Bus Travel

Most parts of Wales are accessible by bus, but long-distance bus travel takes a long time. National Express travels to all parts of Wales from London's Victoria Coach Station and also direct from London's Heathrow and Gatwick airports. The company also has routes into Wales from many major towns and cities in England and Scotland. Average travel times from London are 3½ hours to Cardiff, 4 hours to Swansea, 7 hours to Aberystwyth, and 4½ hours to Llandudno.

Many of Wales's national parks run summer bus services. In the North, the excellent Snowdon Sherpa runs into and around Snowdonia and links with main rail and bus services. The Pembrokeshire Coastal Bus Service operates in Pembrokeshire Coast National Park. The popular Beacons Bus service, in Brecon Beacons National Park, was put on indefinite hiatus in 2014, leaving the park without its own dedicated general bus service; however, cyclists can take advantage of the Brecon Bike Bus, with its 24-bike trailer, that runs Sundays and holidays from late May to late September.

Bus Contacts

Brecon Bike Bus. 029/2066–6444; www.cardiffbus.com/english/bikebus.

National Express. 0871/781–8178; www.nationalexpress.com.

Pembrokeshire Coastal Bus. 0871/200–2233; www.pembrokeshirecoast.org.uk.

Snowdon Sherpa. 0871/200–2233; www.visitsnowdonia.info/snowdon_paths_and_sherpa_bus_service-98.aspx.