How to travel from Cardiff to Edinburgh

Wed, Feb 04
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Avanti West Coast
Azul
National Express
CrossCountry
FlixBus
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Avanti West Coast
Azul
National Express
CrossCountry
FlixBus
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 €37. For those with little time consider booking a flight which can get you there in 1h 19m. 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 €37, and a train costs an average of €87.

Distance: 497 km

Compare train with

Most popular
Train
Bus
Flight

€215

Average price

€58

Average price

Cheapest

€190

Average price

6h 55m

Average total duration

6h 25m

Onboard

+

30m

Additional time*

13h 48m

Average total duration

13h 18m

Onboard

+

30m

Additional time*

4h 19m

Average total duration

Fastest

1h 19m

Onboard

+

3h 0m

Additional time*

0.1 - 0.4kg

CO2 emissions

Lowest

0.5 - 1.2kg

CO2 emissions

-

CO2 emissions

Avanti West Coast

Most popular train company

National Express

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.

FlixBusFlixBus · FlixBus
07:10AM14h35
Cardiff, North Road (Friary Gardens)
09:45PMEdinburgh, Bus Station
521One-way
1 transfer

Cheapest

National ExpressNX111 · NX180
05:20PM14h45
Cardiff, University
08:05AMEdinburgh, Bus Station
501One-way
1 transfer

Fastest

Transport for WalesL64791+Avanti West CoastW02929
09:53AM6h25
Cardiff Central (CDF)
04:18PMEdinburgh Waverley (EDB)
2181One-way
1 transfer

Other options

CrossCountryC75008
09:45AM7h24
Cardiff Central (CDF)
05:09PMEdinburgh Waverley (EDB)
1111One-way
0 transfers
CrossCountryC74968+Avanti West CoastW02929
08:45AM7h33
Cardiff Central (CDF)
04:18PMEdinburgh Waverley (EDB)
1661One-way
1 transfer
CrossCountryC74972+Avanti West CoastL02376
11:45AM6h35
Cardiff Central (CDF)
06:20PMEdinburgh Waverley (EDB)
1661One-way
1 transfer
FlixBusFlixBus · FlixBus
05:15PM15h00
Cardiff, North Road (Friary Gardens)
08:15AMEdinburgh, Bus Station
521One-way
1 transfer
FlixBusFlixBus · FlixBus
04:15PM14h10
Cardiff, North Road (Friary Gardens)
06:25AMEdinburgh, Bus Station
591One-way
1 transfer
National ExpressNX507 · NX594
03:53PM15h27
Cardiff, University
07:20AMEdinburgh, Bus Station
641One-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 €37.

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

A bus is €49 less than a train for this route with tickets for a train from Cardiff to Edinburgh costing on average €87.

A bus is €73 less than a flight for this route with tickets for a flight from Cardiff to Edinburgh costing on average €111.

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 11h 50m.

The Cardiff to Edinburgh distance is approximately 497 km.
The average frequency per day from Cardiff to Edinburgh is:
  • Around 6 trains per day.
  • Around 6 buses 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 Avanti West Coast, CrossCountry, TransPennine Express, Transport for Wales, Cross Country, first_great_western, Transport for Wales to go to Edinburgh by train.
  • Travel with National Express, FlixBus, Megabus to go to Edinburgh by bus.
  • Travel with Azul, easyJet to go to Edinburgh by flight.
Yes, there is a direct route available from Cardiff to Edinburgh:
  • 1 direct flights per day with Azul.
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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