large number of local steam railways, rescued by railway enthusiasts during the Beeching era, known collectively as The Great Little Trains of Wales. The most famous of these is the one at Ffestiniog, Porthmadog in Snowdonia, which has lovingly restored locomotives and carriages from the last century. Others include the Welshpool and Llanfair Railway (in north Powys), the Talyllyn Railway (near Barmouth in Cardigan Bay) and the Bala Lake Railway. Passport tickets are available, giving access to all the railways for the whole season. For further information, contact The Great Little Trains of Wales (tel: (01286) 870 549; website: www.greatlittletrainsofwales.co.uk).
AIR
Main airports: Cardiff International Airport (CWL) (tel: (01446) 711 111; website: www.cwlfly.com) is 19km (12 miles) from Cardiff.
To/from the airport:
Train: A rail link connects the airport with Cardiff Central station. (A shuttle bus takes passengers from the terminal to the station.) Trains run once an hour. Cardiff Central is served by the InterCity network and regional lines, including a fast service to London Paddington.
Bus: Regular bus services operate to Cardiff Central Bus Station from London Victoria and other major destinations with connections to the rest of the country.
Local bus: The 'Airbus Xpress' bus X91 runs between Cardiff city centre and the airport every 30 minutes Mon-Fri and hourly Sat-Sun.
Taxi: Available through local operator Cardiff Airport Taxis (tel: (01446) 710 693).
Car hire: Major firms have offices at the airport.
Private car: Cardiff is reached on the M4 from London, exiting at Junction 33 and following the signs. Short-and long-stay car-parking is available. Facilities: Restaurants, shops, bureaux de change, ATMs, children’s play area and executive lounge.
CAR
The best road approach to Wales from southern England is via the M4 motorway, which runs from west London to Newport, Cardiff and Swansea, almost to Carmarthen. The A5 links London and the Midlands with the ferry port of Holyhead, and the A55 links Holyhead with Chester. The best cross-country road is probably the A44/A470 from Oxford to Aberystwyth. Many of the smaller roads are slow, and in upland areas may become impassable during bad weather. The latest traffic and information is available from Traffic Wales (tel: 0845 602 6020; website: www.traffic-wales.com).
URBAN TRANPORTATION
All the main cities have local bus services. There is a good network of local train services radiating from Cardiff. |
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