Travel Information


How to get to Swansea


Planes...

The nearest airport to Swansea is Cardiff (less than one hour by cab), with Bristol around twice as far. They both are reasonably connected with some European destinations. For your information, there are low cost flights between Dublin and Cardiff, operated by Air Wales and Ryanair

To get to Swansea from either airport you will need to book a taxi service - please let us know your flight details and we will make arrangements, though note a return fare for an unaccompanied passenger can be as high as £70. For Cardiff airport, the other option is taking a bus from the terminal to Cardiff Central station and taking a train from Cardiff Central to Swansea (for the detail, refer to the Cardiff airport web page). Now, there is a train link from Cardiff airport to Swansea.

Heathrow is well connected to Swansea - either take the Heathrow Express to London Paddington and then the main line train direct to Swansea, or (slightly cheaper) take the RailAir coach link to Reading railway station (less than one hour travel time), and then the train directly to Swansea (a bit more than two hours). You can buy a ticket for both legs of the journey on the coach and train. There is also a direct National Express coach from Heathrow to Swansea which takes 4 hours and leaves every 2 hours (approximately).

From Gatwick, you can either take a coach to Reading railway station as above, or travel into London to Paddington station from where the trains to Swansea leave (see below). Again, there is also a direct coach from Gatwick to Swansea (around 5 hours).


...Trains...

Swansea is well-connected by train from London by an hourly service. Trains leave from Paddington station, and the journey time is listed as 3 hours. Swansea railway station is very close to the centre of the city, and is a 5 - 10 minute taxi drive from the UWS campus. Click here for train timetable details.

...and Automobiles

The M4 motorway connects Swansea with London, and it will take you around 3 hours from the outskirts of London. Travelling west on the M4 take exit 42a and follow signs for Swansea on the A483. After a distance of around 4 miles, you will be close to the centre of Swansea(Sainsbury's Supermarket, on your left, is a landmark at this point). Keep with the main flow of traffic (which heads towards Gower) and you will find yourself on a road which runs along the sea-front (A4067). 2 miles beyond Sainsbury's, you will pass the entrance to the main university campus.


...and for the adventurous

There are ferry connections between Fishguard at Pembrokeshire of South Wales and Rosslare at the South Eastern tip of Ireland. Lower Fishguard is extremely picturesque and Rosslare offers a warm Irish welcome. For the connection between Fishguard and Swansea, Fishguard ferry terminal (U.K. end) is easily reached by road from the M4 and rail services arrive directly beside the foot passenger terminal. For the connection between Dublin and Rosslare, Rosslare Port is an excellent gateway to the East, South East, West, Southwest and Midlands via the N11/N25 road network (Ireland end), or try a train or a bus. For alternative ferry connections, please refer the web page.


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