In November 2022, I spent two weeks in Wales—or Cymru, in the native Welsh language. There are quite a few misperceptions and myths about this small but mighty nation, and what it’s like to travel and spend time there.

One of the biggest ones I hear is that you really need a car to experience Wales.

There’s a dash of truth here. The rail system in Wales is at times sparse, and generally oriented on a west-east axis to connect Wales with English travel hubs.

But, if you’re willing to be a little creative, it’s entirely possible to experience much of what Wales has to offer without a car.

On my trip, I split my time between north and south Wales. I stayed in Caernarfon and Bangor first. There isn’t a train connecting the two towns and I almost let that deter me from visiting Caernarfon. I’m so glad I didn’t; Caernarfon is majestic and charming, and catching the bus couldn’t have been easier.

I have always found taking the bus somewhere unfamiliar a little intimidating. I have this fear of trying the driver’s patience as I struggle to come up with the correct amount of change.

There’s no need to fear. Across Wales, you can now simply tap your credit or debit card and pay for fare directly on the bus. It’s convenient, affordable, and you’ll get the hang of it in no time.

For the other half of my trip, I was based out of Cardiff, the capital city of Wales. I caught a direct train from Bangor to Cardiff, which is about a four-hour trip, and at times, quite scenic—especially along the north coast as you head east.

Cardiff is a bit of a regional travel hub, making it ideal for daytrips. Options are somewhat limited, but there’s still plenty to do.

I made two day trips out of the city. The first to Caerphilly, home of the largest castle in Wales, and the second largest in Britain. The town is directly north of Cardiff and incredibly easy to visit by train. Service runs regularly (every 20 minutes or so) and a roundtrip voyage cost less than £10.

My second trip was slightly more complicated. I wanted to go to Caerleon, the “city of the legion.” It’s not only the site of 2,000-year-old Roman ruins, but also significant to the legend of King Arthur as the purported place of Arthur’s coronation and home of the round table. To get there, you first need to get to Newport, the third-largest city in Wales. I took the train, but bus connections are also available. Once in Newport, regular bus service connects you to Caerleon. Again, you can pay directly by tapping your card at the reader in the front of the bus when you board.

It’s true that there were some places I hoped to visit that I ultimately decided against.

I had hoped to visit St. Fagan’s National Museum of History, and I regret not making more of an effort. It was about an hour by bus from my Airbnb, with a short leg on foot. This was mostly down to my lack of initiative rather than lack of transit options.

I had also hoped to go to Ebbw Vale to visit the Aneurin Bevan Memorial Stones. If you don’t know Bevan’s name, you probably know his legacy as father of Britain’s National Health Service. There was, I think, some construction on the rail line while I was there that meant instead of taking a direct train, I would have to catch two different buses taking upwards of two hours. During the summer when the days are longer, I might have gone. But with sunset at 4 p.m., I decided against it. With the train back up and running, it’s only an hourlong trip.

It’s true. The national infrastructure in Wales isn’t what it should be, and there are signs that the Welsh government is working to make progress so that it’s easier to travel via rail within the country. While we can look forward to improvements in years to come, there is nothing stopping you from visiting this wild and wonderful country by train, bus, ferry, and foot.

Get exploring.