Holyhead to Conwyn by train

We booked a cruise very late and as a result can't seem to get a tour bus trip to Conwyn. Is it feasible to just get off the ship, find our way to the station (without reservations), take the train , visit the castle and then get back.?

What I'm asking is: is the train schedule reliable? Distances not too great?

We booked a cruise very late and as a result can't seem to get a tour bus trip to Conwyn. Is it feasible to just get off the ship, find our way to the station (without reservations), take the train , visit the castle and then get back.?

What I'm asking is: is the train schedule reliable? Distances not too great?

The National Rail is very reliable and has always run on time whenever I have used it anywhere in the United Kingdom so of course that applies to lovely Wales. The only exception would be *possibly* if on a Sunday there were track work taking place - not so common, trains have been known to slow down - it's less likely on a Saturday as people are much more out and about. By track work I mean VERY SLOW - otherwise it's just a local train - not a direct train...adds on only a few minutes, nothing to worry about. Just pointing out the *possibility of track work* that's all.

The trip from Holyhead to Conwyn looks to be less than an hour by train - 46 minutes on a weekday direct train, about an hour otherwise (some trains will make stops) weekends/bank holidays are always the non-express trains. The first train departs Holyhead a little after 5AM...the last train leaves Conwyn after 11pm but verify these times depending upon what time of year you are traveling as rail schedules change often. It looks like the return trip from Conwyn is scheduled to take a few minutes longer than the inbound trip...just factor that into your schedule.

I did a search online there are taxis to take you to the train station (which is right next to the Ferry Port) so it should be easy enough to do this trip. Be sure to purchase a "return trip" rail ticket as one way tickets will cost more. You'll definitely be able to do this trip on your own. Enjoy the castle.

http://www.thetrainline-europe.com/train/holyhead-to-conwy~7001052~7000630

(The above is not from National Rail, but it's easier to read online than the rail schedules...but they are available for download here http://www.arrivatrainswales.co.uk/timetables/)

Yes, there's a direct train service, journey time about an hour, costs £15.50 for a day-return, Holyhead station is a 25 minute walk (or a taxi hop) from the berth, and Conwy station is close to the castle.

http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/

(NB spelling, the site will only accept correct spellings, it's Conwy.)

No need to book - just buy "day return to Conwy" at the station.

But there are a couple of complications.

Conwy is one of only a handful of the tiniest stations in the UK where you have to request that the train stops.

So when you board at Holyhead, tell the guard or driver that you want to get off at Conwy.

And if you return from Conwy station, hold your hand out to the driver as the train approaches, as you'd do for a bus.

If you don't do these things, the train will carry on through Conwy without stopping.

And the frequency of trains to Conwy is poor - for instance there's an hourly service through Conwy, but some don't stop there at all. So for your return, there's a train that stops on-request at Conwy at 2.16pm (arrives Holyhead 3.08pm, which is a bit early) but the next isn't til 4.23 (arrives Holyhead 5.16pm, which may be too late for your back-on-board time).

(These times for a weekday, the service is more limited on sundays but still workable by using Llandudno Junction station instead of Conwy.)

Both of those problems can be resolved by using the station at Llandudno Junction rather than Conwy. This is a regular station, just a mile or so beyond Conwy & all trains stop there. You might feel happier not to have to worry "will the train stop if I hold my hand out?", and the frequency is much better - trains back to Holyhead at 2.13pm, 3.12pm, 4.20pm, etc.

Llandudno Junction is a reasonably pleasant 15 - 20 minute walk or short taxi hop from the castle, over the River Conwy.

Perhaps your best bet is to request a stop at Conwy - if that fouls up the train will stop at Llandudo Junction anyway. Then aim to catch a train back from Llandudno Junction.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/53.2842935,-3.8090196/Conwy+Castle,+Rose+Hill+St,+Conwy+LL32+8AY/@53.2827849,-3.822172,16z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m9!4m8!1m0!1m5!1m1!1s0x48651e85d4cd176d:0x4c407a5d3d49f90c!2m2!1d-3.8256186!2d53.280059!3e2

Not as complicated as it sounds, & a very worthwhile day out.:cool:

JB :)

We were in Holyhead on the Silhouette last August and a group if some 20-30 fellow cruisers were stuck in Conwy on their return. Maybe they didn't know they had to request the train to stop? Anyway, they waited for a while, then some of the locals directed them to Llandudno Junction and they finally made it back to the ship, well past sail away time. But Celebrity held the ship for them, so it worked out well in the end.

As John says you need to plan the Conwy day trip carefully. But you'll love the castle and little town, it was a magical experience for me!

Conwy is one of our must see places when we are in the UK (family live near Chester). The view from the Llandudno junction side of the river over to the castle is stunning. Make time to walk around part of the walls and down by the river.