Driving lessons in Swansea
Wherever you live in Swansea, instructors have got you covered. The top areas include:
Birchgrove, Bon-y-maen, Clase, Cwmdu, Manselton, Penlan, Sketty, St Thomas, Tre-boeth and Uplands.
Enter your postcode above to find prices in your local area of Swansea.
View other guides: Driving Lessons in Cardiff, Driving Lessons in Birmingham, Driving Lessons in Bristol.
Learning to drive in Swansea
Swansea has a great mix of busy urban roads and quiet suburban streets, making it perfect for learner drivers looking to get used to a range of road systems. Plus, once you’ve passed your test, there’ll be a host of places for you to take a short road trip to - from the capital city of Cardiff to the winding paths of the Brecon Beacons.
However, while you’re still gaining in confidence, we’d recommend taking to the residential roads of Bon-y-maen. These wide, quiet streets are ideal for getting the hang of steering and clutch control. And, once you feel ready, you can head back here to nail those hill starts and trickier manoeuvres like pulling up on the right and reversing two car lengths.
Soon, you’ll want to get some more experience spotting hazards, responding to road markings and anticipating the behaviour of other cars. There’s no place better to head to for a spot of practice than Swansea city centre. The area around the train station is packed with buses and traffic lights, and you’ll also get used to dealing with pedestrians, box junctions and one-way streets.
One of the main challenges you’ll face learning to drive in Swansea will be the winding rural roads surrounding the city, some of which are just a stone’s throw from Swansea Test Centre. If you’re really looking to challenge yourself, we’d recommend trying Dinam Road, which is very narrow and full of blind bends.
Taking your test in Swansea
Swansea Test Centre is located in a largely industrial part of the city. Although the DVSA no longer publishes test routes, your Midrive instructor will be able to introduce you to the roads that are likely to come up in your driving test, so that you’re fully prepared for your big day.
With dual carriageways, rural roads and the town centre all within easy driving distance, you’re likely to encounter a range of road systems during your test. The A483 is likely to come up, and so are the residential streets of Port Tennant, where you could be asked to carry out a manoeuvre such as parallel parking.
It’s worth bearing in mind that the time of day and the weather could affect the test route that you’re asked to take. If you take your test during rush hour, for example, your examiner will probably try to steer you clear of areas with high traffic, such as the roads around Swansea railway station. Don’t worry, your driving instructor will tell you what to expect so that you can relax and focus on driving your best.
Driving test centre locations
While there’s only one driving test centre in Swansea itself, there are a few in the Swansea postcode area. Visit gov.uk to see a full list of test centres near you.
- Swansea: Burrows Rd, off Langdon Rd, Kings Dock, St Thomas, Swansea, West Glamorgan SA1 8QY
- Llanelli: Toft Place, Llanerch, Llanelli, Dyfed SA15 3SB
- Carmarthen: Ty Myrddin, Crown Building, Old Station Road, Carmarthen, Dyfed SA31 1GS
- Lampeter: Canolfan Dulais, Pontfaen Road, Lampeter, Dyfed SA48 7BN
Manual vs Automatic
Manual or automatic? The choice is yours because instructors offer both in Swansea!
There are pros and cons to both manual and automatic driving lessons, so take your time to choose between the two. While a manual licence qualifies you to drive both types of car, an automatic licence only qualifies you to drive automatics.
A manual car takes that little bit longer to learn in, because you have to get to grips with changing gears. However, manual lessons and cars both tend to be cheaper. On top of that, manual cars offer you that little bit more control - you can change down a gear to give yourself an extra boost of power before a hill, for example. That might suit you well if you’re planning some longer road trips around Wales.
An automatic car is a little more straightforward, so you might find you pass your test quicker if you opt for automatic lessons. You might also find it easier to deal with Swansea’s hills in an automatic - there’ll be no need to perfect those dreaded hill starts! Just remember that automatics are more expensive and more restrictive. At the end of the day, it’s up to you.