Aquabus

If someone asked me to describe the one hour Aquabus ride and tour I took during my last trip to Cardiff, I would have to answer with one word: «meh.» For context, a travel buddy and I opted to board an Aquabus for a quick ride around the bay area only — we figured it would provide some beautiful views of the area and hoped that since it was advertised as a tour, we’d learn a thing or two.
The biggest perk during the ride was that I got to spend a relaxing hour or so off of my feet, on the water, enjoying beautiful blue skies during a fall day in Wales. This is admittedly a pretty big perk. But the experience wasn’t perfect, sadly. For starters, the boat left a bit later than we were told it would (almost 20 minutes later, in fact) — so it was a good thing my travel buddy and I had already attended our time-​sensitive plans in the Bay area that day. Secondly, there really wasn’t a lot of information during our «tour». Plus, even when they did try to give you information during the tour/​cruise/​ride/​etc., the recording they occasionally played tended to malfunction. I can’t even remember how many times it stopped or repeated itself. It didn’t help that we couldn’t always hear the recording very clearly, even though we were sitting pretty close to the speakers…
So as you’ve probably guessed, I was ultimately pretty underwhelmed with my Aquabus «tour.» I did at least get to enjoy a beautiful ride around the bay. Something tells me that’s their primary aim, too. So if that’s what you’re looking for, that’s what I can recommend an Aquabus ride for. But after my experience, I’ll remember Aquabus as a sightseeing option only. 2.5 stars from this traveler.

It is shameful, but I must admit it: I’d lived in Cardiff four years before I finally took the Aquabus (to be more precise, I climbed aboard for the first time only a few weeks ago). Sad, I know.
My beloved and I were watching his two-​year-​old daughter for the whole day, so we thought a boat ride might be a welcomed distraction for her (bizarrely, she detests the bus for some reason!).
I really enjoyed my half an hour trip to town. The wee one squealed at the passing seagulls and ducks, while my partner and I (he was an Aquabus virgin as well) felt like tourists, which is quite nice when you live in a town where you believe you’ve seen and done it all.
My only criticism is that the bus normally full, so I’d welcome a more frequent service, or even a bigger boat!
The Aquabus is a lovely method of transport for tourists and residents alike — beats the bus and grim Bay train any day, I reckon.

I usually walk from Cardiff Bay into town as it only takes about ten minutes.
The walk itself is not very glamourous I usually go up Dumballs Road passing factory after factory after factory. So when my friend came to stay I decided to try and impress her by catching the waterbus into town.
It only cost about £3 each and as a one off was a real delight.
We got the waterbus from the bay and got off close to Cardiff castle. The journey lasted about fifteen or so minutes which gave me enough time to point the sights out to my friend. I love the fact it goes past the stadium
The man on board tried his best to make us laugh but wasn’t as funny as I think he thought he was. That said, he was still very attentive and a joy to be around.
The boat leaves the bay at half past the hour starting at 10.30 and finishing at 17.30. It returns every hour on the hour.

Aquabus provides a pleasant way of getting from the city centre to Cardiff Bay by water instead of rail or road. You can hop on at a city centre stop on the River Taff just near Cardiff Castle, and it takes you to the Mermaid Quay area of the Bay via Penarth, in an L-​shaped route.
This service is supposedly aimed at commuters, but the times it runs at seem unlikely to cater for most office workers (since services don’t start until mid morning! See more on this below) — so it’s probably more suited to leisure users.
It’s a modern, high speed waterbus carrying just 24 passengers, and if you can secure a seat (it often fills up) it offers a fast and fun way to travel on Cardiff’s waterways — although occasionally services have to be suspended due to river levels (ring on 029 2047 ²⁰⁰⁴⁄₇ 500 556 556 for up to date information).
Services from the city centre to Mermaid Quay currently start at 11am and finish at 5pm. In the opposite direction (Mermaid Quay to the city centre), services start at 10.30am and finish at 5.30pm. The times for the city centre are liable to change, however, because of the closure of the gates at Bute Park (which offers access to the city centre river stop). In this situation, services run to and from Taffs Mead Embankment.

As far as adrenaline rushes and «been there done it» experiences are concerned, Cardiff bay’s little Aquabus tour probably doesn’t compare well to The Lady of the Mist boat that takes you to the base of Niagara Falls.
Having said that — if you happen to be in Cardiff Bay of a lovely blue skyed day and are in no particular rush plus you fancy getting from the Bay to the City Centre then there is no better way than this.
I did it with my partner and my child and its a lovely way to while away half an hour (I think that’s how long it took). There is something timeless about chugging over gently rippling water towards a destination whilst watching a familiar landscape from an unfamiliar angle.
Anyhow — if this appeals to you why not hop about they leave pretty regularly and do not cost the earth (it was under £5 for an adult).

I’ve travelled on the Cardiff water bus twice, the first time was a few years ago and again this year. Both trips were between the Bay and Bute park, although the water bus also goes between the Bay and Penarth Marina.
My first experience was 4 star — informative skipper imparted local knowledge about buildings and wildlife en route, inside the boat it was squashed but sociable. What made the difference between 3 and 4 stars for me was the opportunity to breathe fresh air, inhale the scent of the river… Yup you read correctly — I want to be able to smell the river.
Let me explain… Being on the river for me is about getting back to nature and seeing the world from a new perspective (although on the Bute park to Cardiff Bay trip most of what you’ll see will be residential dwellings). When I recently rode on the water bus we were told we could not venture outside, although we were able to walk around inside the boat. This slightly claustrophobic feeling was what dropped this review from a yay (4) to an ok (3). On the more positive side the skipper was again lovely.
Top tip: If you do try this trip be prepared to be turned away from this hourly service as it is often full.

I agree its not quite something that could really be used as public transport and its not quite a tour either but if you just want to get out on the water its quite nice and its cheap enough for everyone to have a go.
It’ve only ever got on in the Bay and from there you take a little trip around the bay and then up the river Taff passing all the new housing developments, the Brain’s brewery and the Millennium Stadium before the last stop in the the beautiful Bute Park. You can also get off at a few other stops along the way.
It might not be the most exciting trip but on a nice day its a leisurely way to spend a few hours.

Although I’m a fan of boat trips, and have gone around Cardiff Bay quite a number of times, there is something missing on this boat trip. Since the new Cardiff Bay area has been properly flooded and boats have been going around, I’ve always thought that it’s been a little bit of a disappointment. Yes, the bay is pretty, but it’s hardly worth paying for a tour around it, unless you go out the Flat Holm Island (worth a visit, by the way.
But I think that because the waterbus advertises itself as a bus, rather than a tour, I expect a different kind of service. As a tour it is fine, but as a bus it’s by no means frequent enough.
However, this can be quite handy as a way to get between places, as it goes from Bute Park, and no other water services do. But at £5 return, compared to £1.90 train, it’s quite expensive and infrequent.

There is something about the water, I just love it and find it utterly calming being in/​on/​around it. So if I need to get to the Bay from the city centre I use the Aquabus.
It is a little more expensive than the train, but not a lot more than the rip off service also known as the bus. Any single from the Quay to Penarth or city centre for £3 or £5 for a return (Bar Quay to Penarth for £4)
They are generally an hourly service and is very quick from the centre to the Quay. It really is a lovely service and so much more relaxing then the other two transportation choices.
The service welcomes Wheelchair users, bikes, prams and even a mans best friend, the woofer.