March 06, 2026 - 171 views
Rail passengers across North Wales are being promised a major boost to services this spring as a new timetable brings what has been described as one of the biggest changes to the network in decades.
Transport for Wales has announced that a completely redesigned timetable will be introduced from May 17, increasing the number of services on the North Wales Coast Line by around 50 per cent.
The changes will affect all routes north and west of Shrewsbury and Crewe, although services between Wrexham and Bidston will remain unchanged.
Passengers travelling through key stations such as Chester and Llandudno Junction are expected to see some of the biggest benefits, with more frequent services and additional capacity on what is one of the busiest stretches of the Wales and Borders rail network.
Under the new structure, many trains will run to a standard hourly pattern, meaning services will depart at the same time each hour. Transport for Wales says this will make journeys easier to plan and create a more reliable network for commuters and visitors.
Among the most notable changes is a revised service linking North Wales with north-west England. Trains that currently run between Manchester Airport and Llandudno will instead continue to Holyhead, improving connections for ferry passengers travelling between North Wales and Ireland.
Elsewhere, the separate hourly services between Wrexham and Chester and between Chester and Crewe will be combined into a single through route, while the Liverpool to Chester service will be extended along the coast to Llandudno, creating new direct journey opportunities.
Services linking the Midlands and North Wales will also change. The existing two-hourly service from Birmingham, including trains from Birmingham International Airport, will terminate at Llandudno Junction rather than continuing to Holyhead.
Transport for Wales says the new timetable will also improve commuting options to employment centres such as Bangor and Holyhead, helping support economic growth across the region. In addition, Valley station will become a compulsory stop on all relevant services to give passengers greater certainty when travelling from the station.
The timetable overhaul also prepares the way for the first phase of the introduction of Pay As You Go rail travel in North Wales. The system will launch on May 18 across 15 stations between Wrexham General and Bidston, allowing passengers to tap in and out using contactless payment in a similar way to major city transport networks.
While the changes are expected to increase overall services and capacity, some direct journeys will no longer run. However, Transport for Wales says passengers will still be able to complete longer journeys by making straightforward connections at major interchange stations such as Chester and Llandudno Junction.
Rail users are being advised to check their journeys carefully before travelling once the new timetable comes into force, as stopping patterns will also change and some trains may call at different stations than they do at present.
