Rosslare to Carmarthen with Megabus, advice

Thataone

Hi, I'm looking into going over to visit a friend in Wales this summer.
After a bit of research I found the megabus deals to be the cheapest means of getting there but I really don't travel much and so I have a few questions.
Does one board the ferry as a foot passenger and then get a bus at the receiving end or do the passengers traveling with megabus get on the bus at Rosslare, on ferry and then back into the same bus?

I'm just trying to work out the logistics of it all as travelling stresses me out to the max so like to know what's going on! Thanks

Geog1234

The Megabus route is shipside only - passengers travelling with Megabus from Rosslare check-in at the Irish Ferries desk on the ground floor of the terminal, then board the Irish Ferries vessel as foot passengers (actually boarding is via an Irish Ferries courtesy bus as there's no foot passenger gangway).

Here's information on the Rosslare - Pembroke Dock ship.

On arrival at Pembroke Dock a courtesy bus brings foot passengers to the adjacent terminal. The Megabus departs from outside the terminal (you'll see it parked there). Normally it's a blue double decker coach.

There's a café and waiting facilities in the terminal.

In Carmarthen the Megabus picks-up and drops-off at the streetside bays of the bus station on Blue Street.

The Megabus only operates overnight each way.

Another option is SailRail with Stena Line from Rosslare to Fishguard. A through ferry & train ticket from Rosslare to Carmarthen costs €39 each way. Ferry departs Rosslare at 9 in the morning and 9 at night - the journey from Rosslare to Carmarthen is around an hour faster this route. The ferry and train share thesame terminal at Fishguard so it's a straightforward experience.

It's also possible to buy a ticket from Irish Rail to travel from your local station to Carmarthen via Rosslare-Fishguard. The connecting train leaves Dublin 16.37 Mon-Fri.

Until the end of August there's a train connecting with the arrival of the daytime sailing from Fishguard at Rosslare allowing a departure from Carmarthen by train around midday.

The SailRail is well worth considering at least one way - perhaps the return journey as it allows the entire journey from Carmarthen to your destination be completed in the day rather than the more tiring overnight trip.

end of the road

Geog1234 wrote: »

there's no foot passenger gangway).

i think thats the case for all ships now at rosslare?

Geog1234

There's still one foot passenger gangway at Europort - at the end of the elevated walkway linking the first floor of the terminal building to Berth 3 (that's a berth at the original pier).

The Fishguard ship - Stena Line's Stena Europe normally uses this berth. Irish Ferries Oscar Wilde (Cherbourg & Roscoff routes) uses it sometimes - particularly in summer when there are higher numbers of foot passengers.

I had a look online but couldn't find any close up photos of the walkway.

n97 mini

Geog1234 wrote: »

It's also possible to buy a ticket from Irish Rail to travel from your local station

I think that depends on what your local station is, as from experience it's only select bigger stations. On the Sligo line it's only possible at Sligo and Longford for example. Maybe that has changed as it's been 3 years since I did it.

end of the road

Geog1234 wrote: »

There's still one foot passenger gangway at Europort - at the end of the elevated walkway linking the first floor of the terminal building to Berth 3 (that's a berth at the original pier).

The Fishguard ship - Stena Line's Stena Europe normally uses this berth. Irish Ferries Oscar Wilde (Cherbourg & Roscoff routes) uses it sometimes - particularly in summer when there are higher numbers of foot passengers.

I had a look online but couldn't find any close up photos of the walkway.

thanks for that, i think that was the walkway i used last time i came back from the UK via rosslare, which was about 10 11 years ago, wasn't there a couple of other walkways as well? definitely a different one for the fast craft where you had to go outside to get to it from what i remember

Geog1234

n97 mini wrote: »

I think that depends on what your local station is, as from experience it's only select bigger stations. On the Sligo line it's only possible at Sligo and Longford for example. Maybe that has changed as it's been 3 years since I did it.

Spot on - the SailRail tickets can only be bought from selected stations, list here, or purchased by card over the phone at least a week ahead and posted out but can be for a journey starting from any station e.g. ticket bought at Sligo but for a Carrick-on-Shannon to Manchester journey.

Geog1234

end of the road wrote: »

thanks for that, i think that was the walkway i used last time i came back from the UK via rosslare, which was about 10 11 years ago, wasn't there a couple of other walkways as well? definitely a different one for the fast craft where you had to go outside to get to it from what i remember

No problem - there used to be a walkway to the newer pier - berths 1 & 2 (Irish Ferries ship to Pembroke Dock normally uses 1) but it's now truncated.

The Stena Line fast craft to Fishguard used Berth 4 (the berth in front of Berth 3 nearest the lighthouse).

Map here shows the berths.

end of the road

Geog1234 wrote: »

No problem - there used to be a walkway to the newer pier - berths 1 & 2 (Irish Ferries ship to Pembroke Dock normally uses 1) but it's now truncated.

The Stena Line fast craft to Fishguard used Berth 4 (the berth in front of Berth 3 nearest the lighthouse).

Map here shows the berths.

cheers