There are 12 ways to get from Cardiff to Ballymena by train, plane, ferry, bus, car ferry, busferry, or car
Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner.
Train to Bristol Airport, fly to Belfast International Airport
best- Take the train from Cardiff Central to Bristol Temple Meadstrain
- Fly from Bristol Airport (BRS) to Belfast International Airport (BFS)plane BRS - BFS
5h 26m£58–153Train to Bristol Airport, fly to Dublin Airport, bus, train
cheapest- Take the train from Cardiff Central to Bristol Temple Meadstrain
- Fly from Bristol Airport (BRS) to Dublin Airport (DUB)plane BRS - DUB
- Take the bus from Terminal 1 Zone 2 to Europa Bus Centrebus
- Take the train from Belfast Great Central to Ballymenatrain
8h 28m£57–166Train, 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 Connolly to Belfast Grand Centraltrain Ic
- Take the train from Belfast Great Central to Ballymenatrain
13h 18m£140–238Train, ferry, bus
- Take the train from Cardiff Central to Holyheadtrain
- Take the ferry from Holyhead to Dublin Ferryport B+Iferry
- Take the bus from Westland Row to Grand Central Stationbus 785
- Take the train from Belfast Great Central to Ballymenatrain
14h 41m£151–419Train, car ferry via Crewe
- Take the train from Cardiff Central to Crewetrain
- Take the train from Crewe to Liverpool Lime Streettrain
- Take the car ferry from Liverpool to Belfastcarferry
- Take the train from Yorkgate to Ballymenatrain
15h 12m£124–238Fly 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 Lanyon Place to Ballymenatrain
5h 20m£72–224Train to Birmingham Airport, fly to George Best Belfast City Airport, train
- Take the train from Cardiff Central to Birmingham New Streettrain
- Fly from Birmingham Airport (BHX) to George Best Belfast City Airport (BHD)plane BHX - BHD
- Take the train from Lanyon Place to Ballymenatrain
6h 28m£106–253Train to Birmingham Airport, fly to Belfast International Airport
- Take the train from Cardiff Central to Birmingham New Streettrain
- Fly from Birmingham Airport (BHX) to Belfast International Airport (BFS)plane BHX - BFS
6h 18m£101–190Train to Bristol Airport, fly to George Best Belfast City Airport, train
- Take the train from Cardiff Central to Bristol Temple Meadstrain
- Fly from Bristol Airport (BRS) to George Best Belfast City Airport (BHD)plane BRS - BHD
- Take the train from Lanyon Place to Ballymenatrain
5h 26m£73–241Train, car ferry
- Take the train from Cardiff Central to Chestertrain
- Take the car ferry from Liverpool to Belfastcarferry
- Take the train from Yorkgate to Ballymenatrain
15h 33m£106–211Bus, bus and ferry
- Take the bus from Sophia Gardens to Manchester Central Coach Stationbus Cpa
- Take the bus from Shudehill Interchange to Buchanan Bus Stationbus
- Take the busferry from Glasgow Buchanan to Belfast, Europa Buscentrebusferry 923
- Take the bus from Bridge Street to Ballymena Bus & Rail Centrebus 218 / ...
18h 1mDrive, car ferry
- Drive from Cardiff to Cairnryancar
- Take the car ferry from Cairnryan to Larnecarferry
9h 47m£123–362
Cardiff to Ballymena by train, foot, ferry, taxi, and bus
Questions & Answers
The cheapest way to get from Cardiff to Ballymena is to train and fly and bus which costs £55 - £170 and takes 8h 28m.
The fastest way to get from Cardiff to Ballymena is to fly and train which takes 5h 20m and costs £70 - £230.
No, there is no direct bus from Cardiff to Ballymena. However, there are services departing from Sophia Gardens and arriving at Ballymena Bus & Rail Centre via Charlotte Street, Shudehill Interchange, Glasgow Buchanan and Bridge Street. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 18h 1m.
The distance between Cardiff and Ballymena is 333 miles.
The best way to get from Cardiff to Ballymena without a car is to train and ferry which takes 13h 18m and costs £140 - £240.
It takes approximately 5h 26m to get from Cardiff to Ballymena, including transfers.
Cardiff to Ballymena bus services, operated by National Express, depart from Sophia Gardens station.
Cardiff to Ballymena bus services, operated by National Express, arrive at Manchester Central Coach Station.
There are 234+ hotels available in Ballymena.
What companies run services between Cardiff, Wales and Ballymena, Mid and East Antrim, Northern Ireland?
There is no direct connection from Cardiff to Ballymena. However, you can take the train to Bristol Temple Meads, walk to Temple Meads Stn, take the bus to Public Transport Interchange, walk to Bristol Airport (BRS) airport, fly to Belfast International Airport (BFS), walk to Belfast International Airport, take the bus to Antrim Buscentre, walk to Antrim, then take the train to Ballymena. Alternatively, you can take a train from Cardiff Central to Ballymena via Holyhead, Holyhead Ferry, Dublin Ferryport B+I, Dublin Connolly, and Belfast Great Central in around 13h 18m.
- Website
- easyjet.com
Flights from Bristol Airport to Belfast International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 11m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- £30–100
Flights from Bristol Airport to Belfast International Airport via Edinburgh
- Ave. Duration
- 3h
- When
- Thursday
- Estimated price
- £30–100
Flights from Bristol Airport to Belfast International Airport via Glasgow
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 10m
- When
- Saturday
- Estimated price
- £30–100
Flights from Bristol Airport to Belfast International Airport via Newcastle
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 15m
- When
- Thursday
- Estimated price
- £30–100
Flights from Birmingham Airport to George Best Belfast City Airport via Edinburgh
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 5m
- When
- Monday to Saturday
- Estimated price
- £70–200
Flights from Birmingham Airport to Belfast International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 5m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- £30–80
Flights from Birmingham Airport to Belfast International Airport via Glasgow
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 40m
- When
- Tuesday
- Estimated price
- £30–80
Flights from Birmingham Airport to Belfast International Airport via Edinburgh
- Ave. Duration
- 3h
- When
- Tuesday
- Estimated price
- £30–80
Flights from Bristol Airport to George Best Belfast City Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 10m
- When
- Friday and Sunday
- Estimated price
- £40–150
- Website
- aerlingus.com
Flights from Cardiff Airport to George Best Belfast City Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 20m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- £50–210
Flights from Birmingham Airport to George Best Belfast City Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 15m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- £35–140
Flights from Bristol Airport to Dublin Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 17m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- £30–110
- Website
- ryanair.com
Flights from Bristol Airport to Dublin Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 5m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- £20–90
- Phone
- +44 (0)345 7000 125
- gwr.feedback@gwr.com
- Website
- gwr.com
Train from Cardiff Central to Bristol Temple Meads
- Ave. Duration
- 48 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £17–35
- Website
- https://www.gwr.com/
Train from Cardiff Central to Bristol Temple Meads
- Ave. Duration
- 48 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £17–35
- Website
- https://www.gwr.com/
Train from Cardiff Central to Bristol Temple Meads
- Ave. Duration
- 48 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £17–35
- Website
- https://www.gwr.com/
- Phone
- 03333 211 202
- Website
- tfw.wales
Train from Cardiff Central to Bristol Temple Meads
- Ave. Duration
- 57 min
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- £15–26
- Website
- https://tfw.wales/
Train from Cardiff Central to Holyhead
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 49m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- £90–160
- Website
- https://tfw.wales/
Train from Cardiff Central to Holyhead
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 49m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- £90–160
- Website
- https://tfw.wales/
Train from Cardiff Central to Crewe
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 34m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £55–95
- Website
- https://tfw.wales/
Train from Cardiff Central to Bristol Temple Meads
- Ave. Duration
- 57 min
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- £15–26
- Website
- https://tfw.wales/
Train from Cardiff Central to Bristol Temple Meads
- Ave. Duration
- 57 min
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- £15–26
- Website
- https://tfw.wales/
Train from Cardiff Central to Chester
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 57m
- Frequency
- Every 3 hours
- Estimated price
- £60–100
- Website
- https://tfw.wales/
- Phone
- +44 3447 369 123
- customer.relations@crosscountrytrains.co.uk
- Website
- crosscountrytrains.co.uk
Train from Cardiff Central to Bristol Temple Meads
- Ave. Duration
- 49 min
- Frequency
- Once a week
- Estimated price
- £20–29
- Website
- https://www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/
Train from Cardiff Central to Birmingham New Street
- Ave. Duration
- 2h
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £55–85
- Website
- https://www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/
Train from Cardiff Central to Birmingham New Street
- Ave. Duration
- 2h
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £55–85
- Website
- https://www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/
Train from Cardiff Central to Bristol Temple Meads
- Ave. Duration
- 49 min
- Frequency
- Once a week
- Estimated price
- £20–29
- Website
- https://www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/
Train from Cardiff Central to Bristol Temple Meads
- Ave. Duration
- 49 min
- Frequency
- Once a week
- Estimated price
- £20–29
- Website
- https://www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/
- Phone
- 0818 294 015
- Website
- irishrail.ie
Train from Dublin Connolly to Belfast Grand Central
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 8m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £13–19
- Website
- https://www.irishrail.ie/en-ie/
- Flexible
- £13–19
- Phone
- +44 28 9066 6630
- Website
- translink.co.uk
Train from Dublin Connolly to Belfast Grand Central
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 8m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £17–25
- Website
- https://www.translink.co.uk/
Train from Belfast Great Central to Ballymena
- Ave. Duration
- 49 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £8–12
- Website
- https://www.translink.co.uk/
Train from Belfast Great Central to Ballymena
- Ave. Duration
- 49 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £8–12
- Website
- https://www.translink.co.uk/
Train from Yorkgate to Ballymena
- Ave. Duration
- 35 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £8–12
- Website
- https://www.translink.co.uk/
Train from Lanyon Place to Ballymena
- Ave. Duration
- 39 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £8–12
- Website
- https://www.translink.co.uk/
Train from Lanyon Place to Ballymena
- Ave. Duration
- 39 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £8–12
- Website
- https://www.translink.co.uk/
Train from Lanyon Place to Ballymena
- Ave. Duration
- 39 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £8–12
- Website
- https://www.translink.co.uk/
Train from Belfast Great Central to Ballymena
- Ave. Duration
- 49 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £8–12
- Website
- https://www.translink.co.uk/
Train from Yorkgate to Ballymena
- Ave. Duration
- 35 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £8–12
- Website
- https://www.translink.co.uk/
- Phone
- +44 333 311 0039
- contact.wmr@wmtrains.co.uk
- Website
- westmidlandsrailway.co.uk
Train from Crewe to Liverpool Lime Street
- Ave. Duration
- 45 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £12–30
- Website
- https://www.westmidlandsrailway.co.uk/
- Phone
- +44 (0)345 528 0253
- Website
- avantiwestcoast.co.uk
Train from Crewe to Liverpool Lime Street
- Ave. Duration
- 37 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £12–22
- Website
- https://www.avantiwestcoast.co.uk/
- Phone
- +353 1 903 9508
- customerrelations@dublinexpress.ie
- Website
- dublinexpress.ie
Bus from Westland Row to Grand Central Station
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 45m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £19–130
- Website
- https://www.dublinexpress.ie/
- Phone
- +353 0 1 844 7118
- info@aircoach.ie
- Website
- aircoach.ie
Bus from Terminal 1 Zone 2 to Europa Bus Centre
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 50m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £12–18
- Website
- https://www.aircoach.ie/
- Phone
- +44 (0)3717 81 81 81
- Website
- nationalexpress.com
Bus from Sophia Gardens to Manchester Central Coach Station
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 10m
- Frequency
- Twice a week
- Estimated price
- £30–85
- Website
- https://www.nationalexpress.com/en
Rome2Rio's guide to FlixBus
Contact DetailsContact Details
- Phone
- +49 30 300 137 300
- service@flixbus.com
- Website
- https://www.flixbus.fr
Bus from Shudehill Interchange to Buchanan Bus Station
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 5m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £22–40
- Website
- https://www.flixbus.co.uk
- Phone
- +44 28 9066 6630
- Website
- translink.co.uk
Busferry from Glasgow Buchanan to Belfast, Europa Buscentre
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 10m
- Frequency
- 3 times a day
- Website
- https://www.translink.co.uk/
Bus from Bridge Street to Ballymena Bus & Rail Centre
- Ave. Duration
- 1h
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Website
- https://www.translink.co.uk/
- Phone
- +44 844 770 7070
- info.se@stenaline.com
- Website
- stenaline.dk
Ferry from Holyhead Ferry to Dublin Ferryport B+I
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 30m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- £13–35
- Website
- https://www.stenalinetravel.com/
Car ferry from Liverpool to Belfast
- Ave. Duration
- 8h
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- £30–80
- Website
- https://www.stenalinetravel.com/
- Passenger
- £36
- Car Passenger
- £139
Car ferry from Liverpool to Belfast
- Ave. Duration
- 8h
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- £30–80
- Website
- https://www.stenalinetravel.com/
- Passenger
- £36
- Car Passenger
- £139
- Phone
- +353 818 300 400
- info@irishferries.fr
- Website
- irishferries.com
Ferry from Holyhead to Dublin Ferryport B+I
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 30m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- £21–110
- Website
- https://www.irishferries.com/uk-en/Travel-to-Ireland
- Phone
- 01304 44 88 88
- customer.services@poferries.com
- Website
- poferries.com
Car ferry from Cairnryan to Larne
- Ave. Duration
- 2h
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- £25–220
- Website
- https://www.poferries.com/en
- Passenger Standard
- £25–45
- Passenger Car
- £130–220
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