There are 6 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 Street
- Fly from Birmingham Airport (BHX) to Islay (ILY)BHX - ILY
9h 18m£282–461Bus, ferry
cheapest- Take the bus from Kingsway GD to Buchanan Bus StationM19
- Take the bus from Buchanan Bus Station to Argyll Arms Hotel926
- Take the ferry from Kennacraig Ferry Terminal to Port Askaig Islay Ferry TerminalCm9
18h 30m£50–113Train, ferry
- Take the train from Cardiff Central to Crewe
- Take the train from Crewe to Glasgow Central
- Take the train from Glasgow Queen Street to Oban
- Take the ferry from Oban Ferry Terminal to Colonsay Ferry Terminal
- Take the ferry from Colonsay Ferry Terminal to Port Askaig Islay Ferry TerminalCm9
16h 17m£96–361Train, bus, ferry
- Take the train from Cardiff Central to Bristol Parkway
- Take the train from Bristol Parkway to Haymarket
- Take the bus from Haymarket Station to Station Road978
- Take the ferry from Oban Ferry Terminal to Colonsay Ferry Terminal
- Take the ferry from Colonsay Ferry Terminal to Port Askaig Islay Ferry TerminalCm9
18h 26m£211–685Train to Bristol Airport, fly to Glasgow Airport, bus, ferry
- Take the train from Cardiff Central to Bristol Temple Meads
- Fly from Bristol Airport (BRS) to Glasgow Airport (GLA)BRS - GLA
- Take the bus from Terminal Building to Argyll Arms Hotel
- Take the ferry from Kennacraig Ferry Terminal to Port Askaig Islay Ferry Terminal
11h 39m£66–198Train to Bristol Airport, fly to Islay
- Take the train from Cardiff Central to Bristol Temple Meads
- Fly from Bristol Airport (BRS) to Islay (ILY)BRS - ILY
5h 11m£59–293
Birmingham Airport (BHX) to Islay (ILY) flights
Questions & Answers
The cheapest way to get from Cardiff to Islay is to bus and ferry which costs £50 - £120 and takes 18h 30m.
The fastest way to get from Cardiff to Islay is to train and fly which takes 5h 11m and costs £55 - £300.
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 which takes 16h 17m and costs £95 - £370.
It takes approximately 9h 18m to get from Cardiff to Islay, including transfers.
There are 43+ 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, Oban Ferry Terminal, and Colonsay Ferry Terminal in around 16h 17m.
- Website
- easyjet.com
Flights from Bristol Airport to Glasgow Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 16m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- £23–85
Flights from Bristol Airport to Glasgow Airport via Belfast (Aldergrove)
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 10m
- When
- Thursday and Sunday
- Estimated price
- £23–85
- Website
- loganair.co.uk
Flights from Birmingham Airport to Islay via Glasgow Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 45m
- When
- Monday, Wednesday, and Friday
- Estimated price
- £40–270
Flights from Birmingham Airport to Islay via Belfast (Aldergrove), Glasgow Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 6h
- When
- Thursday
- Estimated price
- £45–270
Flights from Birmingham Airport to Islay via Amsterdam Schiphol, Glasgow Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 40m
- When
- Sunday
- Estimated price
- £75–410
Flights from Birmingham Airport to Islay via Dublin, Glasgow Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 10h 35m
- When
- Monday and Friday
- Estimated price
- £60–260
Flights from Bristol Airport to Islay via Glasgow Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 5m
- When
- Monday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- £40–260
Train from Cardiff Central to Birmingham New Street
- Ave. Duration
- 2h
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £29–95
- Website
- https://www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/
Train from Bristol Parkway to Haymarket
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 34m
- Frequency
- 3 times a day
- Estimated price
- £170–550
- Website
- https://www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/
- Standard
- £170–250
- 1st Class
- £400–550
Train from Cardiff Central to Bristol Temple Meads
- Ave. Duration
- 49 min
- Frequency
- Once a week
- Estimated price
- £9–19
- Website
- https://www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/
- Phone
- 03333 211 202
- Website
- tfw.wales
Train from Cardiff Central to Crewe
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 34m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £40–60
- 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 4 hours
- Estimated price
- £21–160
- Website
- https://www.avantiwestcoast.co.uk/
- Phone
- +44 344 811 0141
- Website
- scotrail.co.uk
Train from Glasgow Queen Street to Oban
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 6m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- £23–55
- Website
- https://www.scotrail.co.uk/
- Phone
- +44 3457 000 125
- gwr.feedback@gwr.com
- Website
- gwr.com
Train from Cardiff Central to Bristol Parkway
- Ave. Duration
- 35 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £11–19
- Website
- https://www.gwr.com/
Train from Cardiff Central to Bristol Temple Meads
- Ave. Duration
- 48 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £12–24
- Website
- https://www.gwr.com/
- Phone
- 0141 352 4444
- info@citylink.co.uk
- Website
- citylink.co.uk
Bus from Haymarket Station to Station Road
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 2m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- £19–26
- Website
- https://www.citylink.co.uk/
Bus from Buchanan Bus Station to Argyll Arms Hotel
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 44m
- Frequency
- Every 3 hours
- Estimated price
- £14–20
- Website
- https://www.citylink.co.uk/
Bus from Terminal Building to Argyll Arms Hotel
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 27m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- £14–20
- Website
- https://www.citylink.co.uk/
- Phone
- 0141 352 4444
- enquiries@megabus.com
- Website
- uk.megabus.com
Bus from Kingsway GD to Buchanan Bus Station
- Ave. Duration
- 10h 5m
- Frequency
- 6 times a week
- Estimated price
- £27–40
- Website
- https://uk.megabus.com
- Phone
- +44 (0)1475 650 397
- enquiries@calmac.co.uk
- Website
- calmac.co.uk
Ferry from Oban Ferry Terminal to Colonsay Ferry Terminal
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 15m
- Frequency
- 6 times a week
- Estimated price
- £7–60
- Website
- Caledonian MacBrayne
- Passenger Fare
- £7–11
- Car Fare
- £50–60
Ferry from Colonsay Ferry Terminal to Port Askaig Islay Ferry Terminal
- Ave. Duration
- 1h
- Frequency
- Twice a week
- Estimated price
- £4–30
- Website
- Caledonian MacBrayne
- Passenger Fare
- £4–7
- Car Fare
- £24–30
Ferry from Kennacraig Ferry Terminal to Port Askaig Islay Ferry Terminal
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 55m
- Frequency
- 4 times a day
- Estimated price
- £6–50
- Website
- Caledonian MacBrayne
- Passenger Fare
- £6–9
- Car Fare
- £40–50
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