There are 7 ways to get from Cardiff to Athlone by plane, train, ferry, car, car ferry, or bus
Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner.
Fly Cardiff Airport to Dublin Airport, train
best- Fly from Cardiff Airport (CWL) to Dublin Airport (DUB)plane CWL - DUB
- Take the train from Dublin Heuston to Athlonetrain
6h 38m€44–228Train, ferry
- Take the train from Cardiff Central to Holyheadtrain
- Take the ferry from Holyhead Ferry to Dublin Ferryport B+Iferry 0
- Take the train from Dublin Heuston to Athlonetrain Ic / ...
11h 37m€135–216Drive, car ferry
- Drive from Cardiff to Liverpoolcar
- Take the carferry from Liverpool to Isle of Man Douglascarferry
- Take the carferry from Isle of Man Douglas to Dublin Terminal 1carferry
- Drive from Dublin Terminal 1 to Athlonecar
11h 39m€102–453Train, ferry, bus
- Take the train from Cardiff Central to Holyheadtrain
- Take the ferry from Holyhead to Dublin Ferryport B+Iferry
- Take the bus from Heuston Station to Arcadiabus 763
12h 52m€183–389Train to Bristol Airport, fly to Dublin Airport, train
- Take the train from Cardiff Central to Bristol Temple Meadstrain
- Fly from Bristol Airport (BRS) to Dublin Airport (DUB)plane BRS - DUB
- Take the train from Dublin Heuston to Athlonetrain
7h 17m€50–197Train to Bristol Airport, fly to Belfast International Airport, train
- Take the train from Cardiff Central to Bristol Temple Meadstrain
- Fly from Bristol Airport (BRS) to Belfast International Airport (BFS)plane BRS - BFS
- Take the train from Belfast Grand Central to Dublin Connollytrain
- Take the train from Dublin Heuston to Athlonetrain
9h 16m€94–251Fly Cardiff Airport to George Best Belfast City Airport, train
- Fly from Cardiff Airport (CWL) to George Best Belfast City Airport (BHD)plane CWL - BHD
- Take the train from Belfast Grand Central to Dublin Connollytrain
- Take the train from Dublin Heuston to Athlonetrain
8h 41m€107–280
Cardiff to Athlone by train, ferry, foot, and tram
Comparing Your Travel Options
The cheapest way to get from Cardiff to Athlone is to fly and train which costs €40 - €230 and takes 6h 38m.
The fastest way to get from Cardiff to Athlone is to fly and train which takes 6h 38m and costs €40 - €230.
The distance between Cardiff and Athlone is 465 km.
The best way to get from Cardiff to Athlone without a car is to train and ferry which takes 11h 37m and costs €130 - €220.
It takes approximately 6h 38m to get from Cardiff to Athlone, including transfers.
There are 71+ hotels available in Athlone.
What companies run services between Cardiff, Wales and Athlone, Ireland?
There is no direct connection from Cardiff to Athlone. However, you can take the train to Barry, walk to Barry Hotel, take the line 304 bus to Cardiff Airport, walk to Cardiff Airport (CWL) airport, fly to Dublin Airport (DUB), walk to Terminal 2 Zone 19, take the line 782 bus to Heuston Station, walk to Dublin Heuston, then take the train to Athlone. Alternatively, you can take a train from Cardiff Central to Athlone via Holyhead, Holyhead Ferry, Dublin Ferryport B+I, The Point, Heuston, and Dublin Heuston in around 11h 37m.
- Website
- ryanair.com
Flights from Cardiff Airport to Dublin Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- €25–180
Flights from Bristol Airport to Dublin Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 5m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- €21–120
- Website
- easyjet.com
Flights from Bristol Airport to Belfast International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 10m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- €35–140
Flights from Bristol Airport to Belfast International Airport via Glasgow
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 10m
- When
- Friday
- Estimated price
- €35–140
Flights from Bristol Airport to Belfast International Airport via Edinburgh
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 16m
- When
- Sunday and Monday
- Estimated price
- €35–140
- Website
- aerlingus.com
Flights from Cardiff Airport to Dublin Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 15m
- When
- Friday to Sunday
- Estimated price
- €170–310
Flights from Bristol Airport to Dublin Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 17m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- €35–150
Flights from Cardiff Airport to George Best Belfast City Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 25m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- €55–220
- Phone
- 0818 294 015
- Website
- Iarnród Éireann (Irish Rail)
Train from Dublin Heuston to Athlone
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 33m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €11–17
- Website
- Iarnród Éireann (Irish Rail)
- Flexible
- €11–17
Train from Dublin Heuston to Athlone
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 33m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €11–17
- Website
- Iarnród Éireann (Irish Rail)
- Flexible
- €11–17
Train from Dublin Heuston to Athlone
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 33m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €11–17
- Website
- Iarnród Éireann (Irish Rail)
- Flexible
- €11–17
Train from Belfast Grand Central to Dublin Connolly
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 13m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €15–22
- Website
- Iarnród Éireann (Irish Rail)
- Flexible
- €15–22
Train from Dublin Heuston to Athlone
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 33m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €11–17
- Website
- Iarnród Éireann (Irish Rail)
- Flexible
- €11–17
Train from Belfast Grand Central to Dublin Connolly
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 13m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €15–22
- Website
- Iarnród Éireann (Irish Rail)
- Flexible
- €15–22
Train from Dublin Heuston to Athlone
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 33m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €11–17
- Website
- Iarnród Éireann (Irish Rail)
- Flexible
- €11–17
- Phone
- 03333 211 202
- Website
- Transport for Wales
Train from Cardiff Central to Holyhead
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 49m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- €90–150
- Website
- Transport for Wales
Train from Cardiff Central to Holyhead
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 49m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- €90–150
- Website
- Transport for Wales
Train from Cardiff Central to Bristol Temple Meads
- Ave. Duration
- 57 min
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- €15–24
- Website
- Transport for Wales
Train from Cardiff Central to Bristol Temple Meads
- Ave. Duration
- 57 min
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- €15–24
- Website
- Transport for Wales
- Phone
- +44 (0)345 7000 125
- gwr.feedback@gwr.com
- Website
- Great Western Railway (GWR)
Train from Cardiff Central to Bristol Temple Meads
- Ave. Duration
- 52 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €19–35
- Website
- Great Western Railway (GWR)
Train from Cardiff Central to Bristol Temple Meads
- Ave. Duration
- 52 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €19–35
- Website
- Great Western Railway (GWR)
Train from Cardiff Central to Bristol Temple Meads
- Ave. Duration
- 49 min
- Frequency
- Once a week
- Estimated price
- €19–30
- Website
- Cross Country
Train from Cardiff Central to Bristol Temple Meads
- Ave. Duration
- 49 min
- Frequency
- Once a week
- Estimated price
- €19–30
- Website
- Cross Country
- Phone
- +44 28 9066 6630
- Website
- Translink
Train from Belfast Grand Central to Dublin Connolly
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 13m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €20–29
- Website
- Translink
Train from Belfast Grand Central to Dublin Connolly
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 13m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €20–29
- Website
- Translink
- Phone
- +353 91 564 164
- info@citylink.ie
- Website
- Citylink
Bus from Heuston Station to Arcadia
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 50m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- €14–20
- Website
- Citylink
- Phone
- +44 844 770 7070
- info.se@stenaline.com
- Website
- Stena Line
Ferry from Holyhead Ferry to Dublin Ferryport B+I
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 15m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- €30–50
- Website
- Stena Line
- Phone
- +44 8722 992 992
- IOM.Reservations@steam-packet.com
- Website
- steam-packet.com
Car ferry from Liverpool to Isle of Man Douglas
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 45m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- €15–19
- Schedules at
- steam-packet.com
Car ferry from Isle of Man Douglas to Dublin Terminal 1
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 55m
- Frequency
- Once a week
- Estimated price
- €17–325
- Schedules at
- steam-packet.com
- Foot Passanger
- €46
- Motorcycle&Adult
- €166
- Car&Adult
- €325
- Phone
- +353 818 300 400
- info@irishferries.fr
- Website
- Irish Ferries
Ferry from Holyhead to Dublin Ferryport B+I
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 30m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- €75–220
- Website
- Irish Ferries
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