Several different operators cover the Sherpa network
AND connecting services - especially on Sunday
Generally speaking, to give you maximum flexibility, the best ticket
for travelling to, round and returning from
Snowdonia for a whole day is the £6.80 Red Rover
available from the driver of your first bus
(or a North Wales Day Rover if travelling from further afield)
So make sure you select and ask for the appropriate ticket
for ALL of your proposed itineraries as many companies also offer their own day rover, which are only valid
on their services !!!
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Summer 2018 Sherpa Timetables
finish on Sunday 4th November
Gwynedd CC, Conwy CC, Gwynfor and TravelineCymru have now all added the summer Sherpa Timetables to their website
The following is a summary of the changes..........
1) the additional Saturday "S1" 'Park and Ride' Sherpa journeys
will be reinstated
2) the level of "S2" Sherpa service will be
"doubled" to 10 journeya a day
3) the weekend "S6" Sherpa services will be reinstated,
but diverted to Peny-y-Pass
It was "expected" some of the very tight last weekday connections (particularly those along the Nant Gwynant
Pass) would be eased to make them more reliable, but
INSTEAD Gwynfor have completely severed them - possibly under
instruction from Gwynedd CC - resulting in NO ONWARD CONNECTIONS to..........
Snowdon Ranger YHA
and Caernarfon at Beddgelert
or Capel Curig YHA
and Betws-y-Coed at Penygwryd
off the last "S4" Sherpa journeys which serve the Watkin path in the Nant Gwynant Pass
So much for integrated timetable planning !
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If you come across ANY changes not included on this website or spot any errors, please contact me
here so they can quicky be updated for the benefit of the many other
visitors to this website - Thank you
|
DON'T KNOW YOUR WAY
ROUND SNOWDONIA ? |
Anyone on the Coast wishing to spend a day in Snowdonia should find the
Summary Timetable from Llandudno/North Wales Coast
Summary Timetable from Bangor via Llanberis
Summary Timetable from Barmouth/Harlech/Bl.Ffestiniog via Porthmadog
or the Summary Timetable from Pwllheli/Criccieth via Porthmadog
to all parts of Snowdonia served by the Sherpas a useful starting point
( The "next period" pages now include notes as to which individual journeys
are EXPECTED to be withdrawn for the winter - based on last year)
DO MAKE SURE YOU KEEP RE-VISITING TO CHECK FOR ANY FURTHER LATE CHANGES
--- especially CONNECTING journeys by other operators |
NO
printed
Timetables
available
yet
again !
|
Gwynedd CC is the only North Wales
Council not to produce a printed
version of their bus service timetables
- instead, some local offices now charge 10p for every sheet
they print off the internet for you !!!!!
(This is despite ALL official Gwynedd CC Tourist Information Centres have closed !!!
although some Snowdonia Information Centres, such at Beddgelert, still remain)
This arrangement is to again apply throughout 2018
despite justifiable pressure from the local tourist industry
However you can download the same information
direct from the Gwynedd CC official website
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2018-2019
Timetable
|
The Conwy CC 2018-19 timetables booklet
(commencing 29th May) can also be viewed "on line"
Printed copies are also now available
They give details of all the bus services in the Conwy County area including all the Sherpa Network
as well as details of the Conwy Valley Railway Line services
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
The 2018 Sherpa Timetable leaflet is also available
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
* - Still NO "6B" timetable (along the Ogwen
Valley) shown in either their printed booklet or included on their website
- it started operating back in early-2015)
despite now being included in the index to places served and on the maps !!!
|
|
|
(2nd 2018 edition cover)
|
The Denbighshire CC 2018 printed timetables and updated
on-line timetables are now available
UPDATE
There has been five versions of their on-line timetable since the start of 2017
- including two this year - some of which still stem from the earlier demise of GHA
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
Despite all the re-issues,
it still showes the same OUT OF DATE connecting "70" journeys from Corwen
--- see this website or confirm the correct times from the Llew Jones website
- but note the service ONLY runs on Tuesdays (Llanrwst Market Day) and Saturdays
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
DON'T GET CAUGHT OUT !
|
|
no
printed
Timetables
|
GWYNFOR COACHES
This company has now taken over the whole of the Sherpa network
on both weekdays and Sundays
a) The level of summer "S2 journeys
has again been increased from five to ten each way and the last westbound journey is extended to Caernrafon
b) There are minor changes to the their weekday "S4"
and "S97"
timetables
c) The Sunday "S4" and
"S97" services have been completely revised
BEWARE........
Their "S4" and "S97" timetable pages fail to show some journeys on
arrival at Beddgelert immediately continue
to Porthmadog or
Caernarfon respectivcely
So IGNORE the TravelineCymru "Journey Planner" advice to wait around in the cold for the
following journey !!!!!
YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED !!! |
Unfortunately, instead of improving the very tight, unreliable last connections
which Express Motors offered 2017, they have completely severed them, resulting in NO ONWARD
CONNECTIONS to..........
Snowdon Ranger YHA
and Caernarfon
at Beddgelert
or Capel
Curig YHA and Betws-y-Coed
at Penygwryd
..........off the last "S4" Sherpa journeys which serve the Watkin path in the Nant Gwynant Pass
So much for integrated timetable planning !
Hopefully with the benefit of experience, at the next timetable change
they will revert to similar times to those operated by "Williams" in 2011 when all these last
journeys did RELIABLY connect and provided useful later (well loaded) journeys for walkers
returning from the "less-busy" western and southern paths from Snowdon
|
AND ANOTHER" !!!
Their "new" 1100 Sunday "S97" Sherpa from Porthmadog - which now continues to Pen-y-Pass as
an S4" after diverting to serve Rhyd Ddu - leaves just FIVE minutes before the ONLY morning
northbound "T2" service from Dolgellau (ironically after a wide connection off
"their" "2" service
from Barmouth at Maentwrog)
If the "T2" arrives sligtly early it is sometimes just possibled to connect if you
are quick - getting you to Snowdonia over 2 1/2 hours earlier !!!
So much for integrated timetable planning !
|
|
Most
Timetables
on thier
website
have been updated
but there are still several errors
|
LLEW JONES
At the request of Conwy CC, Llew Jones have RETIMED their 'subsidised' 1840
weekday "19" journey from Betws-y-Coed to Llandudno in order to connect off the last "S2" Sherpa
from Llanberis due 1832
|
DO NOT RELY ON LEW JONES WAITING
Your webmaster personally observed this "19" turning out of Station Road, Betws-y-Coed
just as the "S2" was slowing for the stop outside the church on the main road
- which is hardly 'value for money' for Conwy CC ratepayers
IF THIS HAPPENS TO YOU, complain to Llew Jones and also advise Conwy CC of the date !
Hopefully if enough of you do that, the company will actually do something to make sure
their drivers do wait
It is then actually quicker to return on the same "S2" Sherpa and
change to the Arriva "5C-5" at Caernarfon
- as the next "19" journey to Llandudno is not until 2150 !!!!!
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| DON'T GET CAUGHT OUT !!!!! |
|
|
|
no printed timetables
|
UPDATE
Most revised summer services are now live
but serveral "registrations" for September are yot yet shown
|
|
|
Winter 2018-19 Sherpa Timetables
commence on Monday 5th November
So far, no official announcement has been made about what services will operate.....
but based on last winter it is expected alternate "S2" journeys between
Llanberis and Betws-y-Coed along with the last "S4" round trip through the
Nant Gwynant Pass will be withdrawn for the winter
Please bookmark this page and keep retutning to see of there are any further changes
- this website will be updated as and when any official changes are announced
|
DON'T KNOW YOUR WAY
ROUND SNOWDONIA ? |
Anyone on the Coast wishing to spend a day in Snowdonia should find the
Summary Timetable from Llandudno/North Wales Coast
Summary Timetable from Bangor via Llanberis
Summary Timetable from Barmouth/Harlech/Bl.Ffestiniog via Porthmadog
or the Summary Timetable from Pwllheli/Criccieth via Porthmadog
to all parts of Snowdonia served by the Sherpas a useful starting point
( The "next period" pages now include notes as to which individual journeys
are EXPECTED to be withdrawn for the winter - based on last year)
DO MAKE SURE YOU KEEP RE-VISITING TO CHECK FOR ANY FURTHER LATE CHANGES
--- especially CONNECTING journeys by other operators |
Headline News...................
Click here for further information
including archieved items
|
Monday 13th August 2018 |
 |
|
Tenders have closed for a new "TrawsCymru" service "T10" to augment the current very few Sherpa
journeys between Bethesda and Capel Curig
- the Ogwen pass - (for the Sherpa network) also Corwen and Betws-y-Coed (the start of the "S2" service)
So far no details of any timetables have been made public and the "commencing date" of 13th August
shown on the Conwy CC tender document has now passed
No new journeys are operating yet - it is not clear if there will ba a later start date or if the
proposed service has been abandoned (possibly on the grounds of no suitable tender at an acceptable subsidy)
|
|
Tuesday 29th May 2018 |
Llew Jones will commence a new 1840 weekdays
and Sundays "19" journey from Betws-y-Coed to
Llandudno
This is planned to immediately connect off the last "S2" Sherpa from Llanberis due 1832 instead of the current
'over three hours' wait
|
|
 |
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Spring Public Holiday Monday 28th May 2018 |
 |
|
The "Snowdon Sherpa Network" (and all other connecting local bus routes)
operate a normal SUNDAY timetable as it is a public holiday
However the connecting train services (shown against a light
blue background) on the Conwy Valley and
Cambrian Coast railway lines will operate to their
weekday timetable |
|
Monday 16th April 2018 |
|
Lloyds have re-introduced a direct "39" Barmouth to Porthmadog connecting service along the coast
road which also serves Harlech
|
|
 |
|
Monday 9th April 2018 |
 |
|
Arriva made changes to their "1B" "3" "85" and "88" services
These include some improved connections at Llanberis from/to both Caernarfon and Bangor during
the late-afternoon and early-evening
|
|
Easter Monday 2nd April 2018 |
The "Snowdon Sherpa Network" (and all other connecting local bus routes)
operate a normal SUNDAY timetable as it is a public holiday
However the connecting train services (shown against a light
blue background) on the Conwy Valley and
Cambrian Coast railway lines will operate to their
weekday timetable |
|
|
|
Good Friday 30th March 2018 |
|
|
The "Snowdon Sherpa Network" (and all other connecting local bus routes)
operate a normal SUNDAY timetable as it is a public holiday
However the connecting train services (shown against a light
blue background) on the Conwy Valley and
Cambrian Coast railway lines will operate to their
weekday timetable |
|
Sunday 25th March 2018 |
Gwynfor Coaches take over the former Arriva Sunday "S97"
Sherpa service will in future will be split into "S97" and "S4" at Beddgelert to match weekdays
The "missing" Sunday mid-morning journeys through the Nant Gwynant Pass are re-instated
after several years
Although not shown as such on the officil websites, most journeys work through
(sometimes diverting via Rhyd Ddu - see
this website for full details
|
|
 |
|
Sunday 18th March 2018 |
Arriva operated their final Sunday "S97" Sherpa
service (including one journey starting from Pwllheli) - thus ending their direct involvement with the
Sherpa Network, although they continue to operate connecting journeys to both Llanberis and
Porthmadog
|
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Tuesday 2nd January 2018 |
 |
|
As a result of Express Motors ceasing trading, there were
numerous changes to both the Sherpa timetables (now operated by Gwynfor Coaches) also many connecting
journeys - in some cases they level of connecting service being halved
A summary showing the latest information advised to me can be found
here
|
|
Spring Public Holiday Monday 29th May 2017 |
The "Snowdon Sherpa Network" (and all other connecting local bus routes)
operate a normal SUNDAY timetable as it is a public holiday
However the connecting train services (shown against a light
blue background) on the Conwy Valley and
Cambrian Coast railway lines will operate to their
weekday timetable |
|
|
|
Sunday 7th May 2017 until further
notice |
The only Sunday morning "X19" journey from Llandudno is retimed to start 1005
In future it will also provided a much later direct connection from Colwyn Bay (depart 1005)
at the Black Cat roundabout
|
|
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| Wednesday 31st March
2010 |
Snow in Snowdonia on 31st March 2010 |
|
The first week of the 2010 Summer Timetable !
It snowed so hard causing the roads to be closed and the Sherpa services to be suspended for
the day
A very unusual occurance (even in the middle of winter !)
BUT BEWARE !
Walking on the hills when covered with snow can be very dangerous
|
| Click here for all the news items |
This "unofficial" website
attempts to give full details of what services are available today
and for the next few months
It also includes some suggested "trips round Snowdonia - without your
car"
If you spot any error on this website (or have any additional information), please
e-mail the webmaster so the information can be corrected / updated for the benefit of other visitors
to this website |
This page last  on 11th October 2018
e-mail webmaster
(c)2009-2018
|
