Suggestions for a day trip (by train) from Cardiff

[Willie Bee]

As per the title .. has anybody got any suggestions for a good day trip (or even half a day) from Cardiff, probably by train.

My wife and I are visiting the area for the first time in a few weeks and fancy seeing a wee bit more than just Cardiff.

Last year during a short stay in Liverpool, we visited Llandudno after some advice on this forum. We had a great time and it was only about a hour each way and well worth the journey.

 

[Halwynd]

Caerphilly Castle? Twenty minutes by train from Cardiff.

 

[D6130]

Hengoed....another 20 minutes or so beyond Caerphilly on the same line. You can walk across the impressive viaduct that used to carry the Pontypool Road-Neath line across the Rhymney valley.

Swansea....for a stroll along the beach if the weather is fine.

Kidwelly....historic market town with an impressive ruined medieval castle.

Abergavenny....as above.

 

[Cymroglan]

Caerphilly Castle? Twenty minutes by train from Cardiff.

I was planning a visit to Caerphilly last month, but having looked at the Cadw website, it’s currently a bit of a building site. We decided not to brave a visit this year, so be aware….

 

[D6130]

I was planning a visit to Caerphilly last month, but having looked at the Cadw website, it’s currently a bit of a building site. We decided not to brave a visit this year, so be aware….

Oh no! They're not converting the castle into student apartments are they?


Seriously though, another option - if you fancy a narrow gauge steam train ride through the impressive scenery of the Brecon Beacons National Park - you could take a train to Merthyr, then a bus or taxi to Pant for a spin on the Brecon Mountain Railway to Torpantau.

 

[GTM]

Oooh where to begin... if you've got hiking boots [so to speak] I could give you a long list(!) but assuming you don't I might suggest a jaunt along VoG line -- some motivating points of interest(!)
[.] Dinas Powys - rather posh village, but with impressive hill fort overlooking a picturesque valley (Michaelston-le-Pit)
[.] Barry Island if it's not too busy a day for other day trippers(!) for the classic sea-side attractions, then back to Barry town to head along the coast
[paying attention to the views at the viaduct at Porthkerry just out of Barry town, the cement works at Aberthaw just beyond Rhoose and the possibility of some leisure trafic at RAF St Athan as you approach Llantwit]
[.] Llantwit Major (handsome town, nice pubs, pretty mediaeval church with very early mediaeval stones in the Galilee chapel at the West End of the church), a nice easy wonder down to the coast (gravely tracks) to survey the Bristol Channel.
[.] I'd recommend returning to Cardiff via Bridgend (or going the other way around) as the run from Llantwit to Bridgend is very scenic with good views over to the South Wales Escarpment and a fun run through a gorge towards Ewenny village, quarries and Bridgend.

 

[Halwynd]

I was planning a visit to Caerphilly last month, but having looked at the Cadw website, it’s currently a bit of a building site. We decided not to brave a visit this year, so be aware….

Oh drat. I'd probably wait too.

 

[Willie Bee]

OP here .. thank you for the suggestions

 

[Cymroglan]

I was planning a visit to Caerphilly last month, but having looked at the Cadw website, it’s currently a bit of a building site. We decided not to brave a visit this year, so be aware….

An update via bbc news. Caerphilly castle is now open again: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cly8r1rpxyno

 

[Harpo]

If you’re walkers and have a car, walk the horseshoe ridge over Corn Du (873m), Pen y Fan (886m), Cribyn (795m) and Fan y Big (719m) starting from the Taf Fechan Forest car park a few miles north of Merthyr.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

If you’re walkers and have a car, walk the horseshoe ridge over Corn Du (873m), Pen y Fan (886m), Cribyn (795m) and Fan y Big (719m) starting from the Taf Fechan Forest car park a few miles north of Merthyr.

Might suit some, but not sure how realistic a suggestion that is for senior railcard holders wanting a day out from Cardiff by train.

 

[Harpo]

Might suit some, but not sure how realistic a suggestion that is for senior railcard holders wanting a day out from Cardiff by train.

As an old fart myself, that’s why I’ve included the summits. I realise that not all my peers enjoy this sort of masochism!

 

[Willie Bee]

Might suit some, but not sure how realistic a suggestion that is for senior railcard holders wanting a day out from Cardiff by train.

I think I would probably be OK with that suggestion, but my wife who is slightly younger wouldn't be.

To be fair, she was hospitalised with COVID in 2020 and sometimes, even now, can get tired early.

However ! If I told her there was a TK Max at the summit with a sale on, she would certainly make it

 

[Harpo]

However ! If I told her there was a TK Max at the summit with a sale on, she would certainly make it

“I bought my wife TK Maxx vouchers. I hid them in the laundry to make it authentic. “

Off topic, but for completeness.

 

[trainophile]

Tenby is beautiful. Unfortunately there's usually an hour + connection in both directions at Carmarthen, but that in itself is no bad thing as you can walk into the town in 10 minutes to stretch your legs. I'm off there on Wednesday for a night (from Hereford), really looking forward to it.

Suppose I ought to be suggesting Hereford, but as I live here the novelty has rather worn off. The cathedral is worth a visit though.

(Edit: got my trips mixed up - it's tomorrow I'm off to Tenby!)

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Tenby is beautiful. Unfortunately there's usually an hour + connection in both directions at Carmarthen...

Can see a number of direct trains from Cardiff Central to/from Tenby, with a frequency of one train per two hours, on days except Sundays. Journey time is an hour and three-quarters, each way. Anytime Day Returns are £24.95 each with railcard discount.

 

[trainophile]

Can see a number of direct trains from Cardiff Central to/from Tenby, with a frequency of one train per two hours, on days except Sundays. Journey time is an hour and three-quarters, each way. Anytime Day Returns are £24.95 each with railcard discount.

Oh, well the tickets I bought some time ago include longish connections at Carmarthen in both directions. I probably did it for cheapness .

 

[Willie Bee]

Tenby is beautiful. Unfortunately there's usually an hour + connection in both directions at Carmarthen, but that in itself is no bad thing as you can walk into the town in 10 minutes to stretch your legs. I'm off there on Wednesday for a night (from Hereford), really looking forward to it.

Suppose I ought to be suggesting Hereford, but as I live here the novelty has rather worn off. The cathedral is worth a visit though.

(Edit: got my trips mixed up - it's tomorrow I'm off to Tenby!)

Initially, I thought about Tendy, but I watched a YT video and the chap said it was nearly 3 hours each way, including waiting time.

Considering we are travelling down from Newcastle, we'll already have two quite long travel days, so we'll just head somewhere nearby cardiff.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Is Chepstow worth a visit from Cardiff Central? Just over half an hour's travel time from the Welsh capital; with one, or sometimes two, direct trains every hour, and Off Peak Day Returns available at £10.30 per person (after applying railcard discount) or £11.50 Anytime Day Return, depending on when exactly you're travelling.

 

[D6130]

Is Chepstow worth a visit from Cardiff Central? Just over half an hour's travel time from the Welsh capital; with one, or sometimes two, direct trains every hour, and Off Peak Day Returns available at £10.30 per person (after applying railcard discount) or £11.50 Anytime Day Return, depending on when exactly you're travelling.

Yes....a pretty medieval town on the River Wye with an impressive visitable ruined castle and an interesting museum. There's also the racecourse if that's your thing and you're there at the right time.

 

[DelW]

If it doesn't have to be entirely by train, Brecon using the TrawsCymru T4 bus? You can do the bus all the way from Cardiff, or go by train to Merthyr and catch the bus from there.

You get a scenic trip over the hills, and Brecon is an attractive little town.

 

[chrisp37]

We had a lovely few days in Cardiff last summer and did the following trips by train (most of which have been mentioned above):

- Penarth (very close by, lovely little seaside town but probably not a full day trip)
- Barry Island (we had glorious weather there last summer)
- Caerphilly (still worth taking a look at the castle from the outside scaffolding notwithstanding)
- Brecon Mountain Railway (train to Merthyr Tydfil and then either bus or (long) walk to Pant)

 

[Merthyr Imp]

We had a lovely few days in Cardiff last summer and did the following trips by train (most of which have been mentioned above):


- Brecon Mountain Railway (train to Merthyr Tydfil and then either bus or (long) walk to Pant)

Very long - and uphill!. No. 35 bus every half an hour to the cemetery, then it's about 5-10 minutes walk from there.

 

[chrisp37]

We got that bus on the way there, but failed to realise it was doing a loop and we'd missed our stop, and it was already heading back to Merthyr bus station. A friendly local helped us out. We ended up walking back from Pant because the weather was so nice. But I do recall it being downhill most of the way, so probably not advisable in the other direction!