Transport View Map
Public transport in the UK is privatised, so there are many different companies that run buses, taxis and trains. This has both advantages and disadvantages. The advantages are that it increases the amount of choice and competitive prices while the main disadvantage is that it can be confusing when buying or transfering tickets.
In Swansea buses, trains and taxis are the main modes of public transport. Have a look on the travel line-cymru website for more information on buses and trains. For more general information on transport in Swansea have a look on Swansea City and Council website
Train
 Swansea Railway Station is located on the High Street, Swansea.
There are trains to Cardiff, Bristol & London almost every hour. Journey time to Cardiff is 1 hour, Bristol 2 hours and London 3 hours. View National Rail website to plan/book journeys.
Train fares are complicated, and usually more expensive than bus travel. For example the fare to London can cost anything from £13 to £150. To get cheap fares you need to book in advance and avoid peak (busy) times (don't travel to London in the early morning with business people, it's expensive). These advance tickets are limited in number and not flexible or refundable. For the cheapest tickets you are required to commit to travel on one specific train. The advantage of trains is that over a long distance they are faster than the bus. (London is 3 hours by train but 6 hours by bus, Bristol is 2 hours by train but 4 hours by bus).
The trainline website and Arriva Trains Wales are other websites for booking train tickets.
Telephone for train times and fares: 08457 48 49 50 (24 hour National Rail Enquiries line)
Families who are resident here might consider a Family Rail Ticket, where an initial cost of about £20 will save you money over a longer period.
Bristol Airport is best reached by train (Swansea to Bristol Temple Meads Station & Bus from bristol Temple Meads station to Bristol Airport).
Bus
 Swansea Bus Station is near to the Quadrant Shopping Centre, Swansea.
The bus station is currently being re-built. Ask at the travel shop where the bus stop that you need has been temporarily placed.
This is where ALL the buses start from, and there is a small Travel Shop there with timetables. The Travel Shop is at Swansea Quadrant Bus Station, 64 Plymouth St. and is opened on Mondays to Fridays from 8.00am to 5.00pm and on Saturdays from 9.00am to 4.30pm. To view current timetables please use this link (Traveline-cymru) or call 0870 6082608.
Each Bus has a service number on it and a destination. For example the bus number 25 will show the destination as Blaen y Maes on its jouney from the Quadrant bus station. On the return jouney it will still have the number 25 but the destination will show as City Centre.
Local Buses:
The First group buses run bus services in Swansea. For travel around Swansea City
see the map http://www.firstgroup.com/ukbus/wales/swwales/fares/SwanseaCity.pdf to see the area covered by the fares below
Fares: You can buy single tickets or return tickets, but it is usually cheaper to buy a First Day ticket from any bus driver. This all-day ticket allows you to take as many First buses as you want around the Swansea City area in one day.
The First Day ticket for an adult costs :Adult Fare £4.00
Child Fare £2.75 (FirstDay Under 16)
Family £8.00 (2 adults + 3 children or 1 adult + 4 children
see full details of all fares at http://www.firstgroup.com/ukbus/wales/swwales/fares/firstday.php
A Ticket for the whole week costs: - Adult £16.00, Child £12.00- "simply buy the ticket from any First driver, no hassle, no photos, and you're set for 7 days of unlimited travel".
Aged 60 and over ? Free bus travel throughout Wales
The Welsh Assembly Government & Local Authorities have introduced free bus travel in Wales. Your local authority will issue you with a smart card (it contains an electronic chip).
For a map of the routes around Swansea go to http://www.firstgroup.com/ukbus/wales/swwales/map/swansea.pdf. Go to the travel shop in the Quadrant, to get timetables for your bus route.
For Information about the new bus service from Morriston http://www.firstgroup.com/ukbus/wales/swwales/timetables/timetable.php?day=1&source_id=2&service=4/4A/4B&routeid=583881&operator=24&source=sp
Sustainability Swansea have also produced an alternative map for people using public transport or bicycle.
http://sustainableswansea.net/images/stories/Content/PDF/travelmapfinal_1.pdf
- Places to visit in the Swansea area http://www.firstgroup.com/ukbus/wales/swwales/interest/swansea_bay.php
- txt timetable: if you are standing at a bus stop in Swansea & want to know when the next bus is due you can now receive bus times via text message. Each bus stop has a unique 7 letter code. Send the bus stop code as a text message to the traveline text number 84268 (charged at your normal tariff). You will then receive a reply via a text message within 30 seconds showing: the times of the next 4 buses due at that stop - the service number of the bus & the destination of each bus
- The Gower Explorer is a bus service which allows you to explore the Gower Peninsula (i.e. beautiful coastline - places like Port Eynon, Rhossilli and the Worm's Head) and for as little as £3.70 a day. Have a look on the Gower Explorer website for more information about the timetable and routes.
- Telephone 0871 200 22 33 for travel information
Swansea also runs a Park & Ride scheme, to encourage car owners to leave their cars outside of the city centre. Follow signs for the Park & Ride car parks at Fabian Way, Landore & Fforestfach. For £1.50 you can park all day & up to 4 people travel into Swansea & back. Buses run every 12 minutes. Find a map here.
Long Distance - Wales & the rest of the UK:
Bus travel is usually the cheapest way to travel, especially long-distance.
- The Swansea-Cardiff Shuttle 100 bus travels to Cardiff frequently. Run by the National Express. Ticket now includes FREE local bus travel to and from the QUADRANT Bus Station. Off peak( after 10 am) can cost as little as £5 for an adult, £10 for a family, peak fare £6 for an adult and £12 for a Family. Tickets can be bought on the coach, or on the (FIRST) bus journey to the Quadrant
- National Express also runs frequent buses to Heathrow Airport, Stansted Airport & Gatwick Airport. The buses start from the side of the bus station, the "tunnel" between Debenhams & the Quadrant car park. You can buy tickets on the internet or from the travel shop in the Quadrant. No discount fares for the airport buses.
- Mega-Bus - For cheap bus travel between Cardiff and Victoria Station London (there are other inter-city routes in the UK), have a look at the mega bus company website. This service starts from Cardiff. The coach stop is directly in front of Cardiff Castle, on the north side of Castle Street (facing towards the city centre). Fares currently range from £1 to £10. The megabus also stops at the bus stop in Park Place, Cardiff - near the registry office and the entrance to Cathays Rail Station. its best to look at timetables on-line & then you can book on-line with a credit card, or by phone - 0900 160 0900
- Cardiff Airport - there is no direct bus or train route to Cardiff airport from Swansea. details of the possible routes can be found on (Traveline-cymru).
For example:
(1)Swansea to Cardiff by bus or train. Bus from Cardiff Bus Station (which is next door to the railway station) to the airport.
(2)Swansea to Bridgend by bus. Bridgend to Llantwit Major by bus. Llantwit Major to the Airport by bus
(3) There are private minibuses that travel to the airport. If you are arriving in a group, consider sharing a taxi to Swansea. The cost should be about £60 to £70, as compared to about £20 for taking the train or bus. Given it is much quicker and more convenient, you may want to consider this for groups of two or more.
- Bristol Airport - Bristol Airport has more budget airlines than Cardiff. Flybe, EasyJet & Ryan Air fly from Bristol. Bristol Airport is best reached by train (Swansea to Bristol Temple Meads Station & then the Bus from the station to Bristol Airport) Bristol International Flyer Bus goes every half hour from just outside Temple Meads station to the airport. http://www.bristolairport.co.uk/getting_to_bia/by_airport_express_link.aspx
Taxi
 Taxis in Swansea (and UK in general) are generally run on a meter system (i.e. the meter starts counting when your journey starts ). The rates vary depending on the Taxi company and you can catch a taxi by hailing them down, going to a taxi rank or phoning them.
Taxi ranks are situated at Swansea High Street Station, the Quadrant Coach Station and St Mary's Square in the City Centre. See our map for more Taxi offices.
For information on taxis in Swansea, have a look on the yellow pages. For more specifc taxi information, have a look at Taxi Licensing
Always use a licensed taxi. You can check whether the taxi is licensed by looking at the back of it to ensure an official licence plate is attached before you get in. You should never agree to travel in an unlicensed taxi with an unlicensed driver.
Bike
City & County of Swansea encourage you to get on your bike & use a cheap, non-polluting form of transport.
John Hague, Swansea Council's Cabinet Member for Environment said in National Bike Week, "This is a great opportunity for us to promote cycling to all the communities in Swansea. We have an excellent growing network of cycle routes that spreads throughout the region, making it easier for people to cycle and walk safely".
Swansea is committed to implementing the Local Transport Plan, part of which encourages cycling to and from work. Sustrans is a national group dedicated to improving the cycle path network in the UK.
Cycle Paths Map
The Swansea Bike Project is a charity that repairs donated bikes & resells them for about £20.00 to £30.00 to people on low incomes, students & asylum seekers. The Re-cycle workshop can be found in an alley off Catherine Street, between Brynymor Road and St Helen's Avenue. the Centre also teaches bike repair skills, and anyone with no income has the chance to earn a bike.
To volunteer for the bike repair scheme call Anthony Nicholls on 07847 474880 or Amina Ali on (01792) 468271
Plane
Swansea Airport
There is a small Airport in Swansea but this only caters for a very small number of weekly flights, for international and national flights, the nearest airports are Cardiff Airport and Bristol Aiport . There are a number of discount airlines which fly from these airports and which frequently have very reasonable offers (i.e. Easyjet , RyanAir , BMI baby )
Cardiff International Airport; (UK and international flights)
Cardiff International Airport, Vale of Glamorgan, CF62 3BD
Tel: +44 (0) 1446 711111
E-mail:
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
http://info.cwlfly.com/en/
Possible Destinations (instead of going via London, check if you can go from Cardiff first)
Cardiff to Alicante, Alicante to Algiers
Cardiff to South America
Cardiff to Amsterdam, Amsterdam to anywhere!
Cardiff to Paris
See the full list of destinations at http://info.cwlfly.com/en/content/2/267/destinations.html
Bristol Airport
Bristol International Airport, Bristol, BS48 3DY
Car Parking- Email:
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Flight Arrivals and Departures - Tel: Flight information line: 0870 128 2747
http://www.bristolairport.co.uk/
Bristol Airport is best reached by train (Swansea to Bristol Temple Meads Station and then the Bus from the station to Bristol Airport) Bristol International Flyer Bus goes every half hour from the station to the airport.
Budget airlines - RyanAir as well as the usual flights to Southern Europe: France, Spain Italy & Portugal has frequent flights to Eastern Europe, Hungary, Latvia, Slovakia and 3 cities in Poland.
List of destinations: http://www.bristolairport.co.uk/flight_information/destinations.aspx
Car
Car rentals
In Swansea, to rent a small car for a day, it can cost £25 approx. but this varies from company to company. For more information on car rentals, have a look on the yellow pages.
Driving Cars
Don't forget people drive on the left in the UK. For information on driving in the UK, the motoring section of the www.direct.gov.uk website and the www.dvla.gov.uk are good places to start. These include more detailed information on the following:
- Age restriction
Minimum age of 17 for motorcycles and to learn how to drive cars.
Minimum age of 18 for Cars
Minimum age of 21 - large lorries and buses (plus to drive these you must possess a HGV or PCV license).
- Licence
To drive a car you can use your national driving licence (if you are from an EC country). If you do not already have a driving licence and would like to get one, you must pass both a theory and practical skills test. Once you have done this, you will be issued with a UK driving licence. For more detailed information (in many languages) have a look on the Welsh Assembly Pack for Migrant Workers
- Insurance
It is an offence to use a motor vehicle on a public road without valid motor insurance. If you injure someone or cause damage to someone's property while driving you must, by law, compensate the other person. To ensure you will be able to do this you must by law have motor insurance.
- MOT
Cars over 3 years must undergo an annual Ministry of Transport (MOT) test. This ensures cars over three years old are checked to see they comply with key roadworthiness and environmental requirements. For more information, have a look on the motoring section of the www.direct.gov.uk website .
- Road Tax
A vehicle licence (known as a tax disc) shows you have paid the necessary vehicle excise duty for your vehicle. You must display this disc on the left-hand side of the vehicle's windscreen. You can buy a vehicle licence for 6 or 12 months. Information leaflets are available from the Post Office or on: www.dvla.gov.uk
- Rules of the Road – The Highway Code
The Highway Code sets out the legal requirements for road use. Failure to follow these may result in a fine, penalty points on your licence, imprisonment or disqualification from driving. You can buy the Highway Code from bookshops or read the online version .
- Speedlimits – generally (but signs will indicate)
Built up areas no more than 30 miles per hour (mph) or 48 kilometers per hour (kph)
Single carriageway no more than 60 mph (96 kph) for cars
Dual carriageway/Motorways no more than 70 mph (112 kph) for cars
- Use of Mobile Phones while Driving
It is an offence to use a mobile phone while driving. Offenders will be fined and receive penalty points on their licence.
- Seatbelts
The driver and all passengers must wear seatbelts. You can be fined for failing to wear a seatbelt. The driver must ensure that passengers under the age of 14 wear the appropriate restraint. Rear seatbelts must be used for children.
- Motorcycles
The rider and passenger of a motorcycle, scooter or moped must wear protective helmets. You must also have a valid driving licence to ride a motorbike.
- Drinking and Driving
Alcohol (and many other drugs) can seriously affect your judgement and ability to drive. It is strongly recommended that you do not drive a vehicle after drinking alcohol or taking these drugs. If you are found to be driving while over the alcohol limit you will be arrested.
- Accidents
If you are involved in an accident you must STOP. If anyone is injured or damage is caused to something other than your vehicle you must give your name, address and insurance details to anyone who has a reasonable reason to ask for them. There is no requirement to inform the police in the case of a minor accident but if in any doubt or if the accident is serious please telephone the police (using 999 in an emergency).
The information used in this section has been taken from Welsh Assembly Pack for Migrant Workers
|
Discover Swansea 
