A mini guide to
City centre and Cardiff Castle: getting there
Stops, stations and how to reach City centre and Cardiff Castle
Stops and stations
Getting to City centre and Cardiff Castle
Choose the stop closest to where you are going.
| Stop or station | Services | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Cardiff Central | Transport for Wales, GWR, CrossCountry | Main station, close to the Principality Stadium and Cardiff Castle |
| Cardiff Queen Street | Transport for Wales | The second hub, at the east end of Queen Street, with a regular service to Cardiff Bay |
| Waterbus stop, Bute Park | Cardiff boat tours | Near the West Gate entrance of Bute Park; boats run between the city centre and Cardiff Bay |
| Cardiff Bus | Cardiff Bus | Network across the city; pay by app, contactless, tap on and tap off or exact cash |
Within walking range
Stations near City centre and Cardiff Castle
Stations and stops mapped in OpenStreetMap within 2.5 km of the centre of City centre and Cardiff Castle, nearest first. Distances are straight lines; walking times assume 5 km/h and are a minimum.
| Station or stop | Type | Distance | On foot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cardiff Bus Interchange | Bus or coach station (Transport for Wales) | 400 m | about 4 min |
| Sophia Gardens Coach Station | Bus or coach station | 900 m | about 11 min |
| Cathays | Rail station (Transport for Wales Rail) | 1000 m | about 12 min |
| Grangetown | Rail station (Transport for Wales Rail) | 1.6 km | about 19 min |
Station data: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), read Nov 1, 2026. Check step-free access with the operator before you travel.
Walking from nearby areas
- Cathays Park and Roath: 1.6 km from City centre and Cardiff Castle, about 20 min on foot
- Pontcanna, Canton and Llandaff: 2.1 km from City centre and Cardiff Castle, about 25 min on foot
- Cardiff Bay: 2.2 km from City centre and Cardiff Castle, about 26 min on foot
Reaching Cardiff
Official travel information
Cardiff has its own airport, direct trains from London and the rest of Britain, coaches and the M4. Always check the operator for current times, fares and disruption.
- Traveline Cymru → — Journey planner for buses and trains in Wales
- Cardiff Bus → — City bus routes, tickets and the app
- Transport for Wales → — Trains in and around Cardiff, including Cardiff Bay and Cathays
- Visit Cardiff: travel around → — Walking, cycling, waterbus, taxis and maps
Times, fares and disruption change: use the operator pages above for live information.
Plan your journey here
Enter your starting point and Google Maps will show routes to City centre and Cardiff Castle. Public transport is selected; change it on the map. Check operator sites for live disruption.

While you are here
Things to see in City centre and Cardiff Castle
A few of the sights in the area. The Things to do page lists them all, with directions and official links.
Museum of Cardiff (Amgueddfa Caerdydd)
Free museum of the history of the city, in the Grade II* listed Old Library building.
Bute Park (Parc Bute)
Park and arboretum of 130 acres (53 hectares) that once formed the grounds of Cardiff Castle.
St John the Baptist Church
Grade I listed parish church; apart from the castle, it is the only medieval building left in the city centre.
Cardiff
More areas to explore
Cardiff Bay
The redeveloped docklands: the Senedd, the Millennium Centre and a freshwater bay
Open the mini guide →
Cathays Park and Roath
The Edwardian civic centre and National Museum, then student Cathays and leafy Roath Park
Open the mini guide →
Pontcanna, Canton and Llandaff
Restaurant streets, riverside parkland, a cathedral village and the castles and museum beyond
Open the mini guide →Photo credits
- Cardiff Market (Marchnad Caerdydd): Tiia Monto, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- City centre and Cardiff Castle (area photo): Tiia Monto, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Museum of Cardiff (Amgueddfa Caerdydd): Seth Whales, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Bute Park (Parc Bute): Athena's Pix (Back, but give me time!) profile at Flickr website, CC BY 2.0, source
- St John the Baptist Church: Allie_Caulfield from Germany, CC BY 2.0, source
- Cardiff Bay: GeraintTudur2, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Cathays Park and Roath: User:Yummifruitbat, cropped by User:Ham, CC BY-SA 2.5, source
- Pontcanna, Canton and Llandaff: Bill Boaden, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Photos from Wikimedia Commons, used under the licences shown. All photo credits
Keep exploring Cardiff