Cheapest€23.28
- FlixBus FB447406:506h 58m13:48Cardiff Sophia GardensEdinburgh Bus Station
Door to door 7h 42mCO2 13.4 kgChanges 0Changeable for a fee
Traveling from Cardiff to Edinburgh costs €23.28 at the cheapest and takes 4h 7m door to door at the fastest, across 3 modes and 4 operators. The route covers 502 km. Cheapest is by Coach, fastest is by Flight.
At a glance
- Distance
- 502 km
- Fastest
- 4h 7m
- Average
- 5h 27m
- Services per day
- 10
- Cheapest
- €23.28
- CO2 per passenger
- 51.9 kg
Every way to make this journey
Journey times below are door to door, so they include getting to the terminal and away from it at the other end. Fares are the cheapest we currently sell on September 28, 2026.
| Mode | Door to door | Moving | At the ends | From | CO2 | Per day |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight | 4h 15m | 1h 5m | 3h 10m | €60.91 | 126.0 kg | 2 |
| Train | 4h 16m | 3h 32m | 44m | €64.69 | 16.4 kg | 6 |
| Coach | 7h 17m | 6h 33m | 44m | €29.88 | 13.4 kg | 2 |
- 4h 15mFastest, by Flight
- €29.88Cheapest, by Coach
- 13.4 kgLowest CO2, by Coach
- 502 kmDistance traveled
The cheapest and the fastest on September 28, 2026
Two journeys we can sell today, with the service number each operator files them under.
Fastest€60.32
- Loganair L112106:421h 5m07:47Cardiff CWLEdinburgh EDI
Door to door 4h 15mCO2 126.0 kgChanges 0Fixed, no changes
Today's real departures
Live from the operators' own published timetables, through the open transit feeds they publish. Times and services are real. Fares are modeled until our booking connectors are live.
| Operator | Service | Departs | Arrives | Takes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GWR3 changes | GWR | 08:19 | 15:07 | 6h 48m |
| CrossCountrydirect | CrossCountry | 08:45 | 16:09 | 7h 24m |
| Transport for Wales1 changes | TfW Rail | 08:53 | 15:18 | 6h 25m |
| GWR1 changes | GWR | 09:18 | 15:42 | 6h 24m |
| Transport for Wales1 changes | TfW Rail | 09:53 | 16:40 | 6h 47m |
| GWR1 changes | GWR | 10:18 | 16:38 | 6h 20m |
Prices over the next three weeks
Live from our own engine, refreshed on every request. The cheapest days for each way of traveling are marked.
| Cheapest fare by mode and day for Cardiff to Edinburgh | SatSep 12 | SunSep 13 | MonSep 14 | TueSep 15 | WedSep 16 | ThuSep 17 | FriSep 18 | SatSep 19 | SunSep 20 | MonSep 21 | TueSep 22 | WedSep 23 | ThuSep 24 | FriSep 25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coach | €57.93 | €50.78 | €39.23 | €36.48 | €45.83 | €49.68 | €39.78 | €36.48 | €34.28 | €30.98 | €32.63 | €32.63 | €45.28 | €29.88 |
| Flight | €116.37 | €93.95 | €75.66 | €78.02 | €73.30 | €106.34 | €78.61 | €83.33 | €76.84 | €63.86 | €74.48 | €80.38 | €81.56 | €60.91 |
| Train | €140.59 | €124.64 | €113.09 | €80.64 | €108.14 | €114.74 | €95.49 | €82.29 | €89.44 | €76.24 | €72.39 | €81.19 | €108.69 | €64.69 |
Cheapest day: 2026-09-28 · €23.28
Arriving in September changes what you want from a room in Edinburgh. It is not a thing we sell, so here is who does.
Looking for somewhere to stay in Edinburgh?
The search opens on Edinburgh with your nights already filled in, so it is one step to a real price.
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When to book Cardiff to Edinburgh
The same search run across the whole booking window, so the shape of the curve is visible rather than described.
- €37.0390 days
- €23.2860 days
- €22.1845 days
- €22.1830 days
- €31.5321 days
- €29.8814 days
- €39.787 days
- €39.233 days
- €57.931 days
- Cheapest lead time
- Fares bottom out around 45 days ahead, at €22.18.
- How much it moves
- The gap between the cheapest and most expensive lead time is 161 percent. The most expensive point is €57.93, 1 days out.
- What that means
- Today sits inside the cheap window, which closes about 45 days before departure. Waiting from here has usually cost money on this corridor rather than saved it.
Book now Fares on this route are lowest around 30 days ahead. You are inside that window.
Which departure day costs least
Median cheapest fare for each weekday, taken across the next three weeks of real prices.
- €34.28Sun
- €30.98Mon
- €32.63Tue
- €32.63Wed
- €45.28Thu
- €31.53Fri
- €36.48Sat
How the fare moves month by month
The same journey priced on the fifteenth of each of the next six months.
- €36.48Sep
- €28.78Oct
- €24.93Nov
- €22.73Dec
- €22.73Jan
- €18.88Feb
The route
What the journey actually looks like
Direct or connecting, how far the route really runs, and what happens when a connection is missed.
- Direct or connecting
- 60% of the services we sell on this corridor run through without a change. The remaining 40% involve one connection.
- How far it really runs
- The route covers 502 km against 497 km in a straight line, a detour of 1 percent. Track and road geometry account for the difference.
- Where the change is
- Connections are made at Manchester, Birkenhead, Liverpool, Preston. The gap between arriving and leaving is 61 minutes, of which about 5 is walking.
- If the connection is missed
- The tightest connection we sell here has a 16 percent chance of not being made on the timetable alone. Both legs are sold on one booking, so a missed connection is ours to fix and you are rebooked at no charge.
- First and last departure
- The first service of the day leaves Cardiff at 06:42 and the last at 06:47, across 2 departures. The return direction keeps its own timetable, so the times back are not these times reversed.
Where you leave from and where you arrive
The stations, airports and ports each mode on this corridor actually uses.
Cardiff
Rail
- Cardiff Central
- Cardiff Riverside Branch
- Cardiff Bay railway station
Bus
- Cardiff Sophia Gardens
- Cardiff Bus Interchange
Air
- CWL
Ferry
- Cardiff Sailing Centre Pontoons
- City Centre Water Bus Stop
Edinburgh
Rail
- Edinburgh Waverley
- Edinburgh Gateway station
- Edinburgh Park railway station
Bus
- Edinburgh Bus Station
- Halbeath Park & Ride
Air
- EDI
Ferry
- Cruise Liner Terminal
Landing at EDI after the trains have stopped is the case this solves. We do not run cars.
Getting from EDI into Edinburgh
A price agreed before you fly, a driver at arrivals, and a car big enough for the bags.
Book a ride from EDI with Welcome PickupsOr check Daytrip
Partner links. We do not operate transfers. We earn a commission on a booking, and the fare is the same as going direct.
Who runs this route
Speed, flexibility and what is on board. Nothing here is a rating, because we have not earned one.
| Operator | From | Fastest | Typical speed | Flexibility | On board |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arriva Cross Country | €54.24 | 4h 7m | 140 km/h | Refundable | Power outlets, Wi-Fi |
 CityJet | €51.47 | 4h 14m | 740 km/h | Fixed fare | Not published |
 FlixBus | €23.28 | 7h 15m | 72 km/h | Changeable | Power outlets, Restrooms, Wi-Fi |
| Loganair | €48.52 | 4h 14m | 740 km/h | Fixed fare | Not published |
What the fare is made of
Every part of the total, so the number at checkout is the number here.
| Part | Amount | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Operator fare | €18.00 | 77% |
| Taxes | €1.80 | 8% |
| Supplier fees | €1.49 | 6% |
| Our service fee | €1.99 | 9% |
| Total you pay | €23.28 | 100% |
A day in Edinburgh hauling a suitcase is a shorter day than it needs to be. We do not store bags.
Where to leave your bags in Edinburgh
Priced by the bag and by the day, booked before you get there, and insured while it sits.
Check Edinburgh on StasherOr try Bounce
Partner links. We do not run these networks. We earn a commission on a booking, and the price is the same as going direct.
Questions about Cardiff to Edinburgh
The questions people actually ask about this trip, answered from the same prices and times the page above is built on rather than written once and left to go stale.
How long does it take to get from Cardiff to Edinburgh?
The fastest journey from Cardiff to Edinburgh takes 4h 7m door to door, of which 1h 5m is spent moving, on the Flight. Most services take around 5h 27m, because that average includes slower stopping services and journeys with a connection. Times include reaching the terminal and leaving it at the far end.
How much does it cost to travel from Cardiff to Edinburgh?
The cheapest fare from Cardiff to Edinburgh is €23.28, checked on September 28, 2026. A typical fare across the next three weeks is €68.82. Both figures are the total for one passenger, including taxes, supplier fees and our service fee, so nothing is added at checkout.
What is the cheapest way to get from Cardiff to Edinburgh?
The cheapest way from Cardiff to Edinburgh is by Coach, at €29.88 for one passenger on September 28, 2026. That journey takes 7h 17m door to door. Cheaper is rarely faster on this corridor, and the comparison table on this page shows what each mode costs against what it saves.
What is the fastest way to get from Cardiff to Edinburgh?
The fastest way from Cardiff to Edinburgh is by Flight, at 4h 15m door to door. Only 1h 5m of that is spent moving; the remaining 3h 10m is reaching the terminal and leaving it at the far end. The cheapest fare on that mode is €60.91.
When should I book Cardiff to Edinburgh?
Fares from Cardiff to Edinburgh bottom out around 45 days before departure, at €22.18. Across the whole booking window the gap between the cheapest and the most expensive lead time is 161 percent, measured on September 28, 2026. Booking inside the last week has consistently cost more on this corridor.
Which day of the week is cheapest for Cardiff to Edinburgh?
Monday is the cheapest day to depart from Cardiff to Edinburgh, at €30.98. That is the median of 21 priced departure days across the next three weeks, checked on September 28, 2026. Shifting a departure by one day is usually worth more than shifting the booking by one week.
Which month is cheapest for Cardiff to Edinburgh?
February is the cheapest of the next 6 months to travel from Cardiff to Edinburgh, at €18.88 for one passenger. Each month is priced on its fifteenth, so the comparison is like for like rather than a mix of weekends and midweek departures.
Who runs service from Cardiff to Edinburgh?
4 operators sell services from Cardiff to Edinburgh across 3 modes: Arriva Cross Country, CityJet, FlixBus, Loganair. Journey times, fares and fare conditions differ between them, and the operator table on this page compares all of them on speed, flexibility and what is provided on board.
Is there a direct service from Cardiff to Edinburgh?
60 percent of the services we sell from Cardiff to Edinburgh are direct. The rest connect at Manchester, Birkenhead, Liverpool, Preston, with about 61 minutes between the two services. Both legs are sold on one booking, so a missed connection is rebooked at no charge.
How much CO2 does the journey from Cardiff to Edinburgh produce?
Traveling from Cardiff to Edinburgh by Coach produces about 13.4 kg of CO2 per passenger, the lowest of any mode on this corridor. The same journey by Flight produces about 126.0 kg, roughly 9 times as much for one passenger.
Which station or terminal do services from Cardiff to Edinburgh use?
Services from Cardiff to Edinburgh by Flight leave from Cardiff CWL and arrive at Edinburgh EDI. Allow about 3h 10m in total for reaching the departure terminal and leaving the arrival one, which is already included in every door to door time on this page.
Can I change or refund a ticket from Cardiff to Edinburgh?
2 of the 4 operators we sell from Cardiff to Edinburgh allow a change or a refund. A change on a changeable fare costs €5.00. The operator table on this page names which is which, and the condition is shown again before you pay.
Where these numbers come from
Observed service A carrier record shows this named operator serving this named pair, and we carry that through unchanged.
Schedules, seat counts and fares are generated by our own model until the supplier contracts are signed. Places, coordinates, operators, which operator serves which pair, and every distance are real. We would rather say that on every page than let a modeled number pass for a filed one.
Defined in full at Door to door, Fares, The booking window, Carbon, Distances
- On this page
- Every figure above was computed for Cardiff to Edinburgh on September 11, 2026: 502 km of route against 497 km in a straight line, 10 services a day, 4 operators, a cheapest fare of €23.28, and 4h 7m door to door on the fastest mode. The return direction is computed separately and its numbers are not these numbers.
The trip is the easy half to plan. The days in Edinburgh are the half people leave until last.
Anything to book in Edinburgh before you go?
Day trips that leave Edinburgh in the morning and cover a good part of United Kingdom by evening.
See Edinburgh on GetYourGuideOr browse Viator
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Other ways to make this journey
Arriving in Edinburgh
Leaving Edinburgh
- 198Places you can leave for
- 42Countries
- 63Operators
Plan a trip from here
Ask Ori for the same corridor under a different constraint, or for a longer trip that starts on it.