How to travel from London to Cardiff

Wed, Jul 01
+ Add return
Travel by train, bus with
Great Western Railway
National Express
Megabus
FlixBus
South Western Railway
1,000+ more
Great Western Railway
National Express
Megabus
FlixBus
South Western Railway
1,000+ more
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Travel Information

Compare train and bus for London to Cardiff

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 3h 6m. 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 €38.

Distance: 211 km

Compare bus with

Most popular
Bus
Train

€10

Average price

Cheapest

€67

Average price

3h 51m

Average total duration

3h 21m

Onboard

+

30m

Additional time*

3h 36m

Average total duration

Fastest

3h 6m

Onboard

+

30m

Additional time*

0.2 - 0.5kg

CO2 emissions

0.1 - 0.2kg

CO2 emissions

Lowest
National Express

Most popular bus company

Great Western Railway

Most popular train company

Direct Options

Direct Options

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

Travel options
from London to Cardiff

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

Our recommendation

bus

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

  • FlixBusFlixBus
    11:30 PM3h55
    London, Victoria Coach Station
    3:25 AMCardiff, North Road (Friary Gardens)
    91One-way
    0 transfers

Cheapest

  • FlixBusFlixBus
    11:30 PM3h55
    London, Victoria Coach Station
    3:25 AMCardiff, North Road (Friary Gardens)
    91One-way
    0 transfers

Fastest

  • Great Western RailwayW34646
    7:18 PM1h44
    London Paddington (PAD)
    9:02 PMCardiff Central (CDF)
    731One-way
    0 transfers

Other options

  • Great Western RailwayG14949
    10:49 PM2h18
    London Paddington (PAD)
    1:07 AMCardiff Central (CDF)
    631One-way
    0 transfers
  • Great Western RailwayW35417
    11:48 AM1h48
    London Paddington (PAD)
    1:36 PMCardiff Central (CDF)
    681One-way
    0 transfers
  • Great Western RailwayW34624
    12:48 PM1h49
    London Paddington (PAD)
    2:37 PMCardiff Central (CDF)
    681One-way
    0 transfers
  • FlixBusFlixBus
    10:30 PM3h15
    London, Victoria Coach Station
    1:45 AMCardiff, North Road (Friary Gardens)
    91One-way
    0 transfers
  • FlixBusFlixBus
    9:30 PM3h15
    London, Victoria Coach Station
    12:45 AMCardiff, North Road (Friary Gardens)
    111One-way
    0 transfers
  • National ExpressNX509
    11:59 PM3h06
    London, Victoria Coach Station
    3:05 AMCardiff, University
    151One-way
    0 transfers

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

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FAQs: Travel from London to Cardiff

Travel to Cardiff 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 London to Cardiff.

FAQs
There are 2 options to travel between London and Cardiff including taking a train and bus.
The cheapest way to travel from London to Cardiff is a bus with an average price of €10.

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

A bus is €57 less than a train for this route with tickets for a train from London to Cardiff costing on average €67.

The fastest way to travel from London to Cardiff is by train with an average journey time of 3h 6m.

Other travel options to Cardiff take longer:

Bus takes on average 3h 21m.

The London to Cardiff distance is approximately 211 km.
The average frequency per day from London to Cardiff is:
  • Around 45 buses per day.
  • Around 12 trains per day.

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

These are the most popular departure and arrival points from London to Cardiff:
  • Trains mostly depart from London Paddington (PAD) and arrive in Cardiff Central (CDF).
  • Buses mostly depart from London, Victoria Coach Station and arrive in Cardiff, Sophia Gardens.
  • Ferries mostly depart from Lymington Pier and arrive in Yarmouth.
If finding a good deal is your main consideration for your trip from London to Cardiff, then we'll help you find the best value travel companies for you:
  • Travel with Great Western Railway, South Western Railway, Great Western Railway (GWR) to go to Cardiff by train.
  • Travel with National Express, Megabus, FlixBus to go to Cardiff by bus.
Yes, there are direct services available from London to Cardiff with the following travel companies:
  • 12 direct trains per day with Great Western Railway, Great Western Railway (GWR).
  • 38 direct buses per day with National Express, Megabus, FlixBus.
Omio customers who travel from London to Cardiff often also extend their vacation to go to Bristol, Edinburgh, Manchester, Birmingham, Swansea. Omio can help you plan your trip by finding the best connections between Cardiff and these popular destinations at a great price.

Travelling from London to Cardiff: related information

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

HomeTravelTravel to CardiffHow to travel from London to Cardiff

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