A new X81 bus runs Newtown to Craven Arms via Bishop's Castle and Clun from 2 November: four journeys each way, six days a week. Full times inside.
A new bus will link Bishop’s Castle, Clun and Craven Arms with Newtown from Monday 2 November. The X81 runs six days a week, with four journeys in each direction.
It goes through Montgomery, Churchstoke and Chirbury on the way, and connects with trains at both Newtown and Craven Arms stations. Shropshire Council and Powys County Council are funding it together, and Shropshire Council announced it on 25 September. Tanat Valley Coaches will run it.
For south west Shropshire this is a real change. Council leader Heather Kidd, who is also the councillor for Chirbury and Worthen, said:
“This will be the first time in living memory that Chirbury will be on a route to Bishop’s Castle, and will be the most regular bus service that Clun has had for decades.”
Where it goes and when
The published timetable runs Monday to Saturday. There is no service on bank holidays, except Good Friday.
Buses leave Newtown bus station (stand B) at 7.30am, 10.30am, 1.30pm and 4.49pm. Buses leave Craven Arms railway station at 9am, 12pm, 2.55pm and 6.15pm.
The times at the main stops:
| Stop | Early | Morning | Afternoon | Teatime |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Newtown bus station | 07:30 | 10:30 | 13:30 | 16:49 |
| Montgomery, Maldwyn Way | 07:54 | 10:54 | 13:54 | 17:13 |
| Chirbury, Post Office | 08:00 | 11:00 | 14:00 | 17:19 |
| Churchstoke, Shopping Centre | 08:08 | 11:08 | 14:08 | 17:27 |
| Bishop's Castle | 08:22 | 11:22 | 14:22 | 17:41 |
| Clun, Ford Street junction | 08:37 | 11:36 | 14:36 | 17:55 |
| Aston on Clun, Kangaroo Inn | 08:45 | 11:44 | 14:44 | 18:03 |
| Craven Arms railway station | 08:52 | 11:51 | 14:51 | 18:10 |
| Stop | Morning | Midday | Afternoon | Evening |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Craven Arms railway station | 09:00 | 12:00 | 14:55 | 18:15 |
| Aston on Clun, Kangaroo Inn | 09:07 | 12:07 | 15:02 | 18:22 |
| Clun, Ford Street junction | 09:15 | 12:15 | 15:10 | 18:30 |
| Bishop's Castle | 09:35 | 12:35 | 15:35 | 18:50 |
| Churchstoke, Shopping Centre | 09:47 | 12:47 | 15:48 | 19:02 |
| Chirbury, Post Office | 09:55 | 12:55 | 15:56 | 19:10 |
| Montgomery, Maldwyn Way | 10:00 | 13:00 | 16:01 | request stop, last stop |
| Newtown bus station | 10:25 | 13:25 | 16:26 | does not run |
The bus also calls at Old Kerry Road, the Herbert Arms, Glanmule Garage, the Sarn Inn, the Bluebell Hotel, Lydham, Colebatch, Clunton and Long Meadowend. The full list of stops is on the timetable.
Details worth knowing before you travel
- Two early journeys, not one. The 7.30am from Newtown runs in two versions. On school days it calls at Bishop’s Castle Community College at 8.22am. In school holidays and on Saturdays it calls at the Boar’s Head in the town instead, at the same time.
- The same happens on the way home. On school days the 2.55pm from Craven Arms calls at the Community College at 3.35pm. In school holidays and on Saturdays it calls at the Boar’s Head at 3.35pm.
- The last bus stops short. The 6.15pm from Craven Arms ends at Montgomery, where it is a request stop. It does not go on to Newtown.
- Coleg Powys students get an extra stop. On days the college is open, the 4.49pm from Newtown starts at the college campus at 4.37pm, and the 2.55pm from Craven Arms runs on to the campus at 4.35pm.
The council says the route gives students in Montgomery, Chirbury and Churchstoke a way to get to and from Bishop’s Castle Community College. That is why the school-day timings exist.
The council has not published fares.
What it means for you
If you live in Clun or Bishop’s Castle, you get four buses a day to Craven Arms station, and from there trains on the Heart of Wales and Welsh Marches lines. The 9am from Craven Arms reaches Clun in 15 minutes and Bishop’s Castle in 35.
If you live in Chirbury or Churchstoke, you get a bus to Bishop’s Castle and into Newtown for its shops and trains. For Chirbury, the council leader says, a route to Bishop’s Castle is a first in living memory.
The council says the X81 will link with the 553 from Bishop’s Castle to Shrewsbury, so the county town is reachable too.
The Three Castles service between Bishop’s Castle and Ludlow, run by Shrewsbury Dial-a-Ride, carries on as well. Heather Kidd said the X81 is the third new bus service Shropshire Council has introduced in 2026.
Jackie Charlton, Powys County Council’s Cabinet member for a Greener Powys, said it would “open doors” for residents east of Newtown and in the Vale of Kerry to reach places such as Shrewsbury, Manchester and Cardiff by public transport.
Our trains and travel page has the rail connections from Shropshire’s stations.
Sources: Shropshire Council release, 25 September 2026; X81 timetable (PDF).
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