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This is the ONLY website about the "Snowdon Sherpa" bus services showing connections and
regularly updated with all the news
mid-timetable corrections and service changes for
both the Snowdon Sherpa network and the connecting journeys !!! |
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This website is produced purely as a hobby to help promote the greater use of public transport in
Snowdonia
as comprehensive accurate official publicity for which is often difficult to find
This year there have been even more late changes to both
the Sherpa Network and associated connecting services
and more are still in the pipeline
It also attempts to warn visitors of potential "pitfalls" advised to me by others
and highlights any 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 black |
Where available - later services via alternative non-Sherpa routes are shown
to prevent anyone being stranded - see individual tables for details
These are now 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 everyday but some operate either restricted
days,
dates and/or LOCAL school holiday periods
(which are not always the same for Conwy, Llanberis, Llanrwst or Porthmadog schools
- and often differ from those "across the border")
These are identified by an appropriate note and usually times are shown against a
white background as a warning |
Throughout this website, clicking on underlined text will
lead to another page or picture
To help you find your way round this website there is an index at the bottom of every page
with the page you are currently viewing shown in blue
As with all websites, errors can occasionally creep in, but your webmaster always
appreciates advice
about anything so it can be immediately corrected for the benefit of the many other visitors to it
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IMPORTANT !!!
Sunday/Monday 7th/8th April 2013 AND UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE
Gwynedd CC have now re-allocated the operators
for parts of some Sherpa and other local services in the Porthmadog area
Once again
EVEN THOUGH THE CHANGES HAVE ALREADY COME INTO OPERATION
unfortunately Express Motors website STILL shows the 'old' later times
So do not be fooled into believing all the service shown there-in still run !!!!!
The "new" Arriva Sherpa stands at Porthmadog for up to an hour and a half at a time
between taking over "some" of the journeys previously opeated by Express Motors
Arriva HAVE taken over the Sunday "S97" journeys between Porthmadog and Pen-y-Pass from yesterday (Sunday) but with
minor modifictions to the first outward and last return journeys
despite nothing initially appearing on the official Gwynedd CC website !!!!!
The Porthmadog area Sunday services now require TWO drivers and TWO buses to cover all the services operated by just one driver
up to the end of March !
"Aadditional" member of the Express Motors fleet - some ironically painted 'red' - are now
operating the former "497" schooldays journeys as part of the "S97" Sherpa network
Changes to the weekday schooldays bus contracts came into effect on 8th April, but despite many local
schoolchildren having been advised there WOULD be changes to their travel arrangements, as it subsequently turned out
- despite many rumours to the contary - the timings have now reverted to the same as those previously operated by Berwen !
This 1520 school journey from Porthmadog also forms part of the earlier last weekday connecting service of the day
back to Betws-y-Coed
Do NOT be fooled by the departure sheets at both Porthmadog and Beddgelert which erroneously 'suggest' both Berwyn and Express
are running !!!!!
there is now only one mid-afternoon Sherpa departure on weekdays.........
ex-Porthmadog at 1520 and ex-Beddgelert at 1615
BEWARE
Some versions of the offical websites (Gwynedd CC and TravelineCymru)
NOW show the 0900 weekdays "S97" from Porthmadog to depart Beddgelert
later which means it NO LONGER CONNECTS AT PEN-Y-PASS
for Tryfan and Betws-y-Coed
Providing this Sherpa is running to time, the connection can still be made at Penygwryd
HOWEVER on the official Express Motors website
and THEY operate the weekday "S97" Sherpa
it is STILL shown to depart at the earlier time !!!!!
So, throughout this website the earlier departure times will be shown to ensure
no one is advised to arrive after the bus has left any intermediate point
Ironically. the 0900 Sundays "S97" Sherpa from Porthmadog remains unaltered ! |
Sadly, all the above gives the impression someone is deliberately trying to completely destroy the former intergrated
Sherpa Network
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In addition to operating the "S97" 'subsidised' Sherpa journeys -
Express Motors used to operate some Sunday 'commercial' journeys
to Morfa Bychan in marginal time and these may well end up being
WITHDRAWN as a direct result of Gwynedd CC's action
after the statutory 56 days notice period
In view of the importance - much of the information initially came to light
on 1st April - news the above "short-sighted" decisions
by Gwynedd CC was deliberately held back on this website for publication on
Tuesday 2nd April !
watch out for further information as soon as anything else is made public
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BEWARE....
"Poster boards" with a network map appeared during summer 2011 at strategic locations throughout Snowdonia
but unfortunately they STILL contain some incorrect route numbers
Most important - the "S97" does NOT continue beyond Pen-y-Pass to Capel Curig
(see instead the "S2/S3")
also the former (Arriva) Sherpa service north of
Llanrwst was withdrawn at the end of the 2009 season !
(see alternative local bus connections)
The correct current routes are shown on the diagram below
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Make sure you use the Snowdon Sherpas in 2013 !
Please do your bit to help the environment by keeping all unnecesary cars out of Snowdonia
If you MUST take you car - remember many roads in Snowdonia are designated "clearways"
(ensure you park at a designated location or you are likely to end up with a hefty parking fine !!!!!)
Always check the date at the bottom of every page when you re-visit this website
in case there have been any updates since your last visit
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Several different operators cover the Sherpa network
AND connecting services
Generally speaking, to give you maximum flexibility, the best ticket
for travelling to, round and returning from Snowdonia for a whole
day is the
£6.80 Red Rover available from the
driver of your first bus
(or a North Wales Day Rover if travelling from further afield)
So make sure you select an appropriate ticket
for ALL of your proposed itineraries !!!
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The Summer 2013 Sherpa timetables commence tomorrow (Saturday)
IMPORTANT
Ii is understood that the "S97" contract - currently operated by Expres Motors - is the subject
of a "further" re-tendering process
with tenders due by the end of week commencing 20th May
This MAY subsequently result in a change of operator and/or some changes to the times
currently advertised on the official Gwynedd website - commencing from a date to tbe advised
Watch this website for any further information |
NO
printed
Timetables
to be
available
yet
again |
Gwynedd CC have again NOT bothered to produce any printed version
of their bus service timetables for the winter
- instead, local Tourist Information Centres now charge 10p for every sheet
they print off for you !!!!!
It is undestood this arrangement will again apply this summer
despite justifiable pressure from the local tourist industry
However you can download the same partially out of date information
direct from the Gwynedd CC official website
Sherpa services "S1" "S2" "S3" and "S97" have been updated on both the
official Sherpa and the Local Services Page !
Sherpa service "S4" is theoretically to continue unaltered
from Winter 2012-2013
BUT one evening journey to Waunfawr for which the subsidy was withdrawn
by the Council last November is now erroneously shown to run again !
BEWARE !
Table "S6" has NOT yet been updated and only shows the service
"until 22nd March 2013" (including the 0855 from Bangor
which ran during summer 2012)
Please note - this journey will NOT run again in 2013~~ but the remainder
of the winter weekdays and Sundays service will continue unaltered
the first journey on Saturdays to Tryfan and Snowdon is not until the
1015 "S3" from Bethesda |
Despite that, registrations (but with no public details) have now been made with
VOSA by some Gwynedd operators to make changes to connecting services from
various dates in May !!!
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The excellent Conwy CC Spring and Summer 2013 printed timetable is now available
and runs
until Saturday 14th September 2013
It gives details of all the summer bus services in the Conwy
County area together with the Snowdon Sherpa network
although additional high-summer "S2" Sherpa weekday journeys
at 0905 ex-Llanberis and 0950 ex-Betws-y-Coed
have been added since the timetable went to press
This timetable booklet also includes some changes to connecting Conwy Valley journeys commencing
Sunday/Monday 19th/20th May 2013
 A copy is also avalable on the Conwy CC
official website
together with a small supplement ====> |
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Padarn have produced a small printed timetable booklet containing just the
Sherpa services and it is valid
<==== until 3rd November 2013 ====>
Unfortunately their website News page still has not been updated from the winter period
Most timetables have been updated and these can be accessed from their "Timetables" page
Keep your copy of the "full" Winter 2012-2013 timetable ====>
<==== until you obtain your copy of the Summer 2013 edition
Initially, vitually all winter journeys continue unaltered - other than the extra "S1" and "S2" Sherpa journeys which
eventually commenced on Good Friday 29th March 2013
(after the snow was cleared from the Llanberis Pass) |
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NO
printed
Timetables
available |
Express Motors never produce a timetable booklet containing all their services
(although an occasional leaflet has been available on their buses
for a particular route when major changes took place)
However most information is available on their website but
unfortunately many tables STILL contain errors/out of date information
(including 'several' journeys which have long since been withdrawn)
whilst some other tables (such as their "T2") are completely missing ! |
Further details will be shown here as soon as the information is made available to your webmaster
As in many cases the last return Sherpa journey is quite early - alternative later services via non-Sherpa routes
have been added to this website to avoid day-trippers being stranded should they miss the last direct service ! |
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Snowdon Sherpa
Bus Timetables
unofficial website
S2 Sherpa S97 Sherpa
climbing en-route to
Llanberis Pass Pen-y-Pass
S4 Sherpa Summer
S1 Sherpa
en-route from Pen-y-Pass
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B E W A R E ....................... !!!
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"
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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 half-a-dozen extra passengers into a small minibus can sometimes be quite a challenge !!!! |
Some of the additional "S1" and "S2" summer services were operated in 2012
by open-top double-deck buses and are expected to do so again in summer 2013
- although no specific journeys were advertised
Throughout this website, clicking on underlined text will
lead to another page or picture
To help you find your way round this website there is an index
at the bottom of every page
with the page you are currently viewing shown in blue |
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Llew Jones
on 24th May 2013
e-mail webmaster
(c)2009-2013