- Must visit
Science and Industry Museum
Leading museum of science, industry, transport, and computing on a historic railway site. Essential for understanding Manchester's global impact.
Cheapest price on Oct 14
$33
Average ticket price on Oct 14
$40
Fastest journey on Oct 14
5 h 20 m
Average journey duration on Oct 14
5 h 49 m
Buses on Oct 14
20
Distance
231 km
The best way to find a cheap bus ticket from Cardiff to Manchester is to book your journey as far in advance as possible and to avoid traveling at rush hour.
The average ticket from Cardiff to Manchester will cost around $40 if you buy it on the day, but the cheapest tickets can be found for only $33.
It's difficult to get from Cardiff to Manchester without transferring at least once.
NX112 · NX541
FlixBus · FlixBus
NX111 · NX541
NX202 · NX100 · NX120
FlixBus · FlixBus
FlixBus · FlixBus
FlixBus · FlixBus
FlixBus · FlixBus
FlixBus · FlixBus
FlixBus · FlixBusBuses from Cardiff to Manchester run on average 19 times per day, taking around 5h 56m. Cheap bus tickets for this journey start at $15 if you book in advance.
The earliest bus runs at 00:05, the last at 23:57. The fastest bus covers the 143 miles (231 km) distance in 4h 35m.
Distance 143 miles (231 km) |
Average bus duration 5h 56m |
Cheapest ticket price $15 |
Buses per day 19 |
Fastest bus 4h 35m |
First bus 12:05 AM |
Last bus 11:57 PM |
Cheapest Month May |
Cheapest Day Tue |
High Season Jul - Sep |
Low Season Jan - Mar |
Busiest Day Sun |
Least Busy Day Fri |
Best time to book 28 days |
| Operator | Departure Time | Arrival Time | Duration | Departure days | Cheapest price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Operator National Express | Departure Time 02:45AM | Arrival Time 11:30AM | Duration 8h45 | Departure days Fri | Cheapest price $31 |
Operator National Express | Departure Time 03:15AM | Arrival Time 12:10PM | Duration 8h55 | Departure days Fri | Cheapest price $43 |
Operator National Express | Departure Time 04:15AM | Arrival Time 01:40PM | Duration 9h25 | Departure days Tue | Cheapest price $23 |
Operator National Express | Departure Time 04:30AM | Arrival Time 01:00PM | Duration 8h30 | Departure days Wed, Thu | Cheapest price $35 |
Operator National Express | Departure Time 04:40AM | Arrival Time 12:45PM | Duration 8h05 | Departure days Mon, Fri | Cheapest price $31 |
Operator National Express | Departure Time 04:45AM | Arrival Time 11:15AM | Duration 6h30 | Departure days Sat, Sun | Cheapest price $28 |
Operator National Express | Departure Time 04:50AM | Arrival Time 01:50PM | Duration 9h00 | Departure days Sat, Sun | Cheapest price $43 |
Operator FlixBus | Departure Time 06:10AM | Arrival Time 01:40PM | Duration 7h30 | Departure days Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri | Cheapest price $27 |
Operator National Express | Departure Time 06:25AM | Arrival Time 03:00PM | Duration 8h35 | Departure days Mon, Wed, Thu, Fri | Cheapest price $31 |
Operator National Express | Departure Time 06:40AM | Arrival Time 02:05PM | Duration 7h25 | Departure days Sun | Cheapest price $25 |
Operator FlixBus | Departure Time 06:45AM | Arrival Time 12:30PM | Duration 5h45 | Departure days Sat, Sun | Cheapest price $36 |
Operator National Express | Departure Time 06:45AM | Arrival Time 02:05PM | Duration 7h20 | Departure days Sat, Sun | Cheapest price $43 |
Operator National Express | Departure Time 08:30AM | Arrival Time 03:35PM | Duration 7h05 | Departure days Fri | Cheapest price $34 |
Operator National Express | Departure Time 08:40AM | Arrival Time 03:20PM | Duration 6h40 | Departure days Sat, Sun | Cheapest price $27 |
Operator FlixBus | Departure Time 08:55AM | Arrival Time 03:15PM | Duration 6h20 | Departure days Mon, Wed, Thu | Cheapest price $28 |
Operator National Express | Departure Time 09:35AM | Arrival Time 04:05PM | Duration 6h30 | Departure days Mon, Wed, Thu | Cheapest price $32 |
Operator FlixBus | Departure Time 09:40AM | Arrival Time 05:00PM | Duration 7h20 | Departure days Tue | Cheapest price $25 |
Operator FlixBus | Departure Time 09:45AM | Arrival Time 03:40PM | Duration 5h55 | Departure days Fri, Sat, Sun | Cheapest price $46 |
Operator FlixBus | Departure Time 10:40AM | Arrival Time 06:00PM | Duration 7h20 | Departure days Tue | Cheapest price $32 |
Operator National Express | Departure Time 12:10PM | Arrival Time 06:35PM | Duration 6h25 | Departure days Fri | Cheapest price $34 |
Operator FlixBus | Departure Time 12:15PM | Arrival Time 09:00PM | Duration 8h45 | Departure days Everyday | Cheapest price $27 |
Operator National Express | Departure Time 12:25PM | Arrival Time 06:05PM | Duration 5h40 | Departure days Mon, Wed, Thu, Sat, Sun | Cheapest price $32 |
Operator National Express | Departure Time 12:35PM | Arrival Time 08:15PM | Duration 7h40 | Departure days Wed, Thu, Sun | Cheapest price $29 |
Operator National Express | Departure Time 12:40PM | Arrival Time 08:30PM | Duration 7h50 | Departure days Mon, Fri, Sat, Sun | Cheapest price $38 |
Operator FlixBus | Departure Time 12:45PM | Arrival Time 08:45PM | Duration 8h00 | Departure days Tue | Cheapest price $26 |
Operator National Express | Departure Time 01:50PM | Arrival Time 12:25AM | Duration 10h35 | Departure days Mon, Wed, Thu | Cheapest price $54 |
Operator FlixBus | Departure Time 02:50PM | Arrival Time 09:10PM | Duration 6h20 | Departure days Mon, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun | Cheapest price $27 |
Operator National Express | Departure Time 03:15PM | Arrival Time 12:30AM | Duration 9h15 | Departure days Mon, Wed, Thu | Cheapest price $37 |
Operator FlixBus | Departure Time 03:40PM | Arrival Time 09:50PM | Duration 6h10 | Departure days Tue | Cheapest price $30 |
Operator National Express | Departure Time 04:25PM | Arrival Time 10:45PM | Duration 6h20 | Departure days Fri | Cheapest price $33 |
Operator National Express | Departure Time 04:40PM | Arrival Time 10:30PM | Duration 5h50 | Departure days Sat, Sun | Cheapest price $33 |
Operator FlixBus | Departure Time 04:40PM | Arrival Time 10:50PM | Duration 6h10 | Departure days Mon, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun | Cheapest price $29 |
Operator National Express | Departure Time 05:00PM | Arrival Time 02:15AM | Duration 9h15 | Departure days Sat, Sun | Cheapest price $55 |
Operator FlixBus | Departure Time 05:20PM | Arrival Time 01:00AM | Duration 7h40 | Departure days Tue | Cheapest price $30 |
Operator National Express | Departure Time 05:30PM | Arrival Time 02:15AM | Duration 8h45 | Departure days Fri | Cheapest price $57 |
Operator National Express | Departure Time 06:15PM | Arrival Time 06:05AM | Duration 11h50 | Departure days Sat, Sun | Cheapest price $85 |
Operator FlixBus | Departure Time 06:20PM | Arrival Time 02:00AM | Duration 7h40 | Departure days Mon, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun | Cheapest price $29 |
Operator National Express | Departure Time 06:45PM | Arrival Time 06:05AM | Duration 11h20 | Departure days Mon, Wed, Thu, Fri | Cheapest price $52 |
Operator National Express | Departure Time 07:45PM | Arrival Time 07:35AM | Duration 11h50 | Departure days Fri, Sat, Sun | Cheapest price $58 |
Operator FlixBus | Departure Time 11:25PM | Arrival Time 11:50AM | Duration 12h25 | Departure days Tue | Cheapest price $35 |
The table below shows live departures for Cardiff to Manchester buses for today, Tuesday, October 13. You can also manually refresh the results below to see updated bus journeys.
| Provider | Departs | Duration | Arrives | Transfers | Tickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | 5:20 PM Cardiff | 7h40 | 1:00 AM Manchester | 0 transfersDirect | |
![]() | 11:25 PM Cardiff | 12h25 | 11:50 AM Manchester | 0 transfersDirect | |
| Wednesday, October 14 | |||||
NX202 · NX100 · NX121 | 4:30 AM Cardiff, Sophia Gardens | 8h30 | 1:00 PM Manchester, Coach Station | 2 transfers | |
FlixBus · FlixBus | 6:10 AM Cardiff, North Road (Friary Gardens) | 5h55 | 12:05 PM Manchester, Princess Road / Moss Lane East | 1 transfer | |
FlixBus · FlixBus | 6:10 AM Cardiff, North Road (Friary Gardens) | 6h20 | 12:30 PM Manchester, Shudehill Interchange | 1 transfer | |
NX202 · NX100 · NX590 | 6:25 AM Cardiff, Sophia Gardens | 8h35 | 3:00 PM Manchester, Coach Station | 2 transfers | |
NX202 · NX100 · NX590 | 6:25 AM Cardiff, Sophia Gardens | 8h35 | 3:00 PM Manchester, Coach Station | 2 transfers | |
FlixBus · FlixBus | 8:55 AM Cardiff, North Road (Friary Gardens) | 6h20 | 3:15 PM Manchester, Princess Road / Moss Lane East | 1 transfer | |
FlixBus · FlixBus | 8:55 AM Cardiff, North Road (Friary Gardens) | 6h45 | 3:40 PM Manchester, Shudehill Interchange | 1 transfer | |
NX111 · NX541 | 9:35 AM Cardiff, Sophia Gardens | 6h30 | 4:05 PM Manchester, Coach Station | 1 transfer | |
FlixBus · FlixBus | 12:15 PM Cardiff, North Road (Friary Gardens) | 5h20 | 5:35 PM Manchester, Princess Road / Moss Lane East | 1 transfer | |
FlixBus · FlixBus | 12:15 PM Cardiff, North Road (Friary Gardens) | 5h45 | 6:00 PM Manchester, Shudehill Interchange | 1 transfer | |
NX112 · NX541 | 12:25 PM Cardiff, Sophia Gardens | 7h05 | 7:30 PM Manchester, Coach Station | 1 transfer | |
NX202 · NX100 · NX120 | 12:35 PM Cardiff, Sophia Gardens | 7h40 | 8:15 PM Manchester, Coach Station | 2 transfers | |
NX508 · NX541 | 1:50 PM Cardiff, Sophia Gardens | 10h35 | 12:25 AM Manchester, Coach Station | 1 transfer | |
FlixBus · FlixBus | 2:50 PM Cardiff, North Road (Friary Gardens) | 5h55 | 8:45 PM Manchester, Princess Road / Moss Lane East | 1 transfer | |
FlixBus · FlixBus | 2:50 PM Cardiff, North Road (Friary Gardens) | 6h20 | 9:10 PM Manchester, Shudehill Interchange | 1 transfer | |
NX509 · NX540 | 3:15 PM Cardiff, Sophia Gardens | 9h15 | 12:30 AM Manchester, Coach Station | 1 transfer | |
FlixBus · FlixBus | 4:40 PM Cardiff, North Road (Friary Gardens) | 6h10 | 10:50 PM Manchester, Princess Road / Moss Lane East | 1 transfer | |
FlixBus · FlixBus | 4:40 PM Cardiff, North Road (Friary Gardens) | 6h30 | 11:10 PM Manchester, Shudehill Interchange | 1 transfer | |
Find all the dates and times for this journey
Discover the best of Manchester — top attractions, local food, transport tips, budget advice, and currency essentials. Plan your perfect Manchester trip today.
Leading museum of science, industry, transport, and computing on a historic railway site. Essential for understanding Manchester's global impact.
Major art museum with Pre-Raphaelite works, design, and changing exhibitions. A central cultural stop with broad appeal.
The University of Manchester museum spans dinosaurs, Egypt, nature, and anthropology. Recently renewed and excellent for varied interests.
Historic canal-side district with Roman remains, warehouses, and walkable towpaths. One of Manchester's most atmospheric urban areas.
Central square framed by grand civic buildings, museums, and monuments. A classic starting point for exploring the city centre.
Creative quarter of street art, music history, indie shops, and nightlife. It is one of Manchester's most characterful neighborhoods.
A flaky pastry pie filled with spiced potatoes, onion and often chickpeas. Created by Manchester’s South Asian community and now a city staple.
A comforting Northern pudding of suet pastry filled with beef and onion, traditionally steamed and served with gravy. Common in Greater Manchester pubs.
Manchester’s classic order of battered fish with chips, often served with mushy peas and curry sauce. A long-standing local takeaway favourite.
Iconic market bakery and café known for Manchester tarts, Eccles cakes and hearty lunches. Casual, busy and deeply rooted in local food culture.
Refined modern British fine dining in a restored townhouse. Known for tasting menus, polished service and one of Manchester’s top culinary reputations.
Lively Indian restaurant famous for bold curries, grills and chaat. A long-established Rusholme favourite with a casual, energetic atmosphere.
Moderate for the UK: hotels often cost less than London, while dining and transit are manageable for tourists with many mid-range options.
Service may be included. If not, 10-12.5% in restaurants is common for good service. Round up or add a little for taxis. Cafe tipping is optional.
Find answers to the most common questions about traveling from Cardiff to Manchester by bus. From journey times and ticket prices to direct connections, first and last departures, and even whether the route is scenic, our FAQs cover everything you need to plan your trip. Whether you’re looking for the fastest bus, the cheapest option, or tips for making the most of your visit at Manchester, this guide helps you travel smarter and with confidence.

Most Cardiff to Manchester buses use the Cardiff, Sophia Gardens to Manchester, Coach Station station pair, with some services arriving at Manchester, Shudehill Interchange. Use this guide to compare Cardiff and Manchester bus stations on this route, check city-centre transport, alongside checking practicalities like bus station facilities and services.
Cardiff, North Road (Friary Gardens) has practical services for this route, including Wifi, Parking, ATM, Taxis, Accessibility, WC, Shower, and Ticket Office.
Wi-Fi is available at Cardiff, North Road (Friary Gardens). ATMs are available at Cardiff, North Road (Friary Gardens).
Ticket office support is available at Cardiff, North Road (Friary Gardens).
Available at Cardiff, North Road (Friary Gardens): Parking, Taxis, WC.
Accessibility facilities are available at Cardiff, North Road (Friary Gardens): Accessible for passengers with reduced mobility.
Cardiff, Sophia Gardens has practical services for this route, including Wifi, Parking, ATM, Taxis, Accessibility, WC, Shower, and Ticket Office.
Wi-Fi is available at Cardiff, Sophia Gardens. ATMs are available at Cardiff, Sophia Gardens.
Ticket office support is available at Cardiff, Sophia Gardens.
Available at Cardiff, Sophia Gardens: Parking, Taxis, WC.
Accessibility facilities are available at Cardiff, Sophia Gardens: Basic accessibility features available.
Manchester, Coach Station has practical services for this route, including Wifi, Parking, Dining, ATM, Taxis, Accessibility, WC, and Ticket Office.
Food options include: Café at the Station (in the station), Fast Food Express (in the station).
Free Wi-Fi. ATMs are located within the station for cash withdrawals.
Ticket office support is available at Manchester, Coach Station.
Available at Manchester, Coach Station: Parking, Taxis, WC.
Accessibility facilities are available at Manchester, Coach Station: Ramps, assistance.
Manchester, Airport is 2 km from Manchester city centre. Public transport options include:
Manchester, Airport has practical services for this route, including Wifi, Parking, Dining, ATM, Taxis, Accessibility, WC, Shower, and Ticket Office.
Food options include: Burger King (in the station), Giraffe (in the station).
Free Wi-Fi. ATMs are located throughout the airport, offering multiple currency options.
Ticket office support is available at Manchester, Airport.
Available at Manchester, Airport: Parking, Taxis, WC.
Accessibility facilities are available at Manchester, Airport: Elevators, ramps, assistance.
Manchester, Shudehill Interchange has practical services for this route, including Wifi, Parking, ATM, Taxis, Accessibility, WC, and Ticket Office.
Free Wi-Fi. ATMs are located near the main entrance.
Ticket office support is available at Manchester, Shudehill Interchange.
Available at Manchester, Shudehill Interchange: Parking, Taxis, WC.
Accessibility facilities are available at Manchester, Shudehill Interchange: Elevators, ramps.
Here are some other resources that might have the information you need