Port Talbot is a town, port, and urban area that is located in the county borough of Neth Port Talbot, in South West Wales. Known mainly because of its steelwork, Port Talbot offers so much more with its impressive architectural history, great range of outdoor activities and magnificent food scene. Being centrally located on the south coast of Wales, Port Talbot has a much more relaxed way of life than the main cities of Swansea (around 10 miles west) and Cardiff, the Welsh capital (about 30 miles east), although residents and tourists can still keep themselves busy with the wide selection of entertainment that the town boasts.
There are many popular places to visit in this thriving coastal town, with a range of both indoor and outdoor sights that are sure to please all. Residents and tourists can enjoy the wonderful popular attractions of Aberavon Beach, Margam Castle, Afan Argoed Country Park, and Mynydd Dinas. If a shopping day out is preferred, residents can take themselves off to the Aberafan Shopping Centre which boasts 55 brilliant amenities to discover.
Port Talbot is among the top 10 most unsafe areas of West Glamorgan's 67 towns, villages, and cities. The town has a 20% higher crime rate than the rest of Wales and an 18% higher crime rate than the England, Wales & Northern Ireland overall figure.
Only a small selection of car parks are available in Port Talbot. Residents can find a few hourly paid-parking spaces at Port Talbot Multi-Storey Car Park and Neath Port Talbot Parking Department. If locals are in need of long-stay private parking, they can use the online sites of Parkopedia, JustPark, or Yourparkingspaces.
Residents don't have a wide choice of nightlife options in Port Talbot, with mostly bars and pubs that are dotted around the town centre. Some of the most popular venues are Jimmy's Bar, Bar Gallois, Margam Deer, and Twelve Knights, however, if residents are in need of a more lively evening out, they can travel to the nearby areas of Swansea, Cardiff, and Newport.
Port Talbot has 5 impressive top-rated schools which have been ranked highly based on official performance data, including exam results and Ofsted inspections. The top 3 education options for families are Coed Hirwaun Primary School, Baglan Primary School, and YGG Rhosafan. Higher education is also on offer, however very limited for students. Local options include Neath Port Talbot College and the University of Wales Trinity Saint David Technium.
With the town being surrounded by some stunning Welsh countryside, Port Talbot makes an ideal location for pet owners to reside. The local green spaces of Margam Country Park, Cae Glas Park, and Parc Jersey Park are just some of the great spots that both dog walkers and adventurers to go out and explore.
Port Talbot Parkway station is mainly served by the Great Western Railway and Transport for Wales services. Residents can access direct and connecting trains that depart to the popular destinations of Swansea- 19m, Cardiff Central- 33m, Gloucester- 2hrs, and London Paddington- 2hrs 32m. The nearest airport to Port Talbot is Cardiff (CWL) Airport, which is reachable by car in 46 minutes via the M4. Buses also serve the area for local travel.