How to travel from Reading to Cardiff

Fri, Feb 06
+ Add return
Travel by train, bus with
Great Western Rail
Megabus
FlixBus
National Express
first_great_western
1,000+ more
Great Western Rail
Megabus
FlixBus
National Express
first_great_western
1,000+ more
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Travel Information

Compare train and bus for Reading to Cardiff

Omio recommends booking the train as it is the most popular option from Reading to Cardiff among Omio's users. If you are prioritising price take the bus with prices starting from €9. For those with little time consider booking a train which can get you there in 1h 30m. 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 bus costs an average of €9, and a train costs an average of €33.

Distance: 95 miles (153 km)

Compare train with

Most popular
Train
Bus

€57

Average price

€49

Average price

Cheapest

2h 0m

Average total duration

Fastest

1h 30m

Onboard

+

30m

Additional time*

4h 10m

Average total duration

3h 40m

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 Reading to Cardiff

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

Our recommendation

train

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

Great Western RailP22624
11:13AM1h24
Reading station (RDG)
12:37PMCardiff Central (CDF)
$701One-way
0 transfers

Cheapest

FlixBusFlixBus · FlixBus
09:25AM4h50
Three Mile Cross, Mereoak Lane - Park & Ride
02:15PMCardiff, North Road (Friary Gardens)
$201One-way
1 transfer

Fastest

Great Western RailP22626
12:13PM1h22
Reading station (RDG)
01:35PMCardiff Central (CDF)
$701One-way
0 transfers

Other options

Great Western RailP22621
09:43AM1h24
Reading station (RDG)
11:07AMCardiff Central (CDF)
$991One-way
0 transfers
Great Western RailP22622
10:13AM1h27
Reading station (RDG)
11:40AMCardiff Central (CDF)
$1031One-way
0 transfers
Great Western RailP22620
09:13AM1h24
Reading station (RDG)
10:37AMCardiff Central (CDF)
$1171One-way
0 transfers
FlixBusFlixBus · FlixBus
03:30PM4h50
Three Mile Cross, Mereoak Lane - Park & Ride
08:20PMCardiff, North Road (Friary Gardens)
$261One-way
1 transfer
FlixBusFlixBus · FlixBus
01:30AM5h45
Three Mile Cross, Mereoak Lane - Park & Ride
07:15AMCardiff, North Road (Friary Gardens)
$201One-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 Reading 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 Reading to Cardiff.

FAQs
There are 2 options to travel between Reading and Cardiff including taking a train and bus.
The cheapest way to travel from Reading to Cardiff is a bus with an average price of $11 (€9).

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

A bus is $30 (€24) less than a train for this route with tickets for a train from Reading to Cardiff costing on average $41 (€33).

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

Other travel options to Cardiff take longer:

Bus takes on average 2h 35m.

The distance from Reading to Cardiff is approximately 95 miles (153 km).
The average frequency per day from Reading to Cardiff is:
  • Around 13 buses per day.
  • Around 7 trains per day.

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

Travelling from Reading to Cardiff: related information

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

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

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