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简体中文Not yet assessed Our reading of the sources below, not an official rating.
Stations, bridges and harbours from our guide where we hold a photo; each links to the area page that lists it.
Paying for local transport in Cardiff
Transport for Wales.Transport for Wales Rail lists Advance, season, single, return, flexible and off-peak tickets, sold online, in its app or at stations, with no booking fees. Its site also promoted a £1 bus fare for children and young people (as shown on Nov 1, 2026).TfW ticket types (opens in new tab)
Without a car
Getting here
By train
Visit Cardiff says Cardiff is less than two hours from London by train, with services every 30 minutes; National Rail lists a fastest time of 1 hr 45 min from London, 47 min from Bristol and 3 hr 12 min from Manchester. Great Western Railway runs from London, Bristol, Bath and the south coast, Transport for Wales runs within Wales and from Manchester, and CrossCountry runs hourly from Birmingham and Nottingham. 1
National Rail: Visit Cardiff by train (opens in new tab) · Great Western Railway (opens in new tab) · Transport for Wales (opens in new tab) · Visit Cardiff: travel to Cardiff (opens in new tab)
By air
Visit Cardiff says Cardiff Airport is in the Vale of Glamorgan, 13 miles west of the city, with direct flights from cities including Edinburgh, Belfast, Dublin, Paris and Amsterdam, and public transport to the city. 2
By coach
Visit Cardiff lists National Express services from London, along the M4 corridor, from Birmingham and from Heathrow, Gatwick and Bristol airports, FlixBus services, and a daily TrawsCymru service from mid Wales. 3
National Express (opens in new tab) · TrawsCymru (opens in new tab)
Once you are there
Walk the center
Visit Cardiff says the centre is compact, level and largely pedestrianised, and that Cardiff Bay is within walking distance. 4
Waterbus to the Bay
Boats run between a stop in Bute Park near the West Gate and the dock in front of Mermaid Quay and the Pierhead Building. 5
Trains and buses
Transport for Wales trains link Cardiff Queen Street with Cardiff Bay; Cardiff Bus covers the city and takes app, contactless or exact-cash fares. 6
Bikes and the Taff Trail
Visit Cardiff recommends the traffic-free Taff Trail and lists Pedal Power bike hire in Pontcanna and Cardiff Bay. 7
Stops near each area
From our area guides (Cardiff): the stations and stops listed for each base. See each area's Getting there page for more.
City centre and Cardiff Castle
- 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
Cardiff Bay
- Cardiff Bay: Transport for Wales. Station at the north end of the bay area, with a regular service from Cardiff Queen Street
- Waterbus stop, Mermaid Quay: Cardiff boat tours. In front of Mermaid Quay and the Pierhead Building; boats run to Bute Park in the city centre
- Cardiff Bus: Cardiff Bus. Buses link the bay with the city centre; pay by app, contactless or exact cash
Cathays Park and Roath
- Cathays: Transport for Wales. Station next to the Sherman Theatre, a short walk from Cathays Park
- Cardiff Queen Street: Transport for Wales. The nearest main station for Roath and the east end of the centre
- Cardiff Bus: Cardiff Bus. Network across the city; plan journeys with Traveline Cymru
Pontcanna, Canton and Llandaff
- Cardiff Bus: Cardiff Bus. Network across the city, including Canton and Llandaff; plan journeys with Traveline Cymru
- Taff Trail: Walking and cycling route. Visit Cardiff says the trail runs through Pontcanna Fields and on north towards Brecon
- Pedal Power: Bike hire. Visit Cardiff lists Pedal Power bike hire in Pontcanna, near the city centre
No schedules or fares are copied here: check the operator or Traveline for the day you travel. Taxis and ride-hailing apps operate in most towns, but we have no sourced coverage data for rural areas, so do not count on one at short notice.
With a car
By car
The M4 runs along the north of the city; Visit Cardiff puts central London about a three-hour drive away, and lists car parks in the centre, Cardiff Bay and the neighbourhoods. 8
General rules (driving on the left, licenses, roundabouts, speed limits in mph, parking, tolls, EV charging): Driving in Britain. Charge points: Zapmap (opens in new tab).
To and from other regions
Straight-line distance from our region centers, and the fastest train time that National Rail publishes on its destination pages (not a schedule; it may include a change). Where we found no figure we say so. The full table is on getting between regions.
| To or from | Straight line | Fastest train (National Rail) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bath | 58 km (36 miles) | 1 h 5 min 1 | — |
| Bristol | 40 km (25 miles) | 47 min 1 | — |
| Cambridge | 241 km (150 miles) | No official figure found. Check National Rail (opens in new tab) | — |
| Cornwall | 190 km (118 miles) | No official figure found. Check National Rail (opens in new tab) | — |
| Edinburgh | 497 km (309 miles) | No official figure found. Check National Rail (opens in new tab) | — |
| Glasgow | 492 km (306 miles) | No official figure found. Check National Rail (opens in new tab) | — |
| Liverpool | 214 km (133 miles) | No official figure found. Check National Rail (opens in new tab) | — |
| London | 211 km (131 miles) | 1 h 45 min 1 | — |
| Manchester | 231 km (144 miles) | 3 h 12 min 1 | — |
| Northern Ireland | 426 km (264 miles) | No official figure found. Check National Rail (opens in new tab) | — |
| Oxford | 136 km (85 miles) | No official figure found. Check National Rail (opens in new tab) | — |
| Portsmouth and Southampton | 152 km (94 miles) | 2 h 21 min 1 | National Rail's Cardiff page gives Southampton to Cardiff as 2 hr 21 min and Portsmouth to Cardiff as 3 hr 13 min. |
| Stratford & Warwickshire | 136 km (84 miles) | No official figure found. Check National Rail (opens in new tab) | — |
| The Cotswolds | 107 km (67 miles) | No official figure found. Check National Rail (opens in new tab) | — |
| The Jurassic Coast | 101 km (63 miles) | No official figure found. Check National Rail (opens in new tab) | — |
| The Lake District | 331 km (206 miles) | No official figure found. Check National Rail (opens in new tab) | — |
| The Peak District | 218 km (136 miles) | No official figure found. Check National Rail (opens in new tab) | — |
| The Scottish Highlands | 646 km (401 miles) | No official figure found. Check National Rail (opens in new tab) | — |
| Wales | 100 km (62 miles) | No official figure found. Check National Rail (opens in new tab) | — |
| York | 310 km (192 miles) | No official figure found. Check National Rail (opens in new tab) | — |
Figures retrieved Oct 25, 2026 for the intercity data. Schedules change.
Stations in our data
25 stations and stops (Cardiff)
OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), via Overpass API; filtered from src/data/regions/wales/stations.json to the Cardiff bbox (no new Overpass query). Fetched 2026-11-01. This is the list behind the near-me page, not a complete list of stations.
- Birchgrove (rail), Transport for Wales Rail
- Cardiff Bay (rail), Transport for Wales Rail
- Cardiff Bus Interchange (bus), Transport for Wales
- Cardiff Central (rail), Transport for Wales Rail
- Cardiff Queen Street (rail), Transport for Wales Rail
- Cathays (rail), Transport for Wales Rail
- Cogan (rail), Transport for Wales Rail
- Coryton (rail), Transport for Wales Rail
- Danescourt (rail), Transport for Wales Rail
- Fairwater (rail), Transport for Wales Rail
- Grangetown (rail), Transport for Wales Rail
- Heath High Level (rail), Transport for Wales Rail
- Heath Low Level (rail), Transport for Wales Rail
- Heath Park High Level (tram)
- Lisvane and Thornhill (rail), Transport for Wales Rail
- Llandaf (rail), Transport for Wales Rail
- Llanishen (rail), Transport for Wales Rail
- Ninian Park (rail), Transport for Wales Rail
- Radyr (rail), Transport for Wales Rail
- Rhiwbina (rail), Transport for Wales Rail
- Sophia Gardens Coach Station (bus)
- Taffs Well (rail), Transport for Wales Rail
- Tŷ Glas (rail), Transport for Wales Rail
- Waun-gron Park (rail), Transport for Wales Rail
- Whitchurch (rail), Transport for Wales Rail
Official links
- Traveline Cymru (opens in new tab): Journey planner for buses and trains in Wales
- Cardiff Bus (opens in new tab): City bus routes, tickets and the app
- Transport for Wales (opens in new tab): Trains in and around Cardiff, including Cardiff Bay and Cathays
- Visit Cardiff: travel around (opens in new tab): Walking, cycling, waterbus, taxis and maps
More on Cardiff: Cardiff guide · how to get there
Questions people ask
Can I get around Cardiff without a car?
We have not yet assessed getting around Cardiff. The official links below, and the region guide, are the place to start.
Do I need to check a driving zone in Cardiff?
We found no charging or low emission zone for Cardiff in the official pages we read. Check the council site before you drive in.