From green-capped mountains to creamy golden beaches and dense forests, this two-hour train journey has been crowned one of the country’s best – and it’s pretty easy to see why
Watch rolling countryside and golden sandy beaches from the comfort of your own seat on this picturesque train journey. Let’s face it, the UK’s railways don’t exactly have the best reputation. Plagued with constant delays, cancellations, and crowded carriages – hopping on a train for leisure seems like an oxymoron.
However, if you look hard enough, you’ll find a slew of beautiful trains that seem worlds away from your bleak morning commute. Take the Machynlleth to Pwllheli route in Wales, for example, which was recently named one of the best train journeys in the country by Conde Nast Traveller.
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The 31-mile track, which lasts for around two hours and 12 minutes, idles through breathtaking mountains, stunning beaches, and dense forests, and can cost less than £20 for a return.
“Just inside the southernmost rim of Snowdonia National Park, this route is blessed by nature from the moment the train departs,” the publication hailed. “Passengers gaze onto scenes of tall grass smattered with waist-high wildflowers and puffy clouds over peaks fringed with forest… Not long after Dovey Junction station, the ride follows the bends of the River Dyfi until it opens wide onto the Cardigan Bay coast, shaped by fingers of creamy sand and dunes melting into the water.”
The train has 25 stops, including the ‘most isolated station in Wales’, Dovey Junction, and the acclaimed seaside town of Barmouth – just make sure you get a window seat to make the most of the journey. Most of the track hugs the country’s stunning coastline, allowing for plenty of beach vistas and sea views. However, there are no first class carriages, so it might be worth bringing your own train picnic.
Machynlleth to Pwllheli – the full route
- Machynlleth
- Dovey Junction
- Penhelig
- Aberdovey
- Tywyn
- Tonfanau
- Llwyngwril
- Fairbourne
- Morfa Mawddach
- Barmouth
- Llanaber
- Talybont
- Dyffryn Ardudwy
- Llanbedr
- Pensarn (Gwynedd)
- Llandanwg
- Harlech
- Tygwyn
- Talsarnau
- Llandecwyn
- Penrhyndeudraeth
- Minffordd
- Porthmadog
- Criccieth
- Penychain
- Abererch
- Pwllheli
Machynlleth is located 217 miles from Central London, meaning you’ll have to drive around four hours and 47 minutes to get there. You can catch an indirect train from London Euston, which includes a stop over at Birmingham but only takes three hours and 52 minutes. Single adult fares start from £37.20.
After arriving in Machynlleth, you can hop straight onto the train to Pwllheli or spend the night in the market town. Here, you’ll find an array of museums, the Michelin-starred restaurant Ynyshir, and – if you time it right – Machynlleth Comedy Festival.
You can grab return fares to Pwllheli and back for as little as £21.09. If you have a railcard, this can cut down the price to an even more impressive £13.99 – which works out at less than £7 each way!
*Prices based on Trainline listings at the time of writing.
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