There are 11 ways to get from Cardiff to Cairnryan by train, bus, car, plane, or car ferry
Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner.
Train
best- Take the train from Cardiff Central to Crewetrain
- Take the train from Crewe to Glasgow Centraltrain
- Take the train from Glasgow Central to Girvantrain
11h 31m£138–299Fly Cardiff Airport to George Best Belfast City Airport, car ferry
cheapest- Fly from Cardiff Airport (CWL) to George Best Belfast City Airport (BHD)plane CWL - BHD
- Take the car ferry from Belfast to Cairnryancarferry
8h 19m£66–271Bus
- Take the bus from Sophia Gardens to Lordswood Rdbus 111 / ...
- Take the bus from Newhall St to Buchanan Bus Stationbus
- Take the bus from Glasgow Buchanan to Cairnryan Stena Terminalbus 923
12h 59mDrive 379.1 mi
- Drive from Cardiff to Cairnryancar 379.1 mi
7h 18m£92–133Train to Bristol Airport, fly to Edinburgh Airport, train, Bus
- Take the train from Cardiff Central to Bristol Temple Meadstrain
- Fly from Bristol Airport (BRS) to Edinburgh Airport (EDI)plane BRS - EDI
- Take the train from Haymarket to Glasgow Queen Streettrain
- Take the bus from Glasgow Buchanan to Cairnryan Stena Terminalbus
8h 33mTrain, bus via Manchester
- Take the train from Cardiff Central to Manchester Piccadillytrain
- Take the train from Manchester Piccadilly to Lockerbietrain
- Take the bus from Whitesands to Port Rodiebus 500
11h 34mTrain, bus
- Take the train from Cardiff Central to Bristol Parkwaytrain
- Take the train from Bristol Parkway to Glasgow Centraltrain
- Take the train from Glasgow Central to Girvantrain
- Take the bus from Henrietta Street to Old Pierbus 358 / ...
13h 49m£286–437Train, Steam train, bus
- Take the train from Cardiff Central to Chestertrain
- Take the train from Chester to Carlisletrain
- Take the train from Carlisle to Dumfriestrain
- Take the bus from Dumfries station to Port Rodiebus 500
14h 49mTrain to Bristol Airport, fly to Glasgow Airport, train, line 358 bus
- Take the train from Cardiff Central to Bristol Temple Meadstrain
- Fly from Bristol Airport (BRS) to Glasgow Airport (GLA)plane BRS - GLA
- Take the train from Paisley Gilmour Street to Ayrtrain
- Take the train from Ayr to Girvantrain
- Take the bus from Elder Avenue to Old Pierbus
8h 37m£86–210Train to Birmingham Airport, fly to Glasgow Airport, train
- Take the train from Cardiff Central to Birmingham New Streettrain
- Fly from Birmingham Airport (BHX) to Glasgow Airport (GLA)plane BHX - GLA
- Take the train from Paisley Gilmour Street to Ayrtrain
9h 27m£118–233Train to Bristol Airport, fly to Newcastle, train, bus
- Take the train from Cardiff Central to Bristol Temple Meadstrain
- Fly from Bristol Airport (BRS) to Newcastle (NCL)plane BRS - NCL
- Take the train from Newcastle to Carlisletrain
- Take the train from Carlisle to Dumfriestrain
- Take the bus from Dumfries station to Port Rodiebus
11h 29m
Bristol Airport (BRS) to Edinburgh Airport (EDI) flights
Questions & Answers
The cheapest way to get from Cardiff to Cairnryan is to drive which costs £90 - £140 and takes 7h 18m.
The fastest way to get from Cardiff to Cairnryan is to drive which takes 7h 18m and costs £90 - £140.
No, there is no direct bus from Cardiff to Cairnryan. However, there are services departing from Sophia Gardens and arriving at Cairnryan Stena Terminal via Lordswood Rd, Newhall St and Glasgow Buchanan. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 12h 59m.
The distance between Cardiff and Cairnryan is 467 miles. The road distance is 381.3 miles.
The best way to get from Cardiff to Cairnryan without a car is to train which takes 11h 31m and costs £130 - £300.
It takes approximately 11h 31m to get from Cardiff to Cairnryan, including transfers.
Cardiff to Cairnryan bus services, operated by National Express, depart from Sophia Gardens station.
The best way to get from Cardiff to Cairnryan is to train which takes 11h 31m and costs £130 - £300. Alternatively, you can bus, which costs and takes 12h 59m.
Cardiff to Cairnryan bus services, operated by National Express, arrive at Lordswood Rd station.
Yes, the driving distance between Cardiff to Cairnryan is 381 miles. It takes approximately 7h 18m to drive from Cardiff to Cairnryan.
What companies run services between Cardiff, Wales and Cairnryan, Scotland?
You can take a train from Cardiff Central to Old Pier via Crewe, Glasgow Central, Girvan, Rail Station, and Elder Avenue in around 11h 31m. Alternatively, you can take a bus from Sophia Gardens to Cairnryan Stena Terminal via Lordswood Rd, Newhall St, Buchanan Bus Station, and Glasgow Buchanan in around 12h 59m.
- Website
- easyjet.com
Flights from Bristol Airport to Edinburgh Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 15m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- £27–100
Flights from Bristol Airport to Edinburgh Airport via Belfast (Aldergrove)
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 7m
- When
- Sunday and Friday
- Estimated price
- £27–100
Flights from Bristol Airport to Glasgow Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 15m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- £24–110
Flights from Bristol Airport to Glasgow Airport via Belfast (Aldergrove)
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 7m
- When
- Thursday and Friday
- Estimated price
- £24–110
Flights from Birmingham Airport to Glasgow Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 5m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- £25–90
Flights from Birmingham Airport to Glasgow Airport via Belfast (Aldergrove)
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 10m
- When
- Friday
- Estimated price
- £25–90
Flights from Bristol Airport to Newcastle
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 6m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- £25–80
Flights from Bristol Airport to Newcastle via Belfast (Aldergrove)
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 55m
- When
- Sunday
- Estimated price
- £25–80
- Website
- ryanair.com
Flights from Bristol Airport to Edinburgh Airport via Dublin
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 20m
- When
- Monday
- Estimated price
- £40–95
Flights from Bristol Airport to Glasgow Airport via Dublin
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 57m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- £45–110
- Website
- aerlingus.com
Flights from Cardiff Airport to George Best Belfast City Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 20m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- £45–200
- Phone
- 03333 211 202
- Website
- tfw.wales
Train from Cardiff Central to Crewe
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 34m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £50–90
- Website
- https://tfw.wales/
Train from Cardiff Central to Manchester Piccadilly
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 18m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £60–110
- Website
- https://tfw.wales/
Train from Cardiff Central to Chester
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 57m
- Frequency
- Every 3 hours
- Estimated price
- £55–100
- Website
- https://tfw.wales/
- Phone
- +44 345 528 0253
- Website
- avantiwestcoast.co.uk
Train from Crewe to Glasgow Central
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 9m
- Frequency
- Every 3 hours
- Estimated price
- £85–150
- Website
- https://www.avantiwestcoast.co.uk/
- Phone
- +44 330 060 0500
- enquiry@sleeper.scot
- Website
- sleeper.scot
Train from Crewe to Glasgow Central
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 57m
- Frequency
- Once a week
- Estimated price
- £55–100
- Website
- https://www.sleeper.scot/
- Phone
- +44 344 811 0141
- Website
- scotrail.co.uk
Train from Glasgow Central to Girvan
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 46m
- Frequency
- 6 times a week
- Estimated price
- £26–50
- Website
- https://www.scotrail.co.uk/
Train from Haymarket to Glasgow Queen Street
- Ave. Duration
- 44 min
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- £20–40
- Website
- https://www.scotrail.co.uk/
Train from Carlisle to Dumfries
- Ave. Duration
- 36 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £14–26
- Website
- https://www.scotrail.co.uk/
Train from Paisley Gilmour Street to Ayr
- Ave. Duration
- 43 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £15–27
- Website
- https://www.scotrail.co.uk/
Train from Ayr to Girvan
- Ave. Duration
- 26 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £9–17
- Website
- https://www.scotrail.co.uk/
- Phone
- +44 3457 000 125
- gwr.feedback@gwr.com
- Website
- gwr.com
Train from Cardiff Central to Bristol Temple Meads
- Ave. Duration
- 50 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £17–35
- Website
- https://www.gwr.com/
Train from Cardiff Central to Bristol Parkway
- Ave. Duration
- 33 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £15–28
- Website
- https://www.gwr.com/
Train from Cardiff Central to Bristol Temple Meads
- Ave. Duration
- 49 min
- Frequency
- Once a week
- Estimated price
- £19–28
- Website
- https://www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/
Train from Bristol Parkway to Glasgow Central
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 33m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- £240–350
- Website
- https://www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/
Train from Cardiff Central to Birmingham New Street
- Ave. Duration
- 2h
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £55–80
- Website
- https://www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/
- Phone
- +44 345 600 1671
- tpecustomer.relations@tpexpress.co.uk
- Website
- tpexpress.co.uk
Train from Manchester Piccadilly to Lockerbie
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 13m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £50–90
- Website
- https://www.tpexpress.co.uk/
- Phone
- +44 1524 732100
- bookings@westcoastrailways.net
- Website
- westcoastrailways.co.uk
Train from Chester to Carlisle
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 9m
- Frequency
- Once a week
- Website
- https://westcoastrailways.co.uk/
- Phone
- +44 800 200 6060
- enquiries@northernrailway.co.uk
- Website
- northernrailway.co.uk
Train from Newcastle to Carlisle
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 21m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £23–45
- Website
- https://www.northernrailway.co.uk/
- Phone
- 08717 81 81 81
- Website
- nationalexpress.com
Bus from Sophia Gardens to Lordswood Rd
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 35m
- Frequency
- Every 3 hours
- Estimated price
- £19–50
- Website
- https://www.nationalexpress.com/en
Rome2Rio's guide to FlixBus
Contact Details
- Phone
- +49 30 300 137 300
- service@flixbus.com
- Website
- https://www.flixbus.fr
Bus from Newhall St to Buchanan Bus Station
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 10m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £28–50
- Website
- https://www.flixbus.co.uk
- Phone
- +44 28 9066 6630
- Website
- translink.co.uk
Bus from Glasgow Buchanan to Cairnryan Stena Terminal
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 20m
- Frequency
- 4 times a day
- Website
- https://www.translink.co.uk/
- Phone
- +44 1576 203874
- info@houstoncoaches.co.uk
- Website
- houstonscoaches.co.uk
Bus from Whitesands to Port Rodie
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 23m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Website
- https://www.houstonscoaches.co.uk/
Bus from Dumfries station to Port Rodie
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 31m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Website
- https://www.houstonscoaches.co.uk/
Bus from Henrietta Street to Old Pier
- Ave. Duration
- 48 min
- Frequency
- Every 2 hours
- Estimated price
- £4–7
- Website
- https://www.stagecoachbus.com/about/west-scotland
Bus from Elder Avenue to Old Pier
- Ave. Duration
- 39 min
- Frequency
- Every 2 hours
- Estimated price
- £4–6
- Website
- https://www.stagecoachbus.com/about/west-scotland
- Phone
- +44 844 770 7070
- info.se@stenaline.com
- Website
- stenaline.dk
Car ferry from Belfast to Cairnryan
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 22m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- £7–36
- Website
- https://www.stenalinetravel.com/
- Passenger
- £36
- Car Passenger
- £149
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