How to travel from Cardiff to Reading

Thu, Feb 05
+ Add return
Travel by train, bus with
Great Western Rail
Megabus
FlixBus
first_great_western
Deutsche Bahn
1,000+ more
Great Western Rail
Megabus
FlixBus
first_great_western
Deutsche Bahn
1,000+ more
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Travel Information

Compare train and bus for Cardiff to Reading

Omio recommends booking the train as it is the most popular option from Cardiff to Reading among Omio's users. If you are prioritising price take the train with prices starting from €33. For those with little time consider booking a train which can get you there in 1h 29m. In case you are seeking to minimise your carbon footprint the train is your best bet as it emits only 0.0 - 0.1kg. The ticket price range depends on the travel mode: a train costs an average of €33, and a bus costs an average of €10.

Distance: 95 miles (153 km)

Compare train with

Most popular
Train
Bus

€52

Average price

Cheapest

€55

Average price

1h 59m

Average total duration

Fastest

1h 29m

Onboard

+

30m

Additional time*

3h 21m

Average total duration

2h 51m

Onboard

+

30m

Additional time*

0.0 - 0.1kg

CO2 emissions

Lowest

0.2 - 0.4kg

CO2 emissions

Great Western Rail

Most popular train company

Megabus

Most popular bus company

Direct Options

Direct Options

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

Travel options
from Cardiff to Reading

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

Our recommendation

train

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

Great Western RailP22799
10:18AM1h27
Cardiff Central (CDF)
11:45AMReading station (RDG)
$751One-way
0 transfers

Cheapest

FlixBusFlixBus · FlixBus
09:15AM4h45
Cardiff, North Road (Friary Gardens)
02:00PMThree Mile Cross, Mereoak Lane - Park & Ride
$181One-way
1 transfer

Fastest

Great Western RailP22799
10:18AM1h27
Cardiff Central (CDF)
11:45AMReading station (RDG)
$751One-way
0 transfers

Other options

Great Western RailP22798
09:49AM1h29
Cardiff Central (CDF)
11:18AMReading station (RDG)
$751One-way
0 transfers
Great Western RailP22727 · P22589
10:30AM2h10
Cardiff Central (CDF)
12:40PMReading station (RDG)
$811One-way
1 transfer
Great Western RailP22797
09:19AM1h31
Cardiff Central (CDF)
10:50AMReading station (RDG)
$1071One-way
0 transfers
FlixBusFlixBus · FlixBus
04:00PM4h35
Cardiff, North Road (Friary Gardens)
08:35PMThree Mile Cross, Mereoak Lane - Park & Ride
$221One-way
1 transfer
FlixBusFlixBus · FlixBus
11:35PM5h05
Cardiff, North Road (Friary Gardens)
04:40AMThree Mile Cross, Mereoak Lane - Park & Ride
$221One-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 Reading

Travel to Reading 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 Reading.

FAQs
There are 2 options to travel between Cardiff and Reading including taking a train and bus.
The cheapest way to travel from Cardiff to Reading is a bus with an average price of $13 (€10).

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

A bus is $29 (€23) less than a train for this route with tickets for a train from Cardiff to Reading costing on average $41 (€33).

The fastest way to travel from Cardiff to Reading is by train with an average journey time of 1h 22m.

Other travel options to Reading take longer:

Bus takes on average 2h 50m.

The distance from Cardiff to Reading is approximately 95 miles (153 km).
The average frequency per day from Cardiff to Reading is:
  • Around 12 buses per day.
  • Around 6 trains per day.

However, we recommend checking specific travel dates for your route between Cardiff and Reading 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 Cardiff to Reading:
  • Trains mostly depart from Cardiff Central (CDF) and arrive in Reading station (RDG).
  • Buses mostly depart from Cardiff, Sophia Gardens and arrive in Reading, Blagrave Street.
  • Ferries mostly depart from Southampton Vehicle Ferry Terminal and arrive in West Cowes.
If finding a good deal is your main consideration for your trip from Cardiff to Reading, then we'll help you find the best value travel companies for you:
  • Travel with Great Western Rail, first_great_western to go to Reading by train.
  • Travel with Megabus, FlixBus to go to Reading by bus.
Yes, there are direct services available from Cardiff to Reading with the following travel companies:
  • 5 direct trains per day with Great Western Rail, first_great_western.
  • 0 direct buses per day with Megabus.
Omio customers who travel from Cardiff to Reading often also extend their vacation to go to London, London Paddington (PAD), Longford, Oxford, Manchester. Omio can help you plan your trip by finding the best connections between Reading and these popular destinations at a great price.

Travelling from Cardiff to Reading: related information

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

HomeTravelTravel to United KingdomTravel to ReadingHow to travel from Cardiff to Reading

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