Harlech railway station

Harlech railway station is located at a level crossing on the A496 in the centre of the town of Harlech in Gwynedd, North Wales. The waiting shelters were installed to cater for the high numbers of schoolchildren commuting to and from the adjacent secondary school, Ysgol Ardudwy.^[1][2]

Harlech
Harlech station pictured in August 2024 looking Westbound
General information
Location	Harlech, Gwynedd Wales
Coordinates	52.861605°N 4.109531°W / 52.861605; -4.109531
Grid reference	SH580314
Managed by	Transport for Wales
Platforms	2
Other information
Station code	HRL
Classification	DfT category F1
History
Original company	Aberystwith and Welsh Coast Railway
Pre-grouping	Cambrian Railways
Post-grouping	Great Western Railway
Passengers
2019/20	0.133 million
2020/21	84,612
2021/22	0.104 million
2022/23	0.120 million
2023/24	0.115 million
Location
Notes Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road

The station is on the Cambrian Coast Railway with passenger services to Porthmadog, Pwllheli, Barmouth, Machynlleth, Shrewsbury and Birmingham International. Until the 1960s there was a summer service between London Paddington and Pwllheli, via Birmingham Snow Hill, Shrewsbury and Machynlleth.

History

Harlech station as seen from Harlech Castle

From January to April 2014, the line from Machynlleth was out of service for repairs due to storm damage north of Barmouth and a replacement bus service was in operation - this was due to the major repairs required to the formation (which required a complete rebuild of the sea wall as well as the track bed at Llanaber). Services to the north were also suspended until the beginning of September 2014 whilst a replacement for the Grade II-listed 1867 wooden viaduct at Pont Briwet was being constructed.^[3]

Services

Trains stop approximately once every 2 hours in each direction Mondays - Saturdays.^[4] There are 3 trains each way in the summer season (May to September) on Sundays, but just one in each direction in the winter months. Most southbound trains continue beyond Shrewsbury to Birmingham New Street and Birmingham International.

Preceding station		National Rail		Following station
Tygwyn		Transport for Wales Cambrian Coast Line		Llandanwg
	Historical railways
Tygwyn Line and station open		Cambrian Railways Aberystwith and Welsh Coast Railway		Llandanwg Line and station open