There are 6 ways to get from Cardiff to Islay by train, plane, bus, or 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 to Bristol Airport, fly
best- Take the train from Cardiff Central to Bristol Temple Meadstrain
- Fly from Bristol Airport (BRS) to Islay (ILY)plane BRS - ILY
7h 26m£227–356Bus, ferry
cheapest- Take the bus from Cardiff North Road to Birmingham - Great Charles Street Queenswaybus
- Take the bus from Newhall Street to Buchanan Bus Stationbus
- Take the bus from Buchanan Bus Station to Ferry Terminalbus 926
- Take the ferry from Kennacraig Ferry Terminal to Port Askaig Islay Ferry Terminalferry Cm9
16h 32m£63–157Train, bus, ferry via Crewe
- Take the train from Cardiff Central to Crewetrain
- Take the train from Crewe to Haymarkettrain
- Take the train from Haymarket to Glasgow Queen Streettrain
- Take the bus from Buchanan Bus Station to Ferry Terminalbus 926
- Take the ferry from Kennacraig Ferry Terminal to Port Askaig Islay Ferry Terminalferry Cm9
14h 52m£173–372Train to Birmingham Airport, fly
- Take the train from Cardiff Central to Birmingham New Streettrain
- Fly from Birmingham Airport (BHX) to Islay (ILY)plane BHX - ILY
10h 3m£287–503Train, bus, ferry
- Take the train from Cardiff Central to Glasgow Centraltrain
- Take the bus from Buchanan Bus Station to Ferry Terminalbus 926
- Take the ferry from Kennacraig Ferry Terminal to Port Askaig Islay Ferry Terminalferry Cm9
15h 54m£278–446Bus, ferry via Birmingham
- Take the bus from Sophia Gardens to Birmingham Coach Stationbus 111 / ...
- Take the bus from Birmingham Coach Station to Buchanan Bus Stationbus 590 / ...
- Take the bus from Buchanan Bus Station to Ferry Terminalbus 926
- Take the ferry from Kennacraig Ferry Terminal to Port Askaig Islay Ferry Terminalferry Cm9
18h 22m£101–279
Cardiff to Islay by train, foot, bus, and ferry
Questions & Answers
The cheapest way to get from Cardiff to Islay is to bus and ferry which costs £60 - £160 and takes 16h 32m.
The fastest way to get from Cardiff to Islay is to train and fly which takes 7h 26m and costs £220 - £360.
The distance between Cardiff and Islay is 379 miles.
The best way to get from Cardiff to Islay without a car is to train and bus and ferry via Crewe which takes 14h 52m and costs £170 - £380.
It takes approximately 7h 26m to get from Cardiff to Islay, including transfers.
There are 52+ 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 Bristol Temple Meads, walk to Temple Meads Stn, take the bus to Public Transport Interchange, walk to Bristol Airport (BRS) airport, then fly to Islay (ILY). Alternatively, you can take a train from Cardiff Central to Port Askaig Islay Ferry Terminal via Crewe, Haymarket, Glasgow Queen Street, Buchanan Bus Station, Ferry Terminal, and Kennacraig Ferry Terminal in around 14h 52m.
- Website
- loganair.co.uk
Flights from Bristol Airport to Islay via Glasgow
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 5m
- When
- Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- £60–300
Flights from Bristol Airport to Islay via Amsterdam Schiphol, Glasgow
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 35m
- When
- Monday to Friday
- Estimated price
- £80–410
Flights from Bristol Airport to Islay via Dublin, Glasgow
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 10m
- When
- Monday
- Estimated price
- £45–230
Flights from Bristol Airport to Islay via Belfast (Aldergrove), Glasgow
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 55m
- When
- Monday
- Estimated price
- £65–300
Flights from Bristol Airport to Islay via Paris Charles de Gaulle, Glasgow
- Ave. Duration
- 10h
- When
- Monday to Friday
- Estimated price
- £85–300
Flights from Bristol Airport to Islay via Jersey, Glasgow
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 20m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- £75–300
Flights from Birmingham Airport to Islay via Glasgow
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 10m
- When
- Monday to Friday
- Estimated price
- £55–290
Flights from Birmingham Airport to Islay via Amsterdam Schiphol, Glasgow
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 45m
- When
- Monday to Friday
- Estimated price
- £75–400
Flights from Birmingham Airport to Islay via Belfast (Aldergrove), Glasgow
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 55m
- When
- Tuesday
- Estimated price
- £60–290
Flights from Birmingham Airport to Islay via Jersey, Glasgow
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 15m
- When
- Tuesday
- Estimated price
- £75–290
Flights from Birmingham Airport to Islay via Dublin, Glasgow
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 25m
- When
- Tuesday
- Estimated price
- £45–220
- Phone
- +44 3457 000 125
- gwr.feedback@gwr.com
- Website
- gwr.com
Train from Cardiff Central to Bristol Temple Meads
- Ave. Duration
- 48 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £16–35
- 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 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
- 49 min
- Frequency
- Once a week
- Estimated price
- £19–27
- Website
- https://www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/
Train from Cardiff Central to Birmingham New Street
- Ave. Duration
- 2h
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £50–80
- Website
- https://www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/
Train from Cardiff Central to Glasgow Central
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 40m
- Frequency
- 5 times a week
- Estimated price
- £250–350
- Website
- https://www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/
- Phone
- +44 345 528 0253
- Website
- avantiwestcoast.co.uk
Train from Crewe to Haymarket
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 7m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- £85–150
- Website
- https://www.avantiwestcoast.co.uk/
- Phone
- +44 344 811 0141
- Website
- scotrail.co.uk
Train from Haymarket to Glasgow Queen Street
- Ave. Duration
- 46 min
- Frequency
- Every 20 minutes
- Estimated price
- £20–40
- Website
- https://www.scotrail.co.uk/
- Phone
- 0800 031 8542
- Passengerassistance@lumo.co.uk.
- Website
- lumo.co.uk
Train from Haymarket to Glasgow Queen Street
- Ave. Duration
- 48 min
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- £8–15
- Website
- https://www.lumo.co.uk/
- Phone
- 0141 352 4444
- info@citylink.co.uk
- Website
- citylink.co.uk
Bus from Buchanan Bus Station to Ferry Terminal
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 12m
- Frequency
- Twice a week
- Estimated price
- £19–40
- Website
- https://www.citylink.co.uk/
- Single
- £19–40
Rome2Rio's guide to FlixBus
Contact Details
- Phone
- +49 30 300 137 300
- service@flixbus.com
- Website
- https://www.flixbus.fr
Bus from Cardiff North Road to Birmingham - Great Charles Street Queensway
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 50m
- Frequency
- 4 times a day
- Estimated price
- £10–18
- Website
- https://www.flixbus.co.uk
Bus from Newhall Street to Buchanan Bus Station
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 10m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £28–50
- Website
- https://www.flixbus.co.uk
- Phone
- 08717 81 81 81
- Website
- nationalexpress.com
Bus from Sophia Gardens to Birmingham Coach Station
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 50m
- Frequency
- Every 3 hours
- Estimated price
- £20–50
- Website
- https://www.nationalexpress.com/en
Bus from Birmingham Coach Station to Buchanan Bus Station
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 25m
- Frequency
- Every 3 hours
- Estimated price
- £55–140
- Website
- https://www.nationalexpress.com/en
- Phone
- +44 (0)1475 650 397
- enquiries@calmac.co.uk
- Website
- calmac.co.uk
Ferry from Kennacraig Ferry Terminal to Port Askaig Islay Ferry Terminal
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 55m
- Frequency
- Every 3 hours
- Estimated price
- £6–50
- Website
- https://www.calmac.co.uk
- Passenger Fare
- £6–9
- Car Fare
- £40–50
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