Cheapest price
€74
Average price
€74
Fastest journey
2 h 19 m
Average duration
2 h 39 m
Trains per day
6
Distance
211 km
The best way to find a cheap train ticket from London to Cardiff is to book your journey as far in advance as possible and to avoid traveling at rush hour.
The average ticket from London to Cardiff will cost around €74 if you buy it on the day, but the cheapest tickets can be found for only €74.
Of the 6 trains that leave London for Cardiff on Sat, Jul 12, 2 travel direct so it’s quite easy to avoid journeys where you’ll have to change along the way.
On Sat, Jul 12 the direct trains cover the 211 km distance in an average of 2 h 39 m but if you time it right, some trains will get you there in just 2 h 19 m .
On Sat, Jul 12 the slowest trains will take 2 h 53 m and usually involve a change or two along the way, but you might be able to save a few pennies if you’re on a budget.
Omio recommends booking the bus as it is the most popular option from London to Cardiff among Omio's users. If you are prioritising price take the bus with prices starting from €5. For those with little time consider booking a train which can get you there in 2h 23m. In case you are seeking to minimise your carbon footprint the train is your best bet as it emits only 0.1 - 0.2kg. The ticket price range depends on the travel mode: a bus costs an average of €5, and a train costs an average of €49.
Distance: 211 km
Train | Most popular Bus |
---|---|
€72 Average price | €14 Average price Cheapest |
2h 53m Average total duration Fastest 2h 23m Onboard + 30m Additional time* | 4h 16m Average total duration 3h 46m Onboard + 30m Additional time* |
0.1 - 0.2kg CO2 emissions Lowest | 0.2 - 0.5kg CO2 emissions |
![]() Most popular train company | ![]() Most popular bus company |
Direct Options | Direct Options |
Additional time: Average total travel duration to departure point, security checks and transfers.
Provider | Departs | Duration | Arrives | Transfers | Tickets |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | On time 7:12 AM London Paddington (PAD) | 2h25 | 9:37 AM Cardiff Central (CDF) | 0 transfersDirect | |
![]() | On time 7:30 AM London Paddington (PAD) | 2h49 | 10:19 AM Cardiff Central (CDF) | 1 transfer | |
![]() | On time 8:12 AM London Paddington (PAD) | 2h28 | 10:40 AM Cardiff Central (CDF) | 0 transfersDirect | |
![]() | On time 8:30 AM London Paddington (PAD) | 2h46 | 11:16 AM Cardiff Central (CDF) | 1 transfer | |
![]() ![]() | On time 8:32 AM London Paddington (PAD) | 2h54 | 11:26 AM Cardiff Central (CDF) | 1 transfer | |
![]() | On time 9:15 AM London Paddington (PAD) | 2h21 | 11:36 AM Cardiff Central (CDF) | 0 transfersDirect | |
This is the last train of the day. | |||||
Find all the dates and times for this journey
Distance 211 km |
Average train duration 2h 23m |
Cheapest ticket price €49 |
Trains per day 16 |
Direct trains 15 |
Fastest train 1h 43m |
First train 03:08 |
Last train 22:58 |
Great Western Rail, South Western Railway and first_great_western trains will get you to Cardiff from London from €33. With over 1000 travel companies on Omio, you can find the best train times and tickets for your trip.
Great Western Railway is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. It operates services from London Paddington to the West of England, South Wales and the Cotswolds. It also operates services from London Paddington to Oxford, Reading and Bristol. It offers a range of ticket types, including Advance, Anytime, Off-Peak and Super Off-Peak tickets. Onboard facilities include free Wi-Fi, power sockets, air conditioning and catering services. The most popular routes for Great Western Railway are London Paddington to Bristol, Reading and Oxford.
Train information from London to Cardiff with Great Western Rail:
Trains from London to Cardiff run very frequently throughout the day, with approximately 1 service departing every hour on every day of the week. The majority of Great Western Railway journeys from London to Cardiff last between 1 hour 50 minutes and 2 hour 50 minutes, depending on the time of day.
There are numerous trains running from London to Cardiff on every day of the week. Services run more frequently in the morning, with trains departing approximately every 30 minutes. Trains run less frequently in the afternoon and evening, with around 1 service every hour. The first train of the day leaves at around 6:00 a.m. on weekdays, and at around 8:00 a.m. on weekends. The last service of the day departs between 10:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m., and arrives at Cardiff Central Station around 12:30 a.m.
The journey from London to Cardiff usually lasts between 1 hour 50 minutes and 2 hours 50 minutes, and varies depending on the time of the day. Most trains from London to Cardiff are direct services, but some journeys require passengers to make 1 change at Gloucester before reaching Cardiff.
Departure train station: London Paddington station is located in central London, and can easily be reached with the Tube by travelling to Paddington Underground Station, situated on the Circle and District Lines. The station offers pay-as-you-go WiFi, public toilets, and a range of food, drink, and shopping outlets.
Arrival train station: Cardiff Central Station is situated in the centre of the city in Cardiff Central Square, within walking distance from the city's main sights. The station offers a first-class lounge, public WiFi, shops, and accessible toilets.
Most train journeys from London to Cardiff are operated by British train company Great Western Railway.
Great Western Railway (GWR) trains from London to Cardiff operate very frequently throughout the day on every day of the week. The journey usually lasts between 1 hour 50 minutes and 2 hours 50 minutes, depending on the time of day. Most GWR trains from London to Cardiff are direct, however, some journeys require passengers to change trains at Gloucester before reaching Cardiff.
GWR trains offer passengers the option to buy first-class tickets, with extra-wide, reclining seats, a food and drink service, power sockets at every table, and access to exclusive first-class lounges at the station. First-class passengers can also make the most of enhanced WiFi onboard, with faster internet. Up to 3 pieces of luggage per passenger can be transported on GWR trains, but bulky luggage should be stored in luggage areas at the end of each carriage. Passengers can bring bikes onto GWR trains with a reservation made in advance. Up to 2 small pets can also be transported onboard, provided they are kept on a short lead or in an enclosed carrier. GWR offers a system where passengers with disabilities can pre-book assistance for their journey.
It's easy to find great deals on train tickets from London to Cardiff when booking with Omio. The best way to find cheap tickets is to book as far in advance as possible, as last-minute tickets can often be more expensive. Another top tip is to stay flexible with travel dates, as it's no secret that train ticket prices can vary widely depending on the time of the day or day of the week. Peak journeys will usually cost more than those outside of commuter hours. It's also a good idea to consider booking slower, indirect journeys. While high-speed, direct services are popular, they're often more expensive.
Passengers board the train most frequently from London Paddington, which is located around 3 miles (4.8 km) away from the city centre, and they get off the train at Cardiff Central, located 1.1 miles (1.8 km) away from the city centre.
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