Edinburgh to Cardiff

General Information about the journey from Edinburgh to Cardiff

It is possible to travel between the cities of Cardiff and Edinburgh by plane, bus or train. The quickest and only direct route is by plane, with journeys by bus taking the longest. All airports and stations have good local transport links.

Buses from Edinburgh to Cardiff

National Express Coaches operate four services a day, with a journey time of approximately 12 hours. There are three morning departures and one just before 10:00 p.m., seven days a week. Connections are made at Birmingham or London, with buses departing from Elder Street Bus Station and arriving at Cardiff Central Bus Station. Both are conveniently located for the city centers.

Trains from Edinburgh to Cardiff

Trains between Edinburgh Waverley Station and Cardiff Central Station take around 6 to 7 hours, with one or two departures an hour from early morning, until around 5:00 p.m. Later trains involve more connections and longer journey times. The service is operated by Cross Country, First Great Western, Virgin and Arriva Wales, with connections at Crewe or Bristol Parkway. There is a reduced service on Sundays.

Flights from Edinburgh to Cardiff

There are six daily direct flights between the two cities operated by Flybe and Easyjet, with flight times of approximately 5 hours. The first departure is around 8:00 a.m. and the last plane leaves just before 9:00 p.m. Flights depart from Edinburgh International Airport, 9 km from the city center and land at either Cardiff Airport, 19 km West of the city, or Bristol International Airport, 70 km from Cardiff. Other routes involve connections in London, or outside the United Kingdom, and have longer journey times.