Llanberis

Llanberis is in North Wales, 7 miles away from Caernarfon.

Get in

By bus

Llanberis is easily reachable by bus. Sherpa busses (prefixed S) from Betws-y-Coed is the most reliable possibility, but Sherpa bus from Porthmadog or local buses from Caernarfon are other alternatives.

By train

Bangor is the closest station to Llanberis. Hiring a cab from there costs around £20. Caernarfon is closer, but the only train to Caernarfon is the narrow-gauge heritage railway Welsh Highland Railway from Porthmadog. If you're in Porthmadog it is easier to catch a direct bus to Llanberis.

By car

Llanberis is on the A4086 Caernarfon to Betwys-y-Coed road. The B4547 branches off just west of town for Bangor, Conwy and the A55.

There are large car parks all along the A4086 road inside Llanberis, with the price rising steadily as you get closer to the Snowdon Mountain Railway. The closest car park costs £6 per day (and no discount for shorter stay), 100 m up the road it is £4 per day and further west beyond the Electric Mountain Visitor Center it is £2 per day.

Get around

On foot easily. You may also want to take a ride on Llanberis Lake Railway (£6.00)

See

• 1 Dolbadarn castle ruins. One of the finest of the Welsh castles  
• 2 National Slate Museum (Welsh Slate Museum).  
• 3 Dinorwig Power Station, Llanberis, Gwynedd, LL55 4TY, ☏ +44 1286 870166, info@fhc.co.uk. Tours of this power station are, despite the somewhat outdated multimedia presentation at the beginning, a must-see. A huge cavern was carved out of the mountain and six turbines installed which sit in tunnels between two lakes, one high up, the other at close to sea level. When Britain switches on the kettle during the advert break in Coronation Street, water is released from the upper lake and the most expensive electricity in Britain is generated to cope with demand. Later at night, when demand is low and electricity is cheaper, water is pumped back up to the top lake from the lower one. Wheelchairs are exceptionally well catered-for, and the cafe is not a bad place to stop in whilst waiting for the tour to begin.  

Do

The Welsh Slate Museum

• Hike up Snowdon. 
• 1 Snowdon Mountain Railway (Rheilffordd yr Wyddfa), LL55 4TT, ☏ +44 1286 870223, info@snowdonrailway.co.uk. Take to the summit and walk back down.  
• 2 Electric Mountain (Dinorwig Power Station), LL55 4UR, ☏ +44 1286 870636, info@electricmountain.co.uk. A tourist attraction built around Dinorwig Hydroelectric Powerstation. Built inside a mountain, Dinorwig's turbines are housed in the largest cavern in Europe. Good fun trip.  
• 3 Llanberis Lake Railway, Gilfach Ddu, LL55 4TY, ☏ +44 1286 870549, sales@lake-railway.co.uk.  
• Padarn Country Park. and Padarn Walk, walking through the slate history. 
• 4 Snowdonia Watersports (Surf-lines), Unit 2 Y Glyn (on A4086, turn onto Ystad Ddiwydiannol Y Glyn, drive west towards car park; Snowdonia Watersports is on the left-handside), ☏ +44 1286 879001, shop@snowdoniawatersports.com. 9AM-5PM. Supplying a range of water sports equipment and activities from their base in Snowdonia, North Wales. Activities and equipment rental are available with changing facilities. (updated Mar 2022)

Buy

• 1 Llanberis Art and Craft, Station Road, ☏ +44 1286 870597. A selection of arts, crafts, souvenirs and Welsh confectionery and preserves. Full parking and disabled access. 

Eat

• The Coffee Pot (at Llanberis Art and Craft). A wide choice of food from breakfasts to a variety of lunches and snacks. Ideally located for Snowdon Mountain Railway and the Electric Mountain. Full parking and disabled access. 
• 1 Pete's Eats (renowned climbers café), 40 High Street, Llanberis, LL55 4EU, ☏ +44 1286 870117. 8AM-8PM (95pm in high summer). A destination for walkers and climbers since 1978. Serves a wide range of food from traditional breakfasts to modern European dishes, all prepared fresh on the premises. The café also has a resource centre for climbers and walkers. filled baguette or baked potato from £3.30, main meals from £6.30, full breakfast £4.80.  
• Lone Tree Café (Snowdonia Watersports Café), Unit 2 Y Glyn, LL55 4EL (on A4086, turn onto Ystad Ddiwydiannol Y Glyn, drive west towards car park, on the left-handside), ☏ +44 1286 879001. Cafe with home-cooked food. Nice views from the rooftop terrace/balcony over the lake and mountains. (updated Mar 2022)

Sleep

There are several B&Bs and hotels in Llanberis.

• 1 Lake View Hotel & Restaurant, Tan y Pant, Llanberis, LL55 4EL (just outside Llanberis on the A4086 road to Caernarfon), ☏ +44 1286 870422. Check-in: 2PM, check-out: 10AM. Rustic hotel & restaurant overlooking Lake Padarn outside Llanberis from £35. 
• 2 The Royal Victoria Hotel, Llanberis, LL55 4TY (Just 100 metres from the Snowdon Mountain Railway terminus in Llanberis on the A4086 road to Caernarfon), ☏ +44 1286 870253. Check-in: 2PM, check-out: 11AM. 3 Star Hotel next to the Mountain Railway terminus and set in 30 acres of grounds which include Dolbadarn Castle from £39 including breakfast. 
• 3 Pen-y-Gwryd Hotel, Nant Gwynant LL55 4NT (A4086 at junction with A498), ☏ +44 1286 870211. 1953-mountaineering themed hotel, Hillary and Tenzing trained here for their Everest ascent. Open Mar-mid Nov, booking only by phone. B&B double £100. (updated Jun 2020)

Go next

• Caernarfon - Bus number 88 goes directly to Caernarfon city center. Can be caught from Llanberis Maes Padarn
• Capel Curig