How to travel from Cardiff to Edinburgh

Sun, Mar 22
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Travel by bus, train, flight with
CrossCountry
FlixBus
Azul
Avanti West Coast
National Express
1,000+ more
CrossCountry
FlixBus
Azul
Avanti West Coast
National Express
1,000+ more
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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 €26. 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 €26, and a flight costs an average of €92.

Distance: 497 km

Compare train with

Most popular
Train
Bus
Flight

€164

Average price

€54

Average price

Cheapest

€169

Average price

6h 56m

Average total duration

6h 26m

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

FlixBus

Most popular bus company

Azul

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
06:40AM13h30
Cardiff, Sophia Gardens
08:10PMEdinburgh, Bus Station
631One-way
2 transfers

Cheapest

National ExpressNX216 · NX100 · NX183
10:10PM19h05
Cardiff, Sophia Gardens
05:15PMEdinburgh, Bus Station
511One-way
2 transfers

Fastest

Transport for WalesAW789100 · L64804+Avanti West CoastW01947
09:15AM7h05
Cardiff Central (CDF)
04:20PMEdinburgh Waverley (EDB)
1741One-way
2 transfers

Other options

CrossCountryXC050300+Transport for WalesL64812+Avanti West CoastW01941
01:05PM7h19
Cardiff Central (CDF)
08:24PMEdinburgh Waverley (EDB)
1351One-way
2 transfers
Transport for WalesAW791800 · L64779+Avanti West CoastW02427+TransPennine ExpressC74092
08:15AM7h24
Cardiff Central (CDF)
03:39PMEdinburgh Waverley (EDB)
1741One-way
3 transfers
Transport for WalesAW791700 · L64806+Avanti West CoastW01949+TransPennine ExpressC74101
10:05AM7h38
Cardiff Central (CDF)
05:43PMEdinburgh Waverley (EDB)
1741One-way
3 transfers
National ExpressNX509 · NX591
03:15AM15h20
Cardiff, Sophia Gardens
06:35PMEdinburgh, Bus Station
791One-way
1 transfer
FlixBusFlixBus · FlixBus
06:10PM14h05
Cardiff, North Road (Friary Gardens)
08:15AMEdinburgh, Bus Station
1131One-way
1 transfer
FlixBusFlixBus · FlixBus
04:15PM14h10
Cardiff, North Road (Friary Gardens)
06:25AMEdinburgh, Bus Station
1181One-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 €26.

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

A bus is €35 less than a train for this route with tickets for a train from Cardiff to Edinburgh costing on average €61.

A bus is €66 less than a flight for this route with tickets for a flight from Cardiff to Edinburgh costing on average €92.

The fastest way to travel from Cardiff to Edinburgh is by flight with an average journey time of 1h 15m.

Other travel options to Edinburgh take longer:

Train takes on average 6h 25m.

Bus takes on average 12h 5m.

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 Azul, easyJet to go to Edinburgh by flight.
  • Travel with FlixBus, National Express, Megabus to go to Edinburgh by bus.
  • Travel with CrossCountry, Avanti West Coast, TransPennine Express, Transport for Wales, Cross Country, first_great_western, Transport for Wales to go to Edinburgh by train.
Yes, there are direct services available from Cardiff to Edinburgh with the following travel companies:
  • 1 direct flights per day with Azul.
  • 0 direct trains per day with CrossCountry.
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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