EditorNew free ‘Shopper Hopper’ shuttle bus launches in Swansea city centre
Shopper Hopper to run weekdays between rail station, market and bus station
Swansea Council says the new “Shopper Hopper” will operate Monday to Friday from 9am to 4.30pm, offering a continuous loop between High Street railway station, Whitewalls (Swansea Market), and Wellington Street outside the bus station.
The 15-seat minibus is wheelchair accessible and includes space for shopping trolleys and mobility equipment. No booking or timetable is required — passengers can simply wait at designated stops and hop on when the bus arrives.
Council says service will support footfall and accessibility
Council leader Rob Stewart said the service was designed to make city centre travel easier:
“The Shopper Hopper is a simple idea that’ll make it easier than ever to get around the city centre, connecting shoppers and visitors to the shops, cafés and businesses they want to visit.
We know that lots of people come to the city centre using the main bus station and the railway station. Some of those visiting may have mobility issues or need a little extra help to get around.
Now we’ve just opened Y Storfa, the hopper will be yet another option to choose that’ll help visitors to get to the new central library and all the other services on offer there.”
Cabinet member Andrew Stevens said the initiative makes better use of the council’s existing minibus fleet:
“We already have a fleet of minibuses that provide essential transport services, providing transport to day care centres as well as schools and colleges.
The aim of this new free service is to make better use of these vehicles and put them to good use — and hopefully encourage more people to come into the city centre.
We know that lots of people come to the city centre using the main bus station and the railway station. Some of those visiting may have mobility issues or need a little extra help to get around, so the Shopper Hopper is designed with them in mind.”
Route and timings
The Shopper Hopper completes a full loop every 45 minutes, with key pick-up times including:
- 9:00am from High Street railway station
- 10:45am and 2:45pm from Wellington Street (bus station)
- 4:15pm from Whitewalls (Swansea Market), terminating at the railway station by 4:30pm
Stops are located at:
- High Street Station (Railway Station)
- Whitewalls (City Centre / Swansea Market)
- Wellington Street (Outside the Bus Station)
The Shopper Hopper is separate from Swansea Council’s seasonal free bus initiative, which offers free travel across selected city routes on weekends in the run-up to Christmas. That scheme, designed to support festive shopping and events, runs alongside the council’s wider efforts to boost city centre footfall during the holiday period.
Service details and contact
The service is currently free of charge and will run year-round. Swansea Council says demand will be monitored and additional buses may be added if needed.
For more information, passengers can call 01792 522980 or visit the council’s website: swansea.gov.uk/shopperhopper
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