There are 7 ways to get from Cardiff to Islay by train, plane, ferry, or bus
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 Birmingham Airport, fly to Islay
best- Take the train from Cardiff Central to Birmingham New Streettrain
- Fly from Birmingham Airport (BHX) to Islay (ILY)plane BHX - ILY
7h 38m£99–336Train to Bristol Airport, fly to Glasgow Airport, bus, ferry
cheapest- Take the train from Cardiff Central to Bristol Temple Meadstrain
- Fly from Bristol Airport (BRS) to Glasgow Airport (GLA)plane BRS - GLA
- Take the bus from Terminal Building to Argyll Arms Hotelbus
- Take the ferry from Kennacraig Ferry Terminal to Port Askaig Islay Ferry Terminalferry
11h 49m£74–216Train, ferry via Crewe
- Take the train from Cardiff Central to Crewetrain
- Take the train from Crewe to Glasgow Centraltrain
- Take the train from Glasgow Queen Street to Obantrain
- Take the ferry from Oban Ferry Terminal to Port Askaig Islay Ferry Terminalferry Cm9
15h 48m£172–348Train, bus, ferry
- Take the train from Cardiff Central to Chestertrain
- Take the bus from Chester Bus Interchange to Buchanan Bus Stationbus 830
- Take the bus from Buchanan Bus Station to Bus Stationbus 976
- Take the ferry from Oban Ferry Terminal to Port Askaig Islay Ferry Terminalferry Cm9
17h 59m£111–249Train to Bristol Airport, fly to Islay
- Take the train from Cardiff Central to Bristol Temple Meadstrain
- Fly from Bristol Airport (BRS) to Islay (ILY)plane BRS - ILY
5h 16m£305–411Train, ferry
- Take the train from Cardiff Central to Glasgow Centraltrain
- Take the train from Glasgow Queen Street to Obantrain
- Take the ferry from Oban Ferry Terminal to Port Askaig Islay Ferry Terminalferry Cm9
17h 45m£262–463Bus, ferry
- Take the bus from Cardiff - North Road to Bristol Bus Stationbus
- Take the bus from Bristol Bus Station to Birmingham - Jennens Roadbus
- Take the bus from Millennium Point to Buchanan Bus Stationbus
- Take the bus from Buchanan Bus Station to Argyll Arms Hotelbus 926
- Take the ferry from Kennacraig Ferry Terminal to Port Askaig Islay Ferry Terminalferry Cm9
19h 32m£74–163
Cardiff to Islay by train, foot, and ferry
Comparing Your Travel Options
The cheapest way to get from Cardiff to Islay is to bus and ferry which costs £70 - £170 and takes 19h 32m.
The fastest way to get from Cardiff to Islay is to train and fly which takes 5h 16m and costs £300 - £420.
The distance between Cardiff and Islay is 407 miles.
The best way to get from Cardiff to Islay without a car is to train and ferry via Crewe which takes 15h 48m and costs £170 - £350.
It takes approximately 7h 38m to get from Cardiff to Islay, including transfers.
There are 53+ hotels available in Islay.
What companies run services between Cardiff, Wales and Islay, Scotland?
There is no direct connection from Cardiff to Islay. However, you can take the train to Birmingham New Street, take the train to Birmingham International, walk to Birmingham Intl Rail Station, take the vehicle to Birmingham International Airport, walk to Birmingham Airport (BHX) airport, then fly to Islay (ILY). Alternatively, you can take a train from Cardiff Central to Port Askaig Islay Ferry Terminal via Crewe, Glasgow Central, Glasgow Queen Street, Oban, and Oban Ferry Terminal in around 15h 48m.
- Website
- easyjet.com
Flights from Bristol Airport to Glasgow Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 16m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- £24–90
Flights from Bristol Airport to Glasgow Airport via Belfast (Aldergrove)
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 52m
- When
- Monday and Sunday
- Estimated price
- £24–90
- Website
- loganair.co.uk
Flights from Birmingham Airport to Islay via Glasgow Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 20m
- When
- Friday
- Estimated price
- £50–290
Flights from Birmingham Airport to Islay via Dublin, Glasgow Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 10m
- When
- Sunday
- Estimated price
- £50–260
Flights from Birmingham Airport to Islay via Belfast (Aldergrove), Glasgow Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 50m
- When
- Sunday
- Estimated price
- £50–290
Flights from Bristol Airport to Islay via Glasgow Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 25m
- When
- Friday, Monday, Thursday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- £50–290
- Website
- ryanair.com
Flights from Bristol Airport to Glasgow Airport via Dublin
- Ave. Duration
- 3h
- When
- Sunday and Monday
- Estimated price
- £45–100
Train from Cardiff Central to Birmingham New Street
- Ave. Duration
- 2h
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £45–70
- Website
- Cross Country
Train from Cardiff Central to Bristol Temple Meads
- Ave. Duration
- 49 min
- Frequency
- Once a week
- Estimated price
- £16–25
- Website
- Cross Country
Train from Cardiff Central to Bristol Temple Meads
- Ave. Duration
- 49 min
- Frequency
- Once a week
- Estimated price
- £16–25
- Website
- Cross Country
Train from Cardiff Central to Glasgow Central
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 40m
- Frequency
- 5 times a week
- Estimated price
- £210–320
- Website
- Cross Country
- Phone
- 03333 211 202
- Website
- Transport for Wales
Train from Cardiff Central to Crewe
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 34m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £45–75
- Website
- Transport for Wales
Train from Cardiff Central to Chester
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 57m
- Frequency
- Every 3 hours
- Estimated price
- £50–80
- Website
- Transport for Wales
Train from Cardiff Central to Bristol Temple Meads
- Ave. Duration
- 57 min
- Frequency
- Every 3 hours
- Estimated price
- £12–21
- Website
- Transport for Wales
Train from Cardiff Central to Bristol Temple Meads
- Ave. Duration
- 57 min
- Frequency
- Every 3 hours
- Estimated price
- £12–21
- Website
- Transport for Wales
- Phone
- +44 (0)345 528 0253
- Website
- Avanti West Coast
Train from Crewe to Glasgow Central
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 9m
- Frequency
- Every 3 hours
- Estimated price
- £80–130
- Website
- Avanti West Coast
- Phone
- +44 (0)344 811 0141
- Website
- ScotRail
Train from Glasgow Queen Street to Oban
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 6m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- £35–60
- Website
- ScotRail
Train from Glasgow Queen Street to Oban
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 6m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- £35–60
- Website
- ScotRail
- Phone
- +44 (0)345 7000 125
- gwr.feedback@gwr.com
- Website
- Great Western Railway (GWR)
Train from Cardiff Central to Bristol Temple Meads
- Ave. Duration
- 52 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £15–29
- Website
- Great Western Railway (GWR)
Train from Cardiff Central to Bristol Temple Meads
- Ave. Duration
- 52 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £15–29
- Website
- Great Western Railway (GWR)
- Phone
- +44 (0)3717 81 81 81
- Website
- National Express
Bus from Chester Bus Interchange to Buchanan Bus Station
- Ave. Duration
- 5h
- Frequency
- Once a week
- Estimated price
- £40–70
- Website
- National Express
- Phone
- 0141 352 4444
- info@citylink.co.uk
- Website
- Scottish Citylink Coaches Ltd
Bus from Buchanan Bus Station to Bus Station
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 1m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- £18–35
- Website
- Scottish Citylink Coaches Ltd
- Single
- £18–35
Bus from Terminal Building to Argyll Arms Hotel
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 27m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- £24–35
- Website
- Scottish Citylink Coaches Ltd
Bus from Buchanan Bus Station to Argyll Arms Hotel
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 44m
- Frequency
- Every 3 hours
- Estimated price
- £15–30
- Website
- Scottish Citylink Coaches Ltd
- Single
- £15–30
- Phone
- +44 (0)131 510 4007
- ride@ember.to
- Website
- Ember
Bus from Buchanan Bus Station to Bus Station
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 46m
- Frequency
- 4 times a day
- Estimated price
- £11–16
- Website
- Ember
Rome2Rio's guide to FlixBus
Contact Details
- Phone
- +49 30 300 137 300
- service@flixbus.com
- Website
- Flixbus
Bus from Cardiff - North Road to Bristol Bus Station
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 30m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £5–8
- Website
- Flixbus
Bus from Bristol Bus Station to Birmingham - Jennens Road
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 55m
- Frequency
- Every 3 hours
- Estimated price
- £10–16
- Website
- Flixbus
Bus from Millennium Point to Buchanan Bus Station
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 10m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £35–55
- Website
- Flixbus
- Phone
- +44 (0)1475 650 397
- enquiries@calmac.co.uk
- Website
- Caledonian MacBrayne
Ferry from Oban Ferry Terminal to Port Askaig Islay Ferry Terminal
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 50m
- Frequency
- Twice a week
- Estimated price
- £10–85
- Website
- Caledonian MacBrayne
- Passenger Fare
- £10–15
- Car Fare
- £65–85
Ferry from Oban Ferry Terminal to Port Askaig Islay Ferry Terminal
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 50m
- Frequency
- Twice a week
- Estimated price
- £10–85
- Website
- Caledonian MacBrayne
- Passenger Fare
- £10–15
- Car Fare
- £65–85
Ferry from Kennacraig Ferry Terminal to Port Askaig Islay Ferry Terminal
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 55m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- £6–50
- Website
- Caledonian MacBrayne
- Passenger Fare
- £6–9
- Car Fare
- £40–50
Ferry from Oban Ferry Terminal to Port Askaig Islay Ferry Terminal
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 50m
- Frequency
- Twice a week
- Estimated price
- £10–85
- Website
- Caledonian MacBrayne
- Passenger Fare
- £10–15
- Car Fare
- £65–85
Ferry from Kennacraig Ferry Terminal to Port Askaig Islay Ferry Terminal
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 55m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- £6–50
- Website
- Caledonian MacBrayne
- Passenger Fare
- £6–9
- Car Fare
- £40–50
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