Ffestiniog Railway
Region North Wales Mid Wales South Wales National Network Route Sections Gazetteer of Stations About Wales	Harbour Station, PORTHMADOG, Gwynedd. LL49 9NF Tel: +44 01766 516000; Fax: +44 01766 516006 Email: enquiries@festrail.co.uk Location Caernarfon: 53 08N 4 17W United Kingdom National Grid Ref SH 481624 Dinas: 53 06N 4 17W  UK National Grid Ref SH 476586 Waunfawr: 53 06N 4 13W UK National Grid Ref SH 526 590 Scroll down the page to read the entire article, or select subject headings to move directly to topics. History.......The railway today........Welsh Highland Railway Days and times ....... How to get there Search WalesRails .......... Message Board	Preserved: Standard gauge Narrow gauge WalesRails: The Grand Tour Official Websites What's New Back to Welcome page

The Ffestiniog Railway is one of the Great Little Trains of Wales, a group of eight narrow gauge railways which offers bargain travel through its Wanderer Ticket scheme. The Ffestiniog operates over a 13½ mile of track, linking with the national network at Minffordd, and at Blaenau Ffestiniog.
At Caernarfon, it also operates the Welsh Highland Railway (Caernarfon), a first stage of a scheme which, when completed, will result in a 26-mile narrow gauge through the heart of Snowdonia. On April 8 2009, the line was extended from Rhyd Ddu to Beddgelert, and this year a further extension to Pont Croesor.

In 2005,  the railway celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of the first trains to operate on the line.
Of 1ft 11½in gauge, the Ffestiniog Railway was opened as a horse-drawn tramway in 1836 to transport slate from the Blaenau Ffestiniog quarries to the harbour at Porthmadog, the horses hauling the empty wagons to the top of the line, then riding down on the 'Dandy' wagon at the rear of the train.
The increase in cargoes (100,000 tons by the 1890s) led to the introduction of steam locomotives from the middle of the 19th century.
The decline of demand for slate brought freight traffic to an end, and although the line survived for a decade or so by carrying passengers, complete closure came in 1946.
The track was lifted piecemeal until, in 1954, a group of enthusiasts, buoyed by the initiative shown by pioneers of the railway preservation movement on the Talyllyn Railway, stepped in to rebuild the line. In m October, Livingston Thompson, a Double Fairlie 0-4-0 + 0-4-0 Tank locomotive, one of the original trains to operate over the line was released from the National Railway Museum to take part in the celebrations.

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With twisting turns and steep gradients - and even a complete spiral - the Ffestiniog is one of the most spectacular narrow-gauge lines in the UK. Using the Ffestiniog Railway and its links to the national network, it is possible to complete a figure-of-eight circumnavigation of Wales by rail, duplicating only a short piece of track between Shrewsbury and Craven Arms on the Marches Line.
The Ffestiniog itself has a number of stations en route, and it is possible to get off at many of the stations and walk to the next to catch the returning train.
The coastal station is at Porthmadog Harbour, after which the line crosses The Cob, an embankment across the mouth of the River Glaslyn. At Boston Halt is the FR's main workshops after which the track passes through a tunnel on its way to Minffordd, the interchange with trains on the national network. Soon after leaving the next station, Penrhyn, the line enters the Snowdonia National Park, and the gradients get steeper as the train proceeds. Plas Halt is within walking distance of the Maentwrog Field Study Centre. Tan-y-Bwlch has several trails leading down to Llyn Mair and other lakes in the vicinity. Dduallt Halt is set in the loop of the spiral, after which the line travels through Moelwyn Tunnel onto the western shore of Llyn Ystradau. Soon after, Tanygrisiau with its visitor centre is reached, before the final climb to the terminus at Blaenau Ffestiniog, 710 vertical feet above our starting point.
From Blaenau Ffestiniog there are bus connections to the Llechwedd Slate Quarries to which the railway owes its existence.

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Days and times 2010 (D = Diesel hauled)
Match colours in calendar with colour of band spanning train times

In addition to the stations listed in the timetable, there are request stops at Boston Lodge, Plas Halt, Dduallt and Tanygrisiau

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Fares 2010
A wide range of short- and long-distance fares are available.
Sample fares (Third Class) are;
All Day Rover (unlimited travel on day of issue), Adult £18.50; Concessions £16.65
Half-way trip (To/from Tan-y-Bwlch from Porthmadog or Blaenau Ffestiniog only) Adult £11.40, Concessions £10.30
Travel First Class in Observation Car or traditional vintage carriage compartments for additional charge of £5.00 (single), £10.00 (return) per person
Early Bird and Sunset Saver Fares Valid on the 0840am and 6.30pm departures from Porthmadog. £14.95 (Adult); £13.50 (Concessions)
Concessionary Fares are available to Senior Citizens and registered disabled visitors
Children under 3 travel free, One child 3-15 years travels free with each paying adult, while additional children travel half-fare.
There is a special rate for parties of 20 or more (details from the railway), while dogs and bicycles are carried at a flat fare of £2.50
Disabled Passengers Porthmadog and Blaenau Ffestiniog stations have ramped access and specially adapted toilet facilities. Carriages on some trains have extra wide doors for standard width wheelchairs. Advance notice is required, and special discounts apply for parties.

The first phase of the Ffestiniog Railway's ambitious plans to reopen the line from Caernarfon to Porthmadog through the Snowdonia National Park, was the two mile stretch from Caernarfon to Dinas, which opened at the end of the 1997 season, 1998 marked the first full season at the northern end of the line, and 2003 saw the extension to  Rhyd Ddu opened, bringing the journey to 12 miles from Caernarfon.
On April 8 2009, the next phase of the extension opened between Rhyd Ddu and Beddgelert.
This season yet another milestone will be reached: the extension to Pont Croesor.
Ultimately, the line will run for some 26 miles, and include travel through some of the wildest and most romantic scenery which Wales has to offer.

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Caernarfon to Waunfawr or vice versa, return fares are: £10.20 (Adult), £9.20 (Concessions)
Caernarfon to Rhyd Ddu or vice versa, return fares are: £18.50 (Adult), £16.65 (Concessions)
Caernarfon to Beddgelert or vice versa, return fares are: £22.80 (Adult), £20.55 (Concessions)
Caernarfon to Pont Croesor or vice versa, return fares are: £28.00 (Adult), £25.20 (Concessions)
Pullman Luxury On some trains, Bodysgallenn, a Pullman saloon or the Pullman Observation Carriage is available for First Class travel.
A variable supplement is payable.
For instance, per seat Caernarfon to Beddgelert is £6 one-way, while Caernarfon to Pont Croesor is £7.
Concession fares are available to Senior Citizens and Registered Disabled visitors.

Children under 3 travel free, One child 3-15 years travels free with each paying adult, while additional children travel half-fare.
There is a special rate for parties of 20 or more (details from the railway), while dogs and bicycles are carried at a flat fare of £2.50.
Disabled Passengers Carriages on some trains have extra wide doors for standard width wheelchairs. Advance notice is required, and special discounts apply for parties.
Seat reservations are available for a supplement of 50p per seat.

• May 7th to 9th WHR Beer Festival at Dinas. Real Ales with live music and a craft market
• October 28th and 29th Halloween Special. Fancy dress and Finger (!) bites at Snowdonia Parc Brewpub, Waunfawr
• December 11th, 12th, 18th, 19th, 22nd and 23rd Santa Specials (early booking essential.

Blaenau Ffestiniog is on the A470, the main trunk road between North and South Wales, and is served by buses from Llandudno and Dolgellau.
Porthmadog, Caernarfon and Dinas are located on the A487, the latter served by buses between Caernarfon and Pwllheli.
Waunfawr and Rhyd Ddu are on the  A4086, served by buses between Caernarfon and Beddgelert.

By train, there are links with Arriva Trains Wales' Cambrian Coast services at Porthmadog and Minffordd, while Blaenau Ffestiniog is served by Arriva Trains Wales' Conway Valley Line from Llandudno Junction.
Buses link Caernarfon with the mainline station at Bangor.

For details of connecting services, including travel planner and timetables, visit the Traveline Cymru website.