There are 8 ways to get from Cardiff to Athlone by train, ferry, bus, car, car ferry, or plane
Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner.
Train, ferry
best- 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 Re / ...
11h 51m€124–228Fly Cardiff Airport to Dublin Airport, train
cheapest- Fly from Cardiff Airport (CWL) to Dublin Airport (DUB)plane CWL - DUB
- Take the train from Dublin Heuston to Athlonetrain
7h 30m€44–250Train, ferry, bus
- Take the train from Cardiff Central to Pembroke Docktrain
- Take the ferry from Pembroke Dock to Rosslare Harbourferry
- Take the bus from Rosslare Europort to Waterford Bus Stationbus 40
- Take the bus from Waterford Bus Station to Athlone Stationbus 73
15h 53m€97–206Drive, car ferry
- Drive from Cardiff to Cairnryancar
- Take the car ferry from Cairnryan to Belfastcarferry
- Drive from Belfast to Athlonecar
12h 31m€150–262Train 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 25m€57–190Train 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 Great Central to Dublin Connollytrain
- Take the train from Dublin Heuston to Athlonetrain
9h 35m€87–206Train to Bristol Airport, fly to Ireland West Airport Knock, train
- Take the train from Cardiff Central to Bristol Temple Meadstrain
- Fly from Bristol Airport (BRS) to Ireland West Airport Knock (NOC)plane BRS - NOC
- Take the train from Claremorris to Athlonetrain
8h 30m€74–249Train, train to Exeter, fly to Dublin Airport
- Take the train from Cardiff Central to Bristol Temple Meadstrain
- Take the train from Bristol Temple Meads to Exeter St Davidstrain
- Fly from Exeter (EXT) to Dublin Airport (DUB)plane EXT - DUB
- Take the train from Dublin Heuston to Athlonetrain
9h 37m€130–397
Cardiff to Athlone by train, ferry, foot, and tram
Questions & Answers
The cheapest way to get from Cardiff to Athlone is to fly and train which costs €40 - €250 and takes 7h 30m.
The fastest way to get from Cardiff to Athlone is to train and fly which takes 7h 25m and costs €55 - €190.
The distance between Cardiff and Athlone is 613 km.
The best way to get from Cardiff to Athlone without a car is to train and ferry which takes 11h 51m and costs €120 - €230.
It takes approximately 11h 51m to get from Cardiff to Athlone, including transfers.
There are 70+ 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 Holyhead, walk to Holyhead Ferry, take the ferry to Dublin Ferryport B+I, walk to The Point, take the vehicle to Heuston, walk to Dublin Heuston, then take the train to Athlone. Alternatively, you can take a train from Cardiff Central to Athlone Station via Pembroke Dock, Pembroke Dock, Rosslare Harbour, Rosslare Europort, and Waterford Bus Station in around 15h 53m.
- Website
- ryanair.com
Flights from Bristol Airport to Dublin Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 5m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- €24–110
Flights from Cardiff Airport to Dublin Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 5m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- €23–190
Flights from Bristol Airport to Ireland West Airport Knock
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 15m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- €40–180
- Website
- easyjet.com
Flights from Bristol Airport to Belfast International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 11m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- €28–110
Flights from Bristol Airport to Belfast International Airport via Newcastle
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 5m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, and Friday
- Estimated price
- €28–110
Flights from Bristol Airport to Belfast International Airport via Edinburgh
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 12m
- When
- Wednesday and Saturday
- Estimated price
- €28–110
Flights from Bristol Airport to Belfast International Airport via Glasgow
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 10m
- When
- Friday
- Estimated price
- €28–110
- Website
- aerlingus.com
Flights from Bristol Airport to Dublin Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 17m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- €40–150
Flights from Exeter to Dublin Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 25m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- €50–210
- Phone
- 03333 211 202
- Website
- tfw.wales
Train from Cardiff Central to Holyhead
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 52m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- €100–180
- Website
- https://tfw.wales/
Train from Cardiff Central to Pembroke Dock
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 21m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- €50–90
- Website
- https://tfw.wales/
- Phone
- +353 1 836 6222
- info@irishrail.ie
- Website
- irishrail.ie
Train from Dublin Heuston to Athlone
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 20m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €11–17
- Website
- https://www.irishrail.ie/en-ie/
- Flexible
- €11–17
Train from Belfast Great Central to Dublin Connolly
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 13m
- Frequency
- Every 3 hours
- Estimated price
- €15–22
- Website
- https://www.irishrail.ie/en-ie/
- Flexible
- €15–22
Train from Claremorris to Athlone
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 11m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- €8–13
- Website
- https://www.irishrail.ie/en-ie/
- Flexible
- €8–13
- Phone
- +44 3457 000 125
- gwr.feedback@gwr.com
- Website
- gwr.com
Train from Cardiff Central to Pembroke Dock
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 8m
- Frequency
- Once a week
- Estimated price
- €60–120
- Website
- https://www.gwr.com/
Train from Cardiff Central to Bristol Temple Meads
- Ave. Duration
- 46 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €19–40
- Website
- https://www.gwr.com/
Train from Bristol Temple Meads to Exeter St Davids
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 37m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €35–75
- Website
- https://www.gwr.com/
Train from Cardiff Central to Bristol Temple Meads
- Ave. Duration
- 49 min
- Frequency
- Once a week
- Estimated price
- €22–35
- Website
- https://www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/
Train from Bristol Temple Meads to Exeter St Davids
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 2m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €45–65
- Website
- https://www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/
- Phone
- +44 28 9066 6630
- Website
- translink.co.uk
Train from Belfast Great Central to Dublin Connolly
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 13m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €20–28
- Website
- https://www.translink.co.uk/
- Phone
- 0818 15 15 15
- Website
- expressway.ie
Bus from Rosslare Europort to Waterford Bus Station
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 25m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- €15–21
- Website
- https://www.expressway.ie/
- Phone
- +353 1 836 6111
- Website
- buseireann.ie
Bus from Rosslare Europort to Waterford Bus Station
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 56m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- €9–14
- Website
- https://www.buseireann.ie/
Bus from Waterford Bus Station to Athlone Station
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 6m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- €19–28
- Website
- https://www.buseireann.ie/
- Phone
- +44 844 770 7070
- info.se@stenaline.com
- Website
- stenaline.dk
Ferry from Holyhead Ferry to Dublin Ferryport B+I
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 15m
- Frequency
- 4 times a day
- Estimated price
- €8–35
- Website
- https://www.stenalinetravel.com/
Car ferry from Cairnryan to Belfast
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 15m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- €6–42
- Website
- https://www.stenalinetravel.com/
- Passenger
- €42
- Car Passenger
- €172
- Phone
- +353 818 300 400
- info@irishferries.com
- Website
- irishferries.com
Ferry from Pembroke Dock to Rosslare Harbour
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 1m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- €16–45
- Website
- https://www.irishferries.com/uk-en/Travel-to-Ireland
Want to know more about travelling around Ireland
Rome2Rio's Travel Guide series provide vital information for the global traveller. Filled with useful and timely travel information, the guides answer all the hard questions - such as 'How do I buy a ticket?', 'Should I book online before I travel? ', 'How much should I expect to pay?', 'Do the trains and buses have Wifi?' - to help you get the most out of your next trip.
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