How to travel from Edinburgh to Cardiff
Travel optionsfrom Edinburgh to Cardiff
You can get from Edinburgh to Cardiff by train, bus or flight.
Our recommendation
To get from Edinburgh to Cardiff on Dec 01 we recommend taking a bus because it’s the best combination of price and speed.
Cheapest
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Travel Information to Cardiff from Edinburgh
 | Distance | 308 miles (497 km) |
 | Available travel modes | Bus, ferry, flight or train |
 | Ticket price range | $51 - $282 |
 | Cheapest mode | Bus • $51 (€46) • 13 h 15 min |
 | Fastest mode | Flight • $175 (€160) • 1 h 15 min |
 | Popular travel companies | National Express, Loganair or Transport for Wales |
Take a bus, ferry, flight or train to travel 308 miles (497 km) from Edinburgh to Cardiff. If speed is a priority, then a flight is the best option with an average duration of 1 h 15 min; whereas, if saving money is more important, then a bus is the best option with prices starting as low as $51 (€46). The most popular travel companies which serve this trip are National Express, Loganair or Transport for Wales among others. Travelers can even take a direct from 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.
Travel Tips: Travel from Edinburgh to Cardiff
You can travel between Edinburgh and Cardiff 4 different ways: bus, ferry, flight or train.
The cheapest way to travel to Cardiff from Edinburgh is by taking a bus with an average price of $51 (€46).
This is compared to other travel options to Cardiff:
A bus is $124 (€114) less than a flight for this journey with tickets for a flight from Edinburgh to Cardiff costing on average $175 (€160).
A bus is $232 (€212) less than a train for this route with tickets for a train from Edinburgh to Cardiff costing on average $282 (€258).
The fastest way from Edinburgh to Cardiff is by flight with an average journey time of 1 h 15 min.
There are alternative travel options to Cardiff that can usually take longer:
In comparison, going by bus can take 13 h 15 min on average.
In comparison, getting to Cardiff by train can take on average 5 h 53 min.
You should expect to travel around 308 miles (497 km) between Edinburgh and Cardiff.
The average frequency per day from Edinburgh to Cardiff is:
- 6 trains a day.
However, we recommend checking specific travel dates for your journey between Edinburgh and Cardiff as scheduled services by bus, ferry, flight or train can vary by season or day of the week.
These are the most popular departure and arrival points when traveling from Edinburgh to Cardiff:
- Most travelers board their bus from Edinburgh, Elder Street and arrive in Cardiff, Sophia Gardens.
- Most travelers board their plane from Edinburgh Airport and arrive in Cardiff Airport.
- Most travelers take a train from Edinburgh Waverley to Cardiff Central.
Omio works with many trusted partners that can help you travel the best way from Edinburgh to Cardiff:
- You can take a bus from Edinburgh to Cardiff with National Express. Cheap tickets can be found for $51 (€46) with National Express from Edinburgh to Cardiff.
- You can travel by plane to Cardiff from Edinburgh with Loganair, and you can find Loganair Edinburgh to Cardiff tickets for $175 (€160) on Omio.
- You can go to Cardiff from Edinburgh by train with Transport for Wales. You'll see cheap train tickets for $282 (€258) with Transport for Wales from Edinburgh to Cardiff on Omio.
When planning your trip from Edinburgh to Cardiff, it’s good to keep in mind what tickets to buy and their prices in the next 7 days:
- Bus tickets are costing $51 (€46) one way on average.
- Plane tickets cost on average $175 (€160) one way.
- Train tickets are costing $282 (€258) one way on average.
However, we recommend buying tickets from Edinburgh to Cardiff online a few months in advance to get the best deals and save money on your upcoming journey.
Travelling from Edinburgh to Cardiff: related information
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