Getting to Bala

Bala sits at the north-eastern end of Llyn Tegid (Bala Lake) in the south-east corner of Eryri (Snowdonia) National Park. There is no mainline railway station in town, so most visitors come by car, but the TrawsCymru T3 bus makes it easy to arrive car-free from Wrexham, Ruabon or Barmouth. Here is how to get here and where to park.

By car

  • From the east (Chester, Wrexham, the Midlands): head for Llangollen and Corwen on the A5, then take the A494 west from Corwen to Bala. Wrexham is about 33 miles away, roughly an hour’s drive.
  • From the north coast and Ruthin: the A494 runs south-west from Ruthin to Bala, or follow the A5 to Corwen and join the A494 there.
  • From the west (Porthmadog, Blaenau Ffestiniog, Trawsfynydd): the A4212 crosses the moors past Llyn Celyn and Arenig Fawr, joining the A470 near Trawsfynydd.
  • From the south-west (Dolgellau, Barmouth): the A494 follows the lake shore from Dolgellau to Bala. Barmouth is about 28 miles away.
  • From the south (Llangynog, Welshpool): the B4391 climbs over the Berwyn hills from Llangynog. It is a spectacular but narrow, steep mountain road, so take care and avoid it in snow and ice.

By train

The nearest railway stations are all some distance away, so plan the last leg by bus, taxi or car:

  • Ruabon and Wrexham General, on the Chester to Shrewsbury line, are both around 30 miles away. The T3 bus calls at Ruabon station and Wrexham bus station.
  • Barmouth, on the Cambrian Coast line, is about 28 miles away and also on the T3 route.
  • Blaenau Ffestiniog, at the end of the Conwy Valley line from Llandudno Junction (and the terminus of the Ffestiniog Railway), is a little over 20 miles away by road via the A4212, but there is no direct bus link to Bala.

Check train times with Transport for Wales. Bala’s own railway, the narrow-gauge Bala Lake Railway, is a heritage line along the lake to Llanuwchllyn rather than a link to the national network.

By bus

The TrawsCymru T3 runs between Wrexham and Barmouth via Llangollen, Corwen, Bala and Dolgellau, operated by Lloyds Coaches. Buses run several times a day, with stops on Bala High Street. Wrexham to Bala takes around two and a half hours, and Bala to Dolgellau a little over half an hour. Check current times on Traveline Cymru before you travel, as timetables change.

By air

The nearest major airports are Manchester and Liverpool, both in north-west England. From either, it is a drive of a couple of hours, or take the train to Wrexham or Ruabon and connect with the T3.

Parking in Bala

Gwynedd Council runs car parks on The Green and Plase Street (Stryd y Plase), with short-stay pay and display on Plase Street close to the High Street. There is also a pay and display car park on the lake foreshore at the northern end of Llyn Tegid, run by Eryri National Park, which is handy for the lake, the watersports centre and the Lake Wardens’ office. Overnight camping is not allowed in the lakeside car parks. Charges and rules change, so check the signs on arrival.

Getting around

Bala is small and easy to walk: the High Street, lake foreshore, Tomen y Bala and Bala (Pen-y-bont) station on the lake railway are all within a short stroll. A car or bike opens up the lake villages, the National White Water Centre at Frongoch and the mountain roads.

Map of Bala

Ready to plan your stay? See where to stay in Bala.