Trains to Swansea
Heading to Swansea for a sunny day at the beach or a weekend away? Trains to Swansea take less than an hour from Cardiff and less than two hours from Bristol, so you’ll be enjoying the five-mile sweep of Swansea Bay – an attraction that draws sun-seekers to the coast in their hundreds during the summer – in no time.
We’re here to be your one-stop-shop for cheap train tickets, times and info about how to get to Swansea by train. If you want to get straight to booking, start a search for times and tickets above, or keep reading to find out more about trains to Swansea.
How to buy cheap train tickets to Swansea
There are a few ways you can save money on train travel this summer. Some of our top tips for booking cheap train tickets to Swansea include:
Travel Off-Peak
Tickets are usually cheaper to Swansea if you travel during Off-Peak hours. This is normally outside of rush hours during Monday to Friday, and anytime during the weekend. We’ll highlight whether a journey is during Off-Peak train times as your search for tickets.
Book in advance
Train tickets to Swansea normally go on sale around 12 weeks in advance, usually at their cheapest price. If Advance train tickets aren’t on sale yet, why not sign up to our Ticket Alert tool, and we’ll email you as soon as you can buy tickets for your chosen date.
Save up to 1/3 with a Railcard
Railcards can save you to 1/3 on the price of eligible train tickets to Swansea. Costing just £30 for one year, it doesn’t take long to make your money back either. Find out if you qualify for one and buy a Railcard online with us today.
Save up to 34% with GroupSave
If you’re heading to Swansea with three to nine of your favourite pals, we’ll let you know if you qualify for GroupSave when you search. This discount allows groups that are travelling together to save up to 34% on rail fares.
Split your train tickets
Splitting your journey into several sections and buying tickets for each part can sometimes be cheaper than buying a single ticket on longer journeys. Our ticket-splitting app feature, SplitSave, does the hard part for you.
Why not check out our train deals and discounts guide to discover the latest offers from train companies you can book with us.
Popular train journeys to Swansea
Travelling by train is the fastest, easiest and greenest way to get to Swansea from the other UK destinations. Great Western Railway (GWR) and Transport for Wales services frequently run to Swansea throughout the day. Have a look at our table below for more information about the most popular routes to Swansea, or start your search for a different station in our Journey Planner at the top of the page.
| Route | Fastest Journey | Train operator |
|---|---|---|
| Cardiff to Swansea | 49m | GWR, Transport for Wales |
| London to Swansea | 2h 37m | GWR |
| Neath to Swansea | 11m | GWR, Transport for Wales |
| Llanelli to Swansea | 16m | GWR, Transport for Wales |
| Bristol to Swansea | 1h 49m | GWR |
Getting from the train station to Swansea beach
It takes around 24 minutes to walk from Swansea station to the beach. Once you leave the station, walk south down High Street until you reach Castle Square, then take a right and walk along Oxford Street. Turn left onto William Street and walk across Vetch Field and down Glamorgan Street. Keep walking until you see the beach ahead of you.
Visiting Swansea
Whether you're taking a train to Swansea for a wintry walk along the sweeping five-mile bay, or joining the sun-seekers on the sand in the summer, visitors to Swansea will see what poet Walter Savage Landor meant when he compared the city to the Bay of Naples, or why its most famous son, Dylan Thomas, stayed in love with his 'lovely town' until the day he died. The draw goes deeper than the coastline.
Old Swansea survives in the Georgian and Victorian architecture on night-life-filled Wind Street, and the eclectic mix of buildings on Castle Square, with the ruins of the 14th-century Swansea Castle standing proud although dwarfed by its neighbours, a testament to Swansea's past and future going hand in hand.
To enjoy more of the city's recent regeneration, head to The Maritime Quarter's main attraction, the National Waterfront Museum, a 1901 dockside warehouse brought to the now with its striking glass roof and interactive galleries charting Wales' industrial history.
Last but by no means least, the Dylan Thomas Centre explores the local legend's life and art, and has a poignant reading by the poet on the camera of Under Milk Wood and Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night, the ode to his dying father.
Travelling from Liverpool to Swansea by train? Check out our dedicated travel guide to how to get from Liverpool to Wales by train. You can also visit our guides on trains to Wales or South Wales trains for a better overview on Welsh trains.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main train station in Swansea?
The main train station in Swansea is Swansea railway station. Check out live arrivals and station facilities for Swansea railway station.
Which train companies run trains to Swansea?
The primary operator of trains to Swansea is Transport for Wales.
How do I find cheap tickets to Swansea?
It's easy to bag cheap train tickets to Swansea. We'd recommend using a Railcard, buying your ticket in advance or travelling during Off-Peak hours if you can. Read our cheap train tickets guide to find out more.
Are trains to Swansea running?
There are frequent daily services to Swansea, although there may be fewer services on weekends and bank holidays. Check our live train times for up-to-date information on trains to Swansea.