A Sherpa bus at Pen y Pass
Contents
Timetables
CURRENT STATUS: The high season timetable is now running. Click here to see those timetables.
Quick links:
- Download the high season Park & Ride timetable (S5 + S1 + S2)
- Download the high season full Sherpa summer timetable (S1 – S5)
- Jump to the Park & Ride page
(If you download timetables, they can be viewed later, even if there is no signal where you are.)
What the Sherpas are
The Snowdon Sherpa is a bus service which travels around the foot of Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa), linking the main six paths and their car parks, as well as other villages and attractions in the area.
In summary, there is a service between Llanberis (for the Llanberis Path) and Pen y Pass (for the Pyg Track and Miners’ Track) (S1); this service also calls at the Park & Ride car park at Nant Peris. The service on the other side of the mountain is not as frequent, serving the Rhyd Ddu Path and Snowdon Ranger Path (S3), and also the Watkin Path (S4).
(During high season the Park & Ride is additionally served daily by the S2, and at weekends and school holidays by the S5.)
The 2025 Sherpa service around Snowdon
The Sherpa service makes it feasible to go up one path and down another – see here for some suggestions for combining paths. (Note that out of season this is not always possible with the reduced service.)
Hint: if you want to link Llanberis with, say, the quieter Snowdon Ranger or Rhyd Ddu paths on the other side of the mountain, rather than using the Sherpa service round the south of the mountain and having to change at both Penygwryd and Beddgelert (i.e. S1, then S4, then S3), you might want to consider taking the S1 to Caernarfon, then the S3 out of Caernarfon,
Hint: If you are planning to use the bus as part of your walk where the service is infrequent, we would recommend that you try and do so at the start of your walk, rather than at the end, so that you won’t need to clock-watch through the day.
Dogs are allowed on all buses (provided they are kept on the floor) and all the Sherpa buses have a wheelchair space, plus a ramp to ensure that embarking and disembarking can be easily done.
Waiting for the bus at Pen y Pass
Buying a ticket
Tickets can be bought on the bus, either for a single journey or a day pass (with freedom to use any Sherpa service throughout the day).
It is not possible to pre-book any bus journeys.
Fares
These are 2025 fares. All buses accept both cash and contactless card payments.
From the Park & Ride to either Pen y Pass or Llanberis (or vice-versa):
-
- Adult single: £2 (return: £3)
- Child single: £1.30 (return: £2)
From Llanberis to Pen y Pass or vice-versa:
-
- Adult single: £3 (return: £4.50)
- Child single: £2 (return: £3)
From Betws y coed to Pen y Pass
-
- Adult single: £4.00 (return: 1bws ticket)
- Child single £2.70 (return: 1 bws ticket)
From Caernarfon to Pen y Pass
-
- Adult single: £3.60 (return: £5.40)
- Child single: £2.40 (return: £3.60)
If you are making a longer return journey, it will be cheaper to buy a Snowdon Sherpa day ticket (called a ‘1bws‘ ticket) allowing you unlimited travel on the Sherpas (or indeed anywhere in North Wales). More details here.
-
- Adults: £7, children: £4.70
- 2 adults with up to 3 children: £15
- English & Scottish concessionary passes: £4.70 (1/3 off)
Welsh concessionary travel passes can be used on Sherpas, as on ordinary buses. (English concessionary passes are not valid for free travel.)
Coming in from further afield
The Sherpa service also links Snowdon with centres further afield, namely Caernarfon, Porthmadog, Bangor and Betws-y-coed, for those who wish to travel in from further afield by bus rather than by car.
The wider Sherpa service connects Snowdon with other towns and villages
You can see a more detailed map of the whole Sherpa network here.
- If coming in from Caernarfon, the S1 service will get you to Llanberis (for the Llanberis Path) or Pen y Pass (for the Pyg Track or Miners’ Track). Additionally, the S3 service will get you to the foot of the Snowdon Ranger Path or Rhyd Ddu Path.
- If coming in from Betws y coed, the S1 service will get you to Pen y Pass (for the Pyg Track or Miners’ Track) or Llanberis (for the Llanberis Path).
- If coming in from Bangor, the S2 service will get you to Llanberis (for the Llanberis Path) or (in high season) to Pen y Pass (for the Pyg Track or Miners’ Track).
- If coming in from Porthmadog, the S4 service will get you to Pont Bethania (for the Watkin Path) or Pen y Pass (for the Pyg Track or Miners’ Track).
- If coming in from Beddgelert, the S4 service will get you to Pont Bethania (for the Watkin Path) or Pen y Pass (for the Pyg Track or Miners’ Track). Additionally, the S3 service will get you to the foot of the Rhyd Ddu Path or the Snowdon Ranger Path.
Journey planner
You can get additional help to plan your journey by using this Travel Planner.
Further help
The Sherpa service is provided by Gwynedd Council. You can find out more about the service on their Sherpa page here.
If you have any further queries about the Sherpa service, you can contact them at info@sherparwyddfa.wales.
The buses themselves are run by Gwynfor buses, and they can be contacted by phone on 01248 722694, or by email at customerservice@gwynforcoaches.co.uk