IGNORE Table "70" as it is now well out of date
(it shows the position immediately after the demise of GHA well over two and a half years ago)
Most critical - there are no longer any Friday journeys..........
..........also the detailed times of several Tuesday and
Saturday journeys have altered - a change of vehicle
is now necessary when continuing to Llandudno
The updated TIMES can be confirmed from the official TravelineCymru or Llew Jones websites
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UNBELIEVABLE !!!!!
Not only did these errors apply to their three 2017 editions and again to their two 2018 editions
- but the same 'out-of-date' timetable has yet again been included in their February 2019
version |
website
UPDATE
There have been numerous changes to many services in the area
Most important are the revised "12" and "13" times - some of which provide a
connection into and out of the Sherpa network via Llandudno or Llandudno
Junction (station)
If you have already saved a copy of ANY of their tables, make sure you have downloaded
the correct version - if in doubt DELETE it and start again
..........and confirm from the Arriva bus website
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
DON'T GET CAUGHT OUT !
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alternatively try
No printed copies
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PLEASE NOTE
Their "Journey Planner" requires minimum of five minutes for a connection at any
location - this also applies when there is a 'through journey' - often the case at Beddgelert
where the Sherpa route number changes
- eg ["S4"-"S97"]
or ["S97"-"S4"]
A similar situation applies on the altertnative later evening
["5C"-"5"] journeys from
Caernarfon to Llandudno via Bangor
Unfotunately in these cases they automatically advise you to travel an earlier journey and
to hang around - sometimes for hours - for the next one !!! (althouigh "some" - but not all - options have
since been manually updated)
This website is the only one which gives an appropriate note on the individual
timetable pages to show when to remain on the Sherpa to get to your destination
quicker
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"the" official public transport website
IMPORTANT
The following has appeared on the TravelineCymru website.......
" Unfortunately will not be able to update our Journey Planner and Timetables
with service changes in effect during the 2 week circuit breaker lockdown (23/10/2020 until 9/11/2020)
Please check our Coronavirus page to see how services will be operating during this time "
REMEMBER - even before lock down (unlike those for South Wales) most timetables for
the greater Snowdonia area (and in consequence their "Journey Planner") were not UP-TO-DATE,
so don't rely on them for the period immediately after either !!!!!!
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or the official
Unlike several other
operators in the area,
they do not produce
any printed copies
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WINTER
Gwynfor have removed all timetables from their
website - instead it now gives a "link" to the
Gwynedd CC website for their latest 'official' information
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phone:
01248 722 694
STOP PRESS
Gwynfor have just confirmed the 1730 "S2" Sherpa from Betws-y-Coed
to Llanberis WIlL now continue to be extended to Caernarfon - as it was all summer
This means there is an 1810 local journey from Llanberis
- 'one hour' later than the last "88" at 1710 !!!!!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
So far, this latest change has NOT been updated on the
Gwynedd CC website |
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website
This company is now operating the whole
of the Sherpa network
summer weekend "S1"
all-year-round "S2"
all-year-round "S4"
summer weekend "S6"
and the all-year-round "S97"
They also operate also the......
weekday and Sunday "85" connecting journeys from Bangor
weekday "88" connecting journeys from Caernarfon
and the Sunday "2S-2G" journeys from Barmouth BUT THIS
MANAGES TO JUST MISS THE ALTERNATIVE "88" journey into Snowdonia from Caernarfon (BY JUST THREE
MINUTES, even though THEY have now withdrawn their former "S97" connection at
Porthmadog !!!
Ironically it DID connect before they took over from Express Motors and then
retimed it later
IMPORTANT
As a result of the Welsh lock down, they have started their
winter timetables early (ie - from Saturday 24th October)..........
The daily "S2" reverts to the standard
winter "one bus" two hourly service without the late journeys
The weekdays only "S4" from Caernarfon to Pen-y-Pass
terminates at Beddgelert and to compensate just three "S97"
journeys from Porthmadog to Beddgelert are extended to Pen-y-Pass --- minor changes to many times and again
without the late journeys
The "S1" and "S6" journeys are WITHDRAWN with immediate effect
A sensible move - in fact the full winter service is quite generous for
"Essential Journeys ONLY"
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PLEASE NOTE
Some 'day-to-day' information can be found
here
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or the official
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The former Arriva Wales booklets for the North Wales and Cambrian Coasts have simply been reprinted
with a new cover
To find a "Transport for Wales" journey you must look for a train still showing AW (for Arriva Wales !)
- surprisingly this is still the case with the revised timetables !!!
Alternatively use their own 'journey planner' to confirm times providing you already know
when and where you want to go !!!
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train website
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STOP PRESS..........
'Transport for Wales' have just confirmed to me..........
"the Conwy Valley line has been closed due to the Firebreak lockdown,
and no replacement buses are currently in place for any journeys. Working with the Welsh Government, the
suggestion is to catch the regular service bus as an alternative; which I believe (sic) is the
X19 bus..."
NOTE SPECIALLY - this means there are NO LONGER ANY SUNDAY JOURNEYS along the East side of the Valley
and the last bus journey from Blaenau Ffestiniog to Llandudno also terminates short at Llanrwst - perfectly
acceptable when was also the "Rail Replacement" service !!!!!
So BEWARE the last northbound journey from Betws-y-Coed by ANY 'public transport' provider is
now advanced to 1635 weekdays (change at Llanrwst) and 1525 Sundays - some SIX hours EARLIER THAN ADVERTISED
DON'T GET CAUGHT OUT !!!!!
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All local train services throughout Wales are currently operated
by the KeolisAmey of behalf of "Transport for Wales"
- this includes the connecting
Conwy Valley line and
the Cambrian Coast line
In addition, a limited number of InterCity services between
North Wales and London continue to be operated by Avanti
 |
UPDATE
Initially There were are no major changes to the times previously
advertised to commence in December 2019
However to give the 'appearance' of "speeding up" the trains along the North Wales Coast,
several journeys have had important intermediate stops removed - much to the annoyance of the locals
who previously used them
.......... an "own goal" is probably the politest way to describe what they have
done !!!!!
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or the official
printed copies of their Conwy Valley services
are sometimes available on the buses
(during the summer)
phone:
01492 640 320
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post-CORONAVIRUS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Their website has been updated to shown their REVISED
weekday and Sunday timetables for their "X19" service along the east side of the Conwy Valley together
with their "19" journeys along the west side
- from Monday 9th November 2020
BEWARE - this included SEVERING the 'long standing'
Llandudno
connection into the first "S2" Sherpa of the day
(except on local School Days)..........
..........and as if to run salt into the wound,
their first "19" WAS extended daily to make the connection during the "lock down" period
- JUST WHEN PEOPLE WERE "SUPPOSED" TO BE STAYING AT HOME
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website
This company operates the weekday and Sunday "19" and "X19" connecting
journeys along the Conwy Valley from and back to Llandudno
They also operates the very
limited NORTHBOUND ONLY "6B" service along the Ogwen Valley
between Capel Curig and Ogwen Cottage (for Tryfan)..........
.........together with the Sunday "lihk" between Blaenau Ffestiniog and Porthmadog - the 'alternatrive'
to the now SUSPENDED Sherpa Sunday S4" and S97" journeys
IMPORTANT
Unlike most other local bus operators in the North Wales area, with just 24 hours to go,
they reduced both their "19" and "X19" services along the Conwy Valley during the lock down
- make sure you check the latest information on their website if you need to make an "ESSENTIAL JOURNEY"
Ironically in most cases, BETTER connections with the
"S2" Sherpa at Betws-y-Coed can NOW be made using the Conwy Valley
Railway train journeys
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Some 'day-to-day' information can also be found
here
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new link - with extra information
Click on map to enlarge
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website
A new weekdays only Demand Response - "flexi service" operated
by Alpine Travel
has been introduced (from 9th November) in the 'greater' Llanrwst-Betws-y-Coed are ( se map on
the left for details)
On Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays it will also extend as far as Corwen on request
Remember you MUST prebook through "flecsi" stating when and where you want to travel -
if you plan to connect into or out of a Sherpa (or any other bus/train)
journey, make sure you clearly say so when you
"book"
This is particularly important if you want to use it to "link"
between a Conwy Valley "19" journey and a Sherpa" where Llew Jones no longer provides a
timetabled journey between Llanrwst and Betws-y-Coed
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or the official
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printed copies sometimes
available on the bus immediately
after any change
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website
This company previously operated the Sunday "S97" Sherpas
but now only operate some connecting journeys in Snowdonia
You can check the
"real time" position of any Arriva connecting bus
here
- remember to "zoom in" to the North Wales area first !
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or the official
No printed copies
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website
This company operates connecting journeys only
They still INSIST on their only
mid-morning "35" journey to Dolgellau from Blaenau Ffestiniog departing at 1130
- EXACTLY the same time as the ONLY mid-morning Conwy
Valley Line train arrives !!!
On behalf of visitors to this website, your webmaster did ask them to consider
re-timing the bus slightly later, but a somewhat "unhelpful" reply from their
Bethan Jones completely avoided answering the point
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PLEASE NOTE
Some day-to-day information can now also be found
here
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or the official
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phone:
01248 600 098
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Their website is currently "under construction"
IGNORE their "timetables" link which currently
goes to an OUT OF DATE external website
which also erroneously "suggests" they operate weekday "88" journeys
UPDATE
They have made major short term changes to the
times of some connecting journeys
as a result of the post-Coronavirus restrictions
IN PARTICULAR BEWARE - their last Sunday "88" journeys have been ADVANCED to
1430 from Llanberis *
and 1600 from Caernarfon
* - there are later "S2" Sunday westbound (only) journeys
operated by
Gwynfor from
Llanberis at 1810 and 1920..........
..........but NOTE SPECIALLY there are NO OTHER later Sunday journeys
back to Llanberis
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PLEASE NOTE
Some day-to-day information can now also be found
here
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or the official
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No printed copies
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website
although this company no longer operates Sunday connecting
timetabled services from Blaenau Ffestiniog and Caernarfon
- it still operates the weekday local service in Blaenau Ffestiniog
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their former website is no longer
active
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although this company no longer operates connecting
timetabled services from Caernarfon
- it still operates private hire coaches and school buses in the area
PLEASE NOTE
Some day-to-day information can now also be found
here
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yet another official
website giving
incorrect information ! |
the links on this website are all out of date
in addition the "S6"
Sherpa no longer serves Bangor or Betws-y-Coed
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.....but do check ANY of the above official websites
have been fully updated,
as some are considerably old and (at least partially) out-of-date !!!!
Known errors in official publications are included above
(these 'warning' are there to try to help avoid you being "caught out")
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on 29th November 2020
e-mail webmaster
(c)2009-2020
