There are 11 ways to get from Cardiff to Cairnryan by train, bus, car ferry, car, 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, bus
best- Take the train from Cardiff Central to Crewe
- Take the train from Crewe to Glasgow Central
- Take the bus from Buchanan Bus Station to Port Rodie923
10h 46m£66–203Bus via Bristol
cheapest- Take the bus from Kingsway GD to Bus Station
- Take the bus from Bus Station to Newhall St
- Take the bus from Newhall St to Buchanan Bus Station
- Take the bus from Buchanan Bus Station to Port Rodie923
15h 21m£43–104Bus
- Take the bus from Sophia Gardens to Birmingham Coach Station111 / ...
- Take the bus from Birmingham Coach Station to Buchanan Bus Station590 / ...
- Take the bus from Buchanan Bus Station to Port Rodie923
15h 1m£53–124Train, car ferry
- Take the train from Cardiff Central to Chester
- Take the car ferry from Liverpool to Belfast
- Take the car ferry from Belfast to Cairnryan
16h 24m£117–217Drive 379.1 mi
- Drive from Cardiff to Cairnryan379.1 mi
7h 16m£93–134Train
- Take the train from Newport (S Wales) to Glasgow Central
- Take the train from Glasgow Central to Ayr
- Take the train from Ayr to Stranraer
13h 27m£221–691Train to Bristol Airport, fly to Edinburgh Airport, bus
- Take the train from Cardiff Central to Bristol Temple Meads
- Fly from Bristol Airport (BRS) to Edinburgh Airport (EDI)BRS - EDI
- Take the bus from Airport to Buchanan Bus Station
- Take the bus from Buchanan Bus Station to Port Rodie
8h 15m£66–159Train to Bristol Airport, fly to Glasgow Airport, train, line 358 bus
- Take the train from Cardiff Central to Bristol Temple Meads
- Fly from Bristol Airport (BRS) to Glasgow Airport (GLA)BRS - GLA
- Take the train from Paisley Gilmour Street to Ayr
- Take the train from Ayr to Girvan
- Take the bus from Elder Avenue to Old Pier
8h 17m£70–148Train to Birmingham Airport, fly to Glasgow Airport, train
- Take the train from Cardiff Central to Birmingham New Street
- Fly from Birmingham Airport (BHX) to Glasgow Airport (GLA)BHX - GLA
- Take the train from Paisley Gilmour Street to Ayr
9h 16m£82–215Train to Bristol Airport, fly to Newcastle, train, bus
- Take the train from Cardiff Central to Bristol Temple Meads
- Fly from Bristol Airport (BRS) to Newcastle (NCL)BRS - NCL
- Take the train from Newcastle to Carlisle
- Take the train from Carlisle to Dumfries
- Take the bus from Dumfries station to Port Rodie
10h 45mFly Cardiff Airport to Edinburgh Airport, bus
- Fly from Cardiff Airport (CWL) to Edinburgh Airport (EDI)CWL - EDI
- Take the bus from Airport to Buchanan Bus Station
- Take the bus from Buchanan Bus Station to Port Rodie
8h 24m£90–212
Cardiff to Cairnryan by train, foot, and bus
Questions & Answers
The cheapest way to get from Cardiff to Cairnryan is to bus via Bristol which costs £40 - £110 and takes 15h 21m.
The fastest way to get from Cardiff to Cairnryan is to drive which takes 7h 16m 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 Old Pier via Birmingham Coach Station, Buchanan Bus Station and Port Rodie Ferry Terminal. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 15h 1m.
The distance between Cardiff and Cairnryan is 476 miles. The road distance is 381.3 miles.
The best way to get from Cardiff to Cairnryan without a car is to train and bus which takes 10h 46m and costs £65 - £210.
It takes approximately 10h 46m 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 bus which takes 15h 1m and costs £50 - £130. Alternatively, you can train, which costs £220 - £700 and takes 13h 27m.
Cardiff to Cairnryan bus services, operated by National Express, arrive at Birmingham Coach Station.
Yes, the driving distance between Cardiff to Cairnryan is 381 miles. It takes approximately 7h 16m to drive from Cardiff to Cairnryan.
What companies run services between Cardiff, Wales and Cairnryan, Scotland?
You can take a bus from Sophia Gardens to Old Pier via Birmingham Coach Station, Buchanan Bus Station, Port Rodie, and Port Rodie Ferry Terminal in around 15h 1m. Alternatively, you can take a train from Cardiff Central to Old Pier via Newport (S Wales), Glasgow Central, Ayr, Stranraer, and Port Rodie Ferry Terminal in around 13h 27m.
- Website
- easyjet.com
Flights from Bristol Airport to Edinburgh Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 15m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- £24–90
Flights from Bristol Airport to Edinburgh Airport via Belfast (Aldergrove)
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 10m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- £24–90
Flights from Bristol Airport to Glasgow Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 15m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- £23–70
Flights from Bristol Airport to Glasgow Airport via Belfast (Aldergrove)
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 10m
- When
- Thursday and Sunday
- Estimated price
- £23–70
Flights from Birmingham Airport to Glasgow Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 5m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- £21–75
Flights from Birmingham Airport to Glasgow Airport via Belfast (Aldergrove)
- Ave. Duration
- 3h
- When
- Friday
- Estimated price
- £21–75
Flights from Bristol Airport to Newcastle
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 7m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- £30–90
Flights from Bristol Airport to Newcastle via Belfast (Aldergrove)
- Ave. Duration
- 3h
- When
- Monday
- Estimated price
- £30–90
- Website
- ryanair.com
Flights from Bristol Airport to Edinburgh Airport via Dublin
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 25m
- When
- Thursday and Friday
- Estimated price
- £45–120
Flights from Bristol Airport to Glasgow Airport via Dublin
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 30m
- When
- Friday
- Estimated price
- £50–90
Flights from Birmingham Airport to Glasgow Airport via Dublin
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 7m
- When
- Monday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- £55–95
- Website
- loganair.co.uk
Flights from Cardiff Airport to Edinburgh Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 40m
- When
- Friday and Sunday
- Estimated price
- £130–170
- Phone
- 03333 211 202
- Website
- tfw.wales
Train from Cardiff Central to Crewe
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 35m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £30–70
- Website
- https://tfw.wales/
Train from Cardiff Central to Chester
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 55m
- Frequency
- Every 3 hours
- Estimated price
- £45–95
- Website
- https://tfw.wales/
- Phone
- +44 345 528 0253
- Website
- avantiwestcoast.co.uk
Train from Crewe to Glasgow Central
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 13m
- Frequency
- Every 3 hours
- Estimated price
- £20–110
- Website
- https://www.avantiwestcoast.co.uk/
Train from Newport (S Wales) to Glasgow Central
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 55m
- Frequency
- 6 times a week
- Estimated price
- £190–650
- Website
- https://www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/
- Standard
- £190–290
- 1st Class
- £450–650
Train from Cardiff Central to Bristol Temple Meads
- Ave. Duration
- 49 min
- Frequency
- Once a week
- Estimated price
- £8–19
- Website
- https://www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/
Train from Cardiff Central to Birmingham New Street
- Ave. Duration
- 2h
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £25–95
- Website
- https://www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/
- Phone
- +44 344 811 0141
- Website
- scotrail.co.uk
Train from Glasgow Central to Ayr
- Ave. Duration
- 53 min
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- £8–13
- Website
- https://www.scotrail.co.uk/
Train from Ayr to Stranraer
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 21m
- Frequency
- 5 times a day
- Estimated price
- £16–17
- Website
- https://www.scotrail.co.uk/
Train from Paisley Gilmour Street to Ayr
- Ave. Duration
- 43 min
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- £11–12
- Website
- https://www.scotrail.co.uk/
Train from Ayr to Girvan
- Ave. Duration
- 26 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £8–9
- Website
- https://www.scotrail.co.uk/
Train from Carlisle to Dumfries
- Ave. Duration
- 36 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £8–9
- 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
- 46 min
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- £12–24
- Website
- https://www.gwr.com/
- Phone
- +44 800 200 6060
- enquiries@northernrailway.co.uk
- Website
- northernrailway.co.uk
Train from Newcastle to Carlisle
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 20m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £7–28
- Website
- https://www.northernrailway.co.uk/
- Phone
- 0141 352 4444
- info@citylink.co.uk
- Website
- citylink.co.uk
Bus from Buchanan Bus Station to Port Rodie
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 35m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £14–21
- Website
- https://www.citylink.co.uk/
Bus from Airport to Buchanan Bus Station
- Ave. Duration
- 58 min
- Frequency
- Every 5 minutes
- Estimated price
- £9–13
- Website
- https://www.citylink.co.uk/
- Phone
- 08717 81 81 81
- Website
- nationalexpress.com
Bus from Sophia Gardens to Birmingham Coach Station
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 50m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- £13–50
- Website
- https://www.nationalexpress.com/en
Bus from Birmingham Coach Station to Buchanan Bus Station
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 25m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- £23–55
- Website
- https://www.nationalexpress.com/en
Rome2Rio's guide to FlixBus
Contact Details
- Phone
- +49 30 300 137 300
- service@flixbus.com
- Website
- flixbus.fr
Bus from Kingsway GD to Bus Station
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 20m
- Frequency
- Every 10 minutes
- Estimated price
- £5–12
- Website
- https://www.flixbus.co.uk
Bus from Bus Station to Newhall St
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 55m
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- £5–14
- Website
- https://www.flixbus.co.uk
Bus from Newhall St to Buchanan Bus Station
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 30m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £17–55
- Website
- https://www.flixbus.co.uk
- Phone
- 0141 352 4444
- enquiries@megabus.com
- Website
- uk.megabus.com
Bus from Airport to Buchanan Bus Station
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 2m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- £9–13
- Website
- https://uk.megabus.com
Bus from Elder Avenue to Old Pier
- Ave. Duration
- 39 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £4–6
- Website
- https://www.stagecoachbus.com
- Phone
- +44 1576 203874
- info@houstoncoaches.co.uk
- Website
- houstonscoaches.co.uk
Bus from Dumfries station to Port Rodie
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 31m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Website
- https://www.houstonscoaches.co.uk/
- Phone
- +44 844 770 7070
- info.se@stenaline.com
- Website
- stenaline.dk
Car ferry from Liverpool to Belfast
- Ave. Duration
- 8h
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- £35–65
- Website
- https://www.stenalinetravel.com/
Car ferry from Belfast to Cairnryan
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 22m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- £30–50
- Website
- https://www.stenalinetravel.com/
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