There are 7 ways to get from Cardiff to Orkney Islands 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 Bristol Airport, fly
best- Take the train from Cardiff Central to Bristol Temple Meadstrain
- Fly from Bristol Airport (BRS) to Kirkwall (KOI)plane BRS - KOI
7h 3m£216–484Bus, ferry
cheapest- 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 Union Square Bus Stationbus
- Take the ferry from Aberdeen Ferry Terminal to Kirkwall Orkney Hatston Ferry Terminalferry Nl2
21h 9m£56–121Train, ferry via Crewe
- Take the train from Cardiff Central to Crewetrain
- Take the train from Crewe to Haymarkettrain
- Take the train from Haymarket to Aberdeentrain
- Take the ferry from Aberdeen Ferry Terminal to Kirkwall Orkney Hatston Ferry Terminalferry Nl2
17h 27m£93–319Train to London Heathrow Airport, fly
- Take the train from Cardiff Central to London Paddingtontrain
- Fly from London Heathrow Airport (LHR) to Kirkwall (KOI)plane LHR - KOI
7h 51m£169–535Train, train to Southampton Airport, fly
- Take the train from Cardiff Central to Readingtrain
- Take the train from Reading to Southampton Airport Parkwaytrain
- Fly from Southampton Airport (SOU) to Kirkwall (KOI)plane SOU - KOI
11h 50m£269–673Train, ferry
- Take the train from Newport (S Wales) to Aberdeentrain Plymouth - Aberdeen
- Take the ferry from Aberdeen Ferry Terminal to Kirkwall Orkney Hatston Ferry Terminalferry Nl2
18h 14m£247–797Bus, ferry via Edinburgh
- Take the bus from Sophia Gardens to Birmingham Coach Stationbus 111 / ...
- Take the bus from Birmingham Coach Station to Edinburgh, Bus Stationbus 183 / ...
- Take the bus from Edinburgh, Bus Station to Union Square Bus Stationbus M92
- Take the ferry from Aberdeen Ferry Terminal to Kirkwall Orkney Hatston Ferry Terminalferry Nl2
23h 16m£71–160
Cardiff to Orkney Islands by train, foot, and ferry
Questions & Answers
The cheapest way to get from Cardiff to Orkney Islands is to bus and ferry which costs £55 - £130 and takes 21h 9m.
The fastest way to get from Cardiff to Orkney Islands is to train and fly which takes 7h 3m and costs £210 - £490.
The distance between Cardiff and Orkney Islands is 576 miles.
The best way to get from Cardiff to Orkney Islands without a car is to train and ferry via Crewe which takes 17h 27m and costs £90 - £320.
It takes approximately 7h 3m to get from Cardiff to Orkney Islands, including transfers.
There are 190+ hotels available in Orkney Islands.
What companies run services between Cardiff, Wales and Orkney Islands, Scotland?
There is no direct connection from Cardiff to Orkney Islands. 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, fly to Kirkwall (KOI), walk to Airport Terminal, then take the bus to Peerie Sea Loan. Alternatively, you can take a train from Cardiff Central to Kirkwall Orkney Hatston Ferry Terminal via Crewe, Haymarket, Aberdeen, and Aberdeen Ferry Terminal in around 17h 27m.
- Website
- britishairways.com
Flights from Bristol Airport to Kirkwall via Aberdeen
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 35m
- When
- Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday
- Estimated price
- £210–460
Flights from Bristol Airport to Kirkwall via Edinburgh
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 57m
- When
- Tuesday
- Estimated price
- £210–450
Flights from Bristol Airport to Kirkwall via Glasgow
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 2m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- £210–450
Flights from London Heathrow Airport to Kirkwall via Dundee
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 30m
- When
- Monday and Friday
- Estimated price
- £250–1,000
Flights from London Heathrow Airport to Kirkwall via Glasgow
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 1m
- When
- Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- £120–420
Flights from London Heathrow Airport to Kirkwall via Edinburgh
- Ave. Duration
- 4h
- When
- Tuesday
- Estimated price
- £120–420
Flights from London Heathrow Airport to Kirkwall via Aberdeen
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 40m
- When
- Tuesday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- £120–420
Flights from London Heathrow Airport to Kirkwall via Belfast City, Aberdeen
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 25m
- When
- Sunday
- Estimated price
- £120–420
Flights from Southampton Airport to Kirkwall via Edinburgh
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 13m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- £230–550
Flights from Southampton Airport to Kirkwall via Glasgow
- Ave. Duration
- 10h
- When
- Sunday
- Estimated price
- £85–440
Flights from Southampton Airport to Kirkwall via Belfast (Aldergrove), Glasgow
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 45m
- When
- Sunday
- Estimated price
- £90–450
- Website
- loganair.co.uk
Flights from Bristol Airport to Kirkwall via Aberdeen
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 35m
- When
- Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday
- Estimated price
- £210–460
Flights from Bristol Airport to Kirkwall via Edinburgh
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 57m
- When
- Tuesday
- Estimated price
- £210–450
Flights from Bristol Airport to Kirkwall via Glasgow
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 2m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- £210–450
Flights from London Heathrow Airport to Kirkwall via Dundee
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 30m
- When
- Monday and Friday
- Estimated price
- £250–1,000
Flights from Southampton Airport to Kirkwall via Edinburgh
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 13m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- £230–550
Flights from Southampton Airport to Kirkwall via Glasgow
- Ave. Duration
- 10h
- When
- Sunday
- Estimated price
- £85–440
Flights from Southampton Airport to Kirkwall via Belfast (Aldergrove), Glasgow
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 45m
- When
- Sunday
- Estimated price
- £90–450
- 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/
Train from Cardiff Central to London Paddington
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 54m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £35–90
- Website
- https://www.gwr.com/
Train from Cardiff Central to Reading
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 29m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £30–95
- Website
- https://www.gwr.com/
Train from Cardiff Central to Bristol Temple Meads
- Ave. Duration
- 49 min
- Frequency
- Once a week
- Estimated price
- £5–11
- Website
- https://www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/
Train from Haymarket to Aberdeen
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 22m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- £9–75
- Website
- https://www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/
Train from Reading to Southampton Airport Parkway
- Ave. Duration
- 43 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £7–29
- Website
- https://www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/
Train from Newport (S Wales) to Aberdeen
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 23m
- Frequency
- Once a week
- Estimated price
- £220–750
- Website
- https://www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/
- Standard
- £220–330
- 1st Class
- £500–750
- Phone
- 03333 211 202
- Website
- tfw.wales
Train from Cardiff Central to Crewe
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 34m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- £35–55
- Website
- https://tfw.wales/
- Phone
- +44 345 528 0253
- Website
- avantiwestcoast.co.uk
Train from Crewe to Haymarket
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 8m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- £28–150
- Website
- https://www.avantiwestcoast.co.uk/
- Phone
- +44 344 811 0141
- Website
- scotrail.co.uk
Train from Haymarket to Aberdeen
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 21m
- Frequency
- Every 2 hours
- Estimated price
- £24–75
- Website
- https://www.scotrail.co.uk/
- Phone
- +44 345 722 5333
- customers@lner.co.uk
- Website
- lner.co.uk
Train from Haymarket to Aberdeen
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 27m
- Frequency
- 4 times a day
- Estimated price
- £16–25
- Website
- https://www.lner.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
Bus from Sophia Gardens to Birmingham Coach Station
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 50m
- Frequency
- Every 3 hours
- Estimated price
- £12–40
- Website
- https://www.nationalexpress.com/en
Bus from Birmingham Coach Station to Edinburgh, Bus Station
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 25m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- £20–55
- 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 Newhall St to Buchanan Bus Station
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 10m
- Frequency
- Every 3 hours
- Estimated price
- £13–35
- Website
- https://www.flixbus.co.uk
Bus from Buchanan Bus Station to Union Square Bus Station
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 20m
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- £7–16
- Website
- https://www.flixbus.co.uk
- Phone
- 0141 352 4444
- info@citylink.co.uk
- Website
- citylink.co.uk
Bus from Edinburgh, Bus Station to Union Square Bus Station
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 5m
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- £19–27
- Website
- https://www.citylink.co.uk/
- Phone
- +44 845 600 0449
- info@northlinkferries.co.uk
- Website
- northlinkferries.co.uk
Ferry from Aberdeen Ferry Terminal to Kirkwall Orkney Hatston Ferry Terminal
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 30m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- £20–36
- Website
- https://www.northlinkferries.co.uk/
- Low
- £20–25
- Peak
- £31–36
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