There are 8 ways to get from Cardiff to Athlone by car, car ferry, train, ferry, bus, 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.
Drive, car ferry
best- Drive from Cardiff to Liverpoolcar
- Take the car ferry from Liverpool to Isle of Man Douglascarferry
- Take the car ferry from Isle of Man Douglas to Dublin Terminal 1carferry
- Drive from Dublin Terminal 1 to Athlonecar
11h 40m€99–451Fly 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
6h 47m€43–219Train, 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 Re / ...
11h 47m€127–236Bus, ferry
- Take the bus from Sophia Gardens to Upper Park Roadbus 112
- Take the ferry from Pembroke Dock to Rosslare Harbourferry
- Take the bus from Rosslare Europort to Waterford Bus Stnbus 40
- Take the bus from Waterford Bus Stn to Athlone Stnbus 73
16h 47m€72–234Train 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 18m€67–187Train 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 39m€103–214Fly 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 Great Central to Dublin Connollytrain
- Take the train from Dublin Heuston to Athlonetrain
9h 6m€98–284Train, 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 29m€126–357
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 - €220 and takes 6h 47m.
The fastest way to get from Cardiff to Athlone is to fly and train which takes 6h 47m and costs €40 - €220.
The distance between Cardiff and Athlone is 674 km.
The best way to get from Cardiff to Athlone without a car is to train and ferry which takes 11h 47m and costs €120 - €240.
It takes approximately 11h 40m to get from Cardiff to Athlone, including transfers.
There are 74+ 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 drive to Liverpool, take the car ferry to Isle of Man Douglas, take the car ferry to Dublin Terminal 1, then drive 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 47m.
- Website
- easyjet.com
Flights from Bristol Airport to Belfast International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 11m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- €35–110
Flights from Bristol Airport to Belfast International Airport via Newcastle
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 50m
- When
- Friday
- Estimated price
- €35–110
Flights from Bristol Airport to Belfast International Airport via Glasgow
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 10m
- When
- Friday
- Estimated price
- €35–110
- Website
- ryanair.com
Flights from Bristol Airport to Dublin Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 5m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- €24–100
Flights from Cardiff Airport to Dublin Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- €23–170
- Website
- aerlingus.com
Flights from Bristol Airport to Dublin Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 17m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- €35–130
Flights from Cardiff Airport to George Best Belfast City Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 20m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- €50–230
Flights from Exeter to Dublin Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 20m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- €55–160
- Phone
- 03333 211 202
- Website
- tfw.wales
Train from Cardiff Central to Holyhead
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 49m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- €100–180
- Website
- https://tfw.wales/
- Phone
- 0818 294 015
- 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
- Phone
- +44 3457 000 125
- gwr.feedback@gwr.com
- Website
- gwr.com
Train from Cardiff Central to Bristol Temple Meads
- Ave. Duration
- 52 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 5m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €40–65
- 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
- 08717 81 81 81
- Website
- nationalexpress.com
Bus from Sophia Gardens to Upper Park Road
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 45m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- €21–55
- Website
- https://www.nationalexpress.com/en
- Phone
- 0818 15 15 15
- Website
- expressway.ie
Bus from Rosslare Europort to Waterford Bus Stn
- 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 Stn
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 56m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- €9–14
- Website
- https://www.buseireann.ie/
Bus from Waterford Bus Stn to Athlone Stn
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 6m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- €19–28
- Website
- https://www.buseireann.ie/
- Phone
- +44 8722 992 992
- Website
- steam-packet.com
Car ferry from Liverpool to Isle of Man Douglas
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 45m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- €15–19
- Website
- https://www.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
- Website
- https://www.steam-packet.com/
- Foot Passanger
- €46
- Motorcycle&Adult
- €166
- Car&Adult
- €325
- 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
- €11–40
- Website
- https://www.stenalinetravel.com/
- Phone
- +353 818 300 400
- info@irishferries.fr
- Website
- irishferries.com
Ferry from Pembroke Dock to Rosslare Harbour
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 1m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- €19–130
- 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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