There are 5 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
9h 2m£61–345Train, ferry
- 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 Colonsay Ferry Terminalferry
- Take the ferry from Colonsay Ferry Terminal to Port Askaig Islay Ferry Terminalferry Cm9
16h 24m£90–349Train, bus, ferry
- Take the train from Newport (S Wales) to Haymarkettrain
- Take the bus from Haymarket Station to Station Roadbus 978
- Take the ferry from Oban Ferry Terminal to Colonsay Ferry Terminalferry
- Take the ferry from Colonsay Ferry Terminal to Port Askaig Islay Ferry Terminalferry Cm9
18h 41m£217–723Bus, ferry
- Take the bus from Sophia Gardens to Lordswood Rdbus 111 / ...
- Take the bus from Newhall St to Buchanan Bus Stationbus
- Take the bus from Buchanan Bus Station to Road Endbus 976
- Take the ferry from Oban Ferry Terminal to Colonsay Ferry Terminalferry
- Take the ferry from Colonsay Ferry Terminal to Port Askaig Islay Ferry Terminalferry Cm9
19h 14m£65–189Train to Bristol Airport, fly to Glasgow Airport, bus, ferry
- 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 37m£62–182
Cardiff to Islay by train, foot, and ferry
Questions & Answers
The cheapest way to get from Cardiff to Islay is to train and fly and bus and ferry which costs £60 - £190 and takes 11h 37m.
The fastest way to get from Cardiff to Islay is to train and fly which takes 9h 2m and costs £60 - £350.
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 24m and costs £85 - £350.
It takes approximately 9h 2m to get from Cardiff to Islay, including transfers.
There are 47+ 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 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 24m.
- Website
- easyjet.com
Flights from Bristol Airport to Glasgow Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 16m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- £21–70
Flights from Bristol Airport to Glasgow Airport via Belfast (Aldergrove)
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 10m
- When
- Thursday and Sunday
- Estimated price
- £21–70
- Website
- loganair.co.uk
Flights from Birmingham Airport to Islay via Glasgow Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 45m
- When
- Monday, Wednesday, and Friday
- Estimated price
- £40–250
Flights from Birmingham Airport to Islay via Belfast (Aldergrove), Glasgow Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 40m
- When
- Thursday
- Estimated price
- £40–250
Flights from Birmingham Airport to Islay via Derry, Glasgow Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 55m
- When
- Monday and Friday
- Estimated price
- £45–260
Flights from Birmingham Airport to Islay via Amsterdam Schiphol, Glasgow Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 40m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- £70–390
Flights from Birmingham Airport to Islay via Dublin, Glasgow Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 10h 40m
- When
- Monday and Friday
- Estimated price
- £55–240
- Website
- ryanair.com
Flights from Bristol Airport to Glasgow Airport via Dublin
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 30m
- When
- Monday and Friday
- Estimated price
- £45–85
Train from Cardiff Central to Birmingham New Street
- Ave. Duration
- 2h
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £19–90
- Website
- https://www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/
Train from Newport (S Wales) to Haymarket
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 58m
- Frequency
- 4 times a week
- Estimated price
- £180–600
- Website
- https://www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/
- Standard
- £180–260
- 1st Class
- £410–600
Train from Cardiff Central to Bristol Temple Meads
- Ave. Duration
- 49 min
- Frequency
- Once a week
- Estimated price
- £8–11
- 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
- £40–55
- Website
- https://tfw.wales/
- Phone
- +44 345 528 0253
- Website
- avantiwestcoast.co.uk
Train from Crewe to Glasgow Central
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 4m
- Frequency
- Every 3 hours
- Estimated price
- £18–160
- 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 7m
- Frequency
- 5 times a day
- Estimated price
- £20–45
- 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
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £15–24
- 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
- 3 times a day
- Estimated price
- £19–26
- Website
- https://www.citylink.co.uk/
Bus from Buchanan Bus Station to Road End
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 53m
- Frequency
- Every 3 hours
- Estimated price
- £15–22
- Website
- https://www.citylink.co.uk/
Bus from Terminal Building to Argyll Arms Hotel
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 27m
- Frequency
- 3 times a day
- Estimated price
- £14–20
- Website
- https://www.citylink.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
- £14–27
- 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 Newhall St to Buchanan Bus Station
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 10m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £13–35
- Website
- https://www.flixbus.co.uk
- 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 30m
- Frequency
- 6 times a week
- Estimated price
- £7–60
- Website
- https://www.calmac.co.uk
- 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
- https://www.calmac.co.uk
- 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
- https://www.calmac.co.uk
- Passenger Fare
- £6–9
- Car Fare
- £40–50
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