Enjoy the beautiful Welsh countryside with Transport for Wales

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Red Transport for Wales bus driving through the Welsh countryside — Transport for Wales

There's nothing quite like putting your headphones in during a long bus or train journey, watching the beautiful countryside roll past accompanied by your favourite tunes.

Nowhere is this more true than in Wales. Almost a quarter of Welsh land holds protected status as either a national park or Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It offers some of the most scenic public transport journeys we can think of.

That's where Transport for Wales comes in. For them, transport isn’t just about getting from A to B, it’s about making the journey part of the adventure.

From everyday commutes to summer holidays, Transport for Wales links every corner of Wales, as well as certain parts of North West England. Whether you're relaxing on Transport for Wales trains or making the most of your Transport for Wales bus pass, you can rest easy knowing everything is taken care of.

Explore destinations at Transport for Wales

Where can Transport for Wales take you?

The clue's in the name; Transport for Wales offers full stretch across Wales, including Cardiff, Swansea, Newport, Wrexham, and Bangor.

They also connect Wales with parts of England:

Manchester – North Wales
Liverpool – via Borderlands Line
Birmingham – South and Mid Wales
Welsh Borders – Chester, Shrewsbury

Explore destinations at Transport for Wales

What are the best countryside spots you can see with Transport for Wales?

Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons)

An aerial view captures the dominant summit at the centre of the Brecon Beacons, framed by sweeping ridges, glacial valleys and patchwork upland grassland, illustrating the scale and rugged character of the Welsh mountain landscape — Brecon Beacons David Goddard/Getty Images

The famous 42 mile-wide national park has been drawing visitors since Roman times— and it's easy to see why. It's full of diverse landscapes, from flat-top mountains to glacial ridgelines, cave systems and waterfalls, as well as striking flora and fauna, including the iconic Red Kite.

It's also a prime spot for stargazers, recognised as an International Dark Sky Reserve.

Bannau Brycheiniog is easily reachable via the T4 bus service, which takes travellers right to the base of Pen y Fan from either Merthyr Tydfil or Abergavenny.

Visit Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons) with Transport for Wales

Eryi (Snowdonia) National Park

Walkers picnicking Lyyn Llydaw landscape, Mount Snowdon, Gwynedd, Snowdonia, north Wales, UK — Snowdonia Geography Photos/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

Famously, Eryi National Park is home to Mount Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa), the highest peak in Wales, which attracts thousands of hikers each year. The area also offers plenty of other hiking paths, as well as unique activities including the world's fastest zip line and the world’s oldest narrow-gauge railway.

Eryi is also home to Wales's newest UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Slate Landscape of North West Wales. This unique site is made up of former slate quarries that have been hollowed into the hillside of the National Park.

The Cambrian and Conwy Valley train lines are straightforward options to travel to and around the national park.

Visit Eryi (Snowdonia) National Park with Transport for Wales

Pembrokeshire Coast

Mountains on the coast with greenery and flowers — Pembrokeshire Coast Mike Kemp/In Pictures via Getty Images)

Almost the entire Pembrokeshire coastline forms part of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park. This stunning area of Wales is the only coastal national park in the UK and is filled with nature reserves, neolithic stone monuments and beautiful beaches.

The Pembrokeshire Coast Path, the oldest section of the Wales Coast Path, makes this a huge draw for walkers. You can also embark on a coasteering tour, which involves rock climbing, swimming and cliff-jumping.

Transport-wise, visitors can head to the towns of Fishguard and Haverfordwest in northwest Pembrokeshire.

Visit Pembrokeshire Coast with Transport for Wales

Conwy Castle

Conwy Castle was built between 1283 and 1287 by King Edward I in the newly united Wales and England. Today, 700 years later, you can climb the spiral staircase and take in the harbour-spanning views.

The castle lies roughly 17 miles north of Eryi, giving this UNESCO Heritage Site views of the Snowdonia peaks. Conwy Castle is just a four minute walk from Conwy Station, making it very easily accessible from all over Wales.

Visit Conwy Castle with Transport for Wales

Portmeirion

Did you know that there's a charming Italian-style village right on the coast of North Wales? With its Mediterranean architecture, colourful building facades and sub-tropical gardens, Portmeirion looks like it could have been lifted straight out of the Italian Riviera.

Visitors can also enjoy self-catering cottages, a spa, shops, restaurants and even an authentic Italian-style gelateria. Portmeirion is just a one mile walk from Minffordd railway station on the Cambrian line (Aberystwyth/Pwhelli - Shrewsbury).

Visit Portmeirion with Transport for Wales