Welcome
to
John's
Snowdon Sherpa
website
IMPORTANT
For the first time in two decades, there is a
major change to the 'structure' of the Sherpa network which is also expanded to incorporate some
local services - thus providing better "cross-Snowdonia" journeys - meaning
there is now less need than ever to take cars into the National Park
The most significant changes are routes......
"S1" - Betws-y-Coed
- Pen-y-Pass - Llanberis - Caernarfon
(in lieu of the local "88" and the former "S2")
"S2" - Bangor - Llanberis
- Pen-y-Pass
(in lieu of the local "85" also the former 'Park and Ride' from Llanberis)
"S3" - Beddgelert
- Caernarfon - Deiniolen
(in lieu of the local "83" and 'part' of the former "S4")
"S4" - Porthmadog
- Beddgelert - Pen-y-Pass
(in lieu of the local "S97" and 'part' of the former "S4")
"S5" - Nant Peris Car Park - Pen-y-Pass
"Park and Ride" (in lieu of the former "S1" from Llanberis)
also the
"T10" TrawsCymru
Bangor - Llyn Ogwen - Capel Curig - Betws-y-Coed
- Corwen experimental service to provide daily
connections into and out of the new hourly "S1" Sherpa at
Capel Curig
Despite operators normally being required to give 56 days notice of any
change, the "local Councils" along with "Transport for Wales" have specified the new
services and as such there was "LESS THAN THREE WEEKS NOTICE" given to the General Public
making planning ahead extremely difficult for potential visitors to the area
Following on from the ever-changing situation as a result
of Covid, this is no surprise as neither Gwynfor CC nor Conwy CC (or indeed
any of the bus operators) have recently given early notice of changes to the Sherpas
OR other local connections - in fact in Snowdonia these have usually been literally just
a few days before the alterations came into effect
In view of the late public advice of the detailed
changes to all of the services, ANY PAGE on THIS website dated before "THURSDAY 24th MARCH"
should be regarded as "STILL TO BE FULLY UPDATED"
Please bookmark this page NOW and return later to see
any further changes once the information has been made public..........
..........use the date at the bottom of every page as a quick way to
check if it has been amended since your last visit to this page - then ALWAYS CROSS-CHECK
WITH THE OFFICIAL COUNCIL AND
OPERATOR WEBSITES before setting out.....
|
|
GETTING STARTED
The NEW COMPLETELY REVISED Summer Sherpa Timetables are
now in operation and are advertised to continue until Sunday 25th September
Please note specially the Routes (including their "traditional" Route Numbers) have
changed as well as the timetables themselves
DON'T KNOW YOUR WAY
ROUND SNOWDONIA ?
|
Anyone on the Coast planning to spend a day in Snowdonia should find the
latest
NEW Summer Timetable - from Llandudno/North Wales
Coast
NEW Summer Timetable - from Bangor via
Llanberis
NEW Summer Timetable - from Barmouth/Harlech/Bl.Ffestiniog
via Porthmadog
or the NEW Summer Timetable - from Pwllheli/Criccieth
via Porthmadog
a useful starting point to see "what is now available"
alternatively select ANY other timetable page from the index
below...........
..........THEN FOLLOW THE LINK TO THE "NEXT PERIOD" if it is not dated to comence 9th or 10th April 2022
SOME PAGES ON THIS WEBSITE ARE STILL IN THE PROCESS OF BEING UPDATED AS THE
"OFFICIAL" INFORMATION WAS ONLY MADE PUBLIC AT THE LAST MINUTE !
Please also see the introduction note
above then bookmark this page NOW and return
later to check
if there is any further more up-to-date information available
There is a date at the bottom of every page
on this website to quickly show when it was last updated --- In view of the
many other late alterations to the Sherpa network AND other connecting services..........
..........you are strongly advised to check direct with the opeator/s
concerned BEFORE setting out for Snowdonia
|
|
|
REMEMBER..........
Due to so many last-minute changes to the various services in the area, unfortunately
many official websites (including the TravelineCymru "Journey Planner")
continue to show journeys which have either been "CHANGED" or sometimes even "WITHDRAWN"
Where known, these are also identified throughout THIS website as a warning - to help
avoid you being caught out !!!
Please bookmark and revisit nearer the time to check
if there have been any further known changes since your last visit to
this page
Journeys shown on this website with a "strike through" line
ARE still operating, BUT it is NO LONGER possible to get a (bus)
connection back to the "start" location of THAT particular page - eg
Throughout Snowdonia there are unfortunately numerous cases of
"sub-standard" connections which are NOT recognised by the TravelineCymru
"Journey Planner" (as they are less than 5 minutes) - these are highlighted with a
"lime" background - eg
Although this website strongly advises you NOT to 'chance' them..........
..........they are included to draw your attention to the fact that if everything is
'spot on time' and you are "very quick" - it can sometimes get you to your destination
considerably earlier
|
This "unofficial" website attempts to show what is available..... and to
encourage greater use of the network
also includes some suggested "trips round
Snowdonia - without your car"
|
|
BEST "DAY" FARE..........
 |
A "new" £5.70* North Wales day
'bus ticket' called "1 BWS"
(one bus) has been introduced covering all bus journeys throughout
Snowdonia..........
as well as any connecting journeys from both the North Wales and Cambrian Coast areas including as far afield
as Chester, Machynlleth and Whitchurch
 |
This area covered is not only considerably
greater than the "Red Rover" it basically replaces..........
BUT IT IS ALSO OVER £1 CHEAPER !!!
* - a family ticket is also available for just £12 |
|
| BE "GREEN" --- NOW THERE IS NO NEED TO
TAKE YOUR CAR INTO SNOWDONIA |
|
|
 |
This is the ONLY website about the "Snowdon Sherpa" bus network which is
regularly updated with all the news, mid-timetable corrections and service
changes for
both the Snowdon Sherpa services and all the local bus and train connecting journeys !!!
|
|
Unlike any of the official
websites, it also shows later alternative
non-Sherpa journeys (where available) which offer options
if you are unfortunate enough to miss the last Sherpa of the day |
A FULL ROUND-UP OF THE OFFICIAL
WEBSITES CAN BE FOUND ON MY CONTACTS PAGE
BEWARE some are still not yet fully updated
Numerous errors have been spotted on these and where known they are highlighted on this webste to help you
avoid 'falling' for the WRONG / OUT OF DATE INFORMATION
Always better to be "fore-warned" than to be "caught out" !!!
(especially in Snowdonia where it is a very long walk if you miss a 'non-existent' bus) |
This website is produced purely as a hobby to help promote greater use of the
limited public transport to and across Snowdonia which IS more than adequate for most journeys even in the
mid-winter, but you may need some careful pre-planning to ensure you can get back
home
It also gives some ideas in the form of suggested itineries for "days out" to Snowdionia
both from locations on the Sherpa Network itself AND from further afield using the various connecting servivces
It concentrates of giving the real "facts" rather than attempting to look "fancy" !!!
Comprehensive accurate official publicity for ALL services in Snowdonia
is difficult - if not impossible - to find
and unfortunately bus operators and councils often only show "their" journeys
It also attempts to warn visitors of potential "pitfalls" advised to me by others
and highlights numerous known errors in official publications
( "always far better to be 'pre-warned' than 'caught out' !!!! " )
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sherpa journeys are normally shown in GREEN
with other bus journeys and connections in blue or black
Mid--timetable earlier re-timing are normally shown in BOLD BLUE (eg 0920) and
"warnings" about connections, regular overcrowding, etc. shown as "# - xxxxxxxxx" |
Where available - later services via alternative non-Sherpa routes are shown
to prevent anyone being stranded - see individual tables for details
These are normally shown against a "gold" background
Sherpa tickets are not valid on these journeys but Red Rover Day Tickets are |
Most Sherpa weekday journeys run every day but some operate either restricted
days,
dates and/or LOCAL school holiday periods
(which are not always the same for Caernarfon, Conwy, Llanberis, Llanrwst or Porthmadog schools
- and very often differ from those "across the border")
These are identified by an appropriate note and usually times are shown against a
white background as an additional warning |
Times at some intermediate locations vary by a few minutes in different official
publications
Throughout this website, the earliest know time is used to ensure passenegers can
arrive in sufficient time to catch their Sherpa
Remember many roads in Snowdonia are very narrow and as a result of this
some Sherpa journeys can be delayed considerably by heavy traffic - so don't panic !
|
Throughout this website, clicking on underlined text will lead to another page or picture ---
IF this is another timetable it will be the current page and it may be necessary to follow the links on that page to a later period
To help you find your way round this website there is a timetable index at the bottom of every page
with the page you are currently viewing shown in blue
Always check the page issue date in case there have been any updates since you last looked !!!
As with all websites, errors can occasionally creep in, but your webmaster always
appreciates advice
about anything, including any out of date page, links, etc. so it can be immediately corrected for the
benefit of the many other visitors to this website
|
|
| this is an unofficial website and the latest times should always be confirmed
from the individual timetables
on one of the County Council or another
official website along with any subsequent amendments thereto |
|
Gwynfor "S4" Sherpa
Pen-y-Pass - Beddgelert - Caernarfon
Betws-y-Coed - Pen-y-Pass - Llanberis
Gwynfor "S2" double-deck Sherpa
at Capel Curig en-route to Pen-y-Pass
 |
Snowdon Sherpa
Bus Timetables
unofficial website
Sherpa Network
"S1" daily all-year
"S2" daily all-year
"S3" daily all-year
"S4" daily all-year
"S5" daily during the summer
|
Gwynfor "S97" Sherpa
Porthmadog - Beddgelert
Conwy Valley connections
LLew Jones "T19" from Llandudno
 |
|
R E M E M B E R ....................... !!!
Car Parking in Snowdonia is very limited and can be expensive if a space can be found
(the popular one at Pen-y-Pass is often full before 0900 on fine summer days)
The alternative is to leave your car behind and use the
Snowdon Sherpa Bus network
This "unofficial" website attempts to show what is available by all operators
It contains composite timetables of connecting services on a cross-Snowdonia route
basis
where a change of bus is usually necessary --- hopefully it will help you plan your days out
It also includes some suggested "trips round Snowdonia - without your car"
|
The majority of Snowdon Sherpa bus services are operated by
modern low-floor minibuses
but are sometimes replaced by a larger bus during busy periods
There is no specific requirement for groups to pre-book, but ANY parties
are advised in their own interests to ring the operator the day before
to ensure a sufficiently large bus
or duplicate is provided
Squeezing even a dozen extra passengers into a small minibus can sometimes be quite a challenge !!!! |
|
|
on 8th August 2022
