How to travel from Cardiff to Edinburgh

Sun, Jun 21
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CrossCountry
National Express
Loganair
Avanti West Coast
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Avanti West Coast
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Travel Information

Compare bus, train, and flight for Cardiff to Edinburgh

Omio recommends booking the train as it is the most popular option from Cardiff to Edinburgh among Omio's users. If you are prioritising price take the bus with prices starting from €32. For those with little time consider booking a flight which can get you there in 1h 20m. In case you are seeking to minimise your carbon footprint the train is your best bet as it emits only 0.1 - 0.4kg. The ticket price range depends on the travel mode: a bus costs an average of €32, and a flight costs an average of €92.

Distance: 497 km

Compare train with

Most popular
Train
Bus
Flight

€158

Average price

€54

Average price

Cheapest

€202

Average price

7h 1m

Average total duration

6h 31m

Onboard

+

30m

Additional time*

13h 48m

Average total duration

13h 18m

Onboard

+

30m

Additional time*

4h 20m

Average total duration

Fastest

1h 20m

Onboard

+

3h 0m

Additional time*

0.1 - 0.4kg

CO2 emissions

Lowest

0.5 - 1.2kg

CO2 emissions

-

CO2 emissions

CrossCountry

Most popular train company

National Express

Most popular bus company

Loganair

Most popular airline

Direct Options

Direct Options

Direct Options

Additional time: Average total travel duration to departure point, security checks and transfers.

Travel options
from Cardiff to Edinburgh

How to get from Cardiff to Edinburgh by train, bus or flight.

Our recommendation

bus

The best way to travel from Cardiff to Edinburgh is by taking a bus because it’s the best combination of price and speed.

  • National ExpressNX202 · NX101 · NX183
    6:40 AM13h30
    Cardiff, Sophia Gardens
    8:10 PMEdinburgh, Bus Station
    741One-way
    2 transfers

Cheapest

  • National ExpressNX202 · NX101 · NX183
    6:40 AM13h30
    Cardiff, Sophia Gardens
    8:10 PMEdinburgh, Bus Station
    741One-way
    2 transfers

Fastest

  • CrossCountryG00724+Avanti West CoastW33228+Transpennine ExpressW85211+Great Western RailwayW35233
    4:50 PM6h54
    Cardiff Central (CDF)
    11:44 PMEdinburgh Waverley (EDB)
    1231One-way
    3 transfers

Other options

  • CrossCountryW29792+Transport for WalesY61969
    2:29 PM7h41
    Cardiff Central (CDF)
    10:10 PMEdinburgh Waverley (EDB)
    1651One-way
    1 transfer
  • CrossCountryW29792+Avanti West CoastW33377+Transpennine ExpressW85209+Transport for WalesY61969
    2:29 PM7h10
    Cardiff Central (CDF)
    9:39 PMEdinburgh Waverley (EDB)
    1951One-way
    3 transfers
  • CrossCountryG01071+Avanti West CoastW33378+Transpennine ExpressW85192+Great Western RailwayC00123
    10:20 AM7h23
    Cardiff Central (CDF)
    5:43 PMEdinburgh Waverley (EDB)
    2931One-way
    3 transfers
  • National ExpressNX216 · NX100 · NX183
    10:10 PM19h05
    Cardiff, Sophia Gardens
    5:15 PMEdinburgh, Bus Station
    751One-way
    2 transfers
  • National ExpressNX509 · NX598
    5:30 PM14h10
    Cardiff, Sophia Gardens
    7:40 AMEdinburgh, Bus Station
    841One-way
    1 transfer
  • National ExpressNX509 · NX594
    4:45 PM14h35
    Cardiff, Sophia Gardens
    7:20 AMEdinburgh, Bus Station
    841One-way
    1 transfer

Find all the dates and times for this journey by train, bus, flight, and ferry .

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FAQs: Travel from Cardiff to Edinburgh

Travel to Edinburgh easily. Whether you want fast, cheap or something entirely different, our travel experts have collected everything you need to know so you can find the best option from Cardiff to Edinburgh.

FAQs
There are 3 options to travel between Cardiff and Edinburgh including taking a bus, train, and flight.
The cheapest way to travel from Cardiff to Edinburgh is a bus with an average price of €54.

This is compared to other travel options from Cardiff to Edinburgh:

A bus is €104 less than a train for this route with tickets for a train from Cardiff to Edinburgh costing on average €158.

A bus is €148 less than a flight for this route with tickets for a flight from Cardiff to Edinburgh costing on average €202.

The fastest way to travel from Cardiff to Edinburgh is by flight with an average journey time of 1h 20m.

Other travel options to Edinburgh take longer:

Train takes on average 6h 31m.

Bus takes on average 13h 18m.

The Cardiff to Edinburgh distance is approximately 497 km.
The average frequency per day from Cardiff to Edinburgh is:
  • Around 7 buses per day.
  • Around 6 trains per day.
  • Around 1 flights per day.

However, we recommend checking specific travel dates for your route between Cardiff and Edinburgh as scheduled services by bus, train, and flight can vary by season or day of the week.

These are the most popular departure and arrival points from Cardiff to Edinburgh:
  • Flights mostly depart from Cardiff Airport and arrive in Edinburgh Airport.
  • Trains mostly depart from Cardiff Central (CDF) and arrive in Edinburgh Waverley (EDB).
  • Buses mostly depart from Cardiff, Sophia Gardens and arrive in Edinburgh, Bus Station.
If finding a good deal is your main consideration for your trip from Cardiff to Edinburgh, then we'll help you find the best value travel companies for you:
  • Travel with National Express, FlixBus, Megabus, Cardiff Bus to go to Edinburgh by bus.
  • Travel with CrossCountry, Avanti West Coast, Transport for Wales, Transpennine Express, Cross Country, Transport for Wales to go to Edinburgh by train.
  • Travel with Loganair, easyJet to go to Edinburgh by flight.
Yes, there is a direct route available from Cardiff to Edinburgh:
  • 0 direct trains per day with CrossCountry, Cross Country.
Omio customers who travel from Cardiff to Edinburgh often also extend their vacation to go to London, Glasgow, Inverness, Manchester, Paris. Omio can help you plan your trip by finding the best connections between Edinburgh and these popular destinations at a great price.

Travelling from Cardiff to Edinburgh: related information

Here are some other resources that might have the information you need

HomeTravelTravel to EdinburghHow to travel from Cardiff to Edinburgh

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