Cheapest€10.08
- FlixBus FB782606:502h 12m09:02Reading bus stationCardiff Sophia Gardens
Door to door 2h 56mCO2 4.3 kgChanges 0Changeable for a fee
Traveling from Reading to Cardiff costs €10.08 at the cheapest and takes 1h 55m door to door at the fastest, across 3 modes and 4 operators. The route covers 161 km. Cheapest is by Coach, fastest is by Train.
At a glance
- Distance
- 161 km
- Fastest
- 1h 55m
- Average
- 3h 27m
- Services per day
- 8
- Cheapest
- €10.08
- CO2 per passenger
- 8.4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Train | 2h 2m | 1h 18m | 44m | €20.69 | 5.3 kg | 5 |
| Coach | 2h 56m | 2h 12m | 44m | €11.18 | 4.3 kg | 1 |
| Ferry | 6h 37m | 5h 7m | 1h 30m | €13.54 | 18.5 kg | 2 |
- 2h 2mFastest, by Train
- €11.18Cheapest, by Coach
- 4.3 kgLowest CO2, by Coach
- 161 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€23.99
- Great Western Railway GW789306:541h 18m08:12Reading StationCardiff Central
Door to door 2h 2mCO2 5.3 kgChanges 0Refundable
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GWRdirect | GWR | 08:13 | 09:37 | 1h 28m |
| GWRdirect | GWR | 08:43 | 10:07 | 1h 28m |
| GWRdirect | GWR | 09:13 | 10:40 | 1h 31m |
| GWRdirect | GWR | 09:41 | 11:10 | 1h 33m |
| GWRdirect | GWR | 10:12 | 11:38 | 1h 30m |
| GWRdirect | GWR | 10:43 | 12:16 | 1h 37m |
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 Reading to Cardiff | ThuSep 10 | FriSep 11 | SatSep 12 | SunSep 13 | MonSep 14 | TueSep 15 | WedSep 16 | ThuSep 17 | FriSep 18 | SatSep 19 | SunSep 20 | MonSep 21 | TueSep 22 | WedSep 23 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coach | €26.03 | €22.18 | €16.68 | €19.98 | €17.23 | €13.93 | €15.03 | €15.58 | €17.78 | €15.03 | €16.68 | €11.18 | €13.38 | €12.28 |
| Ferry | €25.09 | €27.84 | €25.64 | €24.54 | €17.39 | €18.49 | €18.49 | €19.04 | €16.84 | €20.14 | €19.04 | €15.74 | €15.74 | €13.54 |
| Train | €42.69 | €41.04 | €39.39 | €38.84 | €30.58 | €30.03 | €27.84 | €37.18 | €29.49 | €30.04 | €27.83 | €22.89 | €22.34 | €20.69 |
Cheapest day: 2026-09-28 · €10.08
The ferry gets you into Cardiff. It does not get you a bed, and neither do we.
Where to stay in Cardiff
Filter by neighborhood and by nightly price, and the map tells you what is a walk and what is a cab.
Search Cardiff on Booking.comOr compare on Expedia
Partner links. We do not sell accommodation. We earn a commission when a booking completes, and it never changes what you pay.
When to book Reading to Cardiff
The same search run across the whole booking window, so the shape of the curve is visible rather than described.
- €10.0890 days
- €10.6360 days
- €10.0845 days
- €11.7330 days
- €10.6321 days
- €12.2814 days
- €15.037 days
- €16.683 days
- €25.091 days
- Cheapest lead time
- Fares bottom out around 90 days ahead, at €10.08.
- How much it moves
- The gap between the cheapest and most expensive lead time is 149 percent. The most expensive point is €25.09, 1 days out.
- What that means
- Today sits inside the cheap window, which closes about 90 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 45 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.
- €16.68Sun
- €11.18Mon
- €13.38Tue
- €12.28Wed
- €15.58Thu
- €16.84Fri
- €15.03Sat
How the fare moves month by month
The same journey priced on the fifteenth of each of the next six months.
- €13.93Sep
- €13.38Oct
- €11.18Nov
- €10.07Dec
- €11.73Jan
- €10.08Feb
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
- 50% of the services we sell on this corridor run through without a change. The remaining 50% involve one connection.
- How far it really runs
- The route covers 161 km against 153 km in a straight line, a detour of 5 percent. Track and road geometry account for the difference.
- Where the change is
- Connections are made at Bristol, Didcot, Bath, Swindon. The gap between arriving and leaving is 70 minutes, of which about 5 is walking.
- If the connection is missed
- The tightest connection we sell here has a 14 percent chance of not being made on the timetable alone. Part of this journey is a self transfer between separate tickets, so leave more time than the minimum and expect to check in again.
- First and last departure
- The first service of the day leaves Reading at 06:26 and the last at 07:30, across 5 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.
Reading
Rail
- Reading Station
- Winnersh Station
- Reading West
Ferry
- Thames RiverCruise
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
CWL is not in Cardiff, and the drive in from it is the part of the trip nobody plans. We sell the flight and stop at the terminal door.
Getting from CWL into Cardiff?
Settled in advance, so the ride into Cardiff costs what it said it would rather than what the cab stand says.
Book a ride from CWL 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Brittany Ferries | €13.54 | 6h 27m | 33 km/h | Changeable | Bar, , Cabins, Cafe, Restaurant, Restrooms |
 FlixBus | €10.08 | 2h 56m | 72 km/h | Changeable | Power outlets, Restrooms, Wi-Fi |
| Great Western Railway | €20.69 | 1h 55m | 140 km/h | Refundable | Power outlets, Wi-Fi |
 South Western Railway | €20.69 | 1h 55m | 140 km/h | Refundable | Power outlets, Wi-Fi |
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 | €6.00 | 60% |
| Taxes | €0.60 | 6% |
| Supplier fees | €1.49 | 15% |
| Our service fee | €1.99 | 20% |
| Total you pay | €10.08 | 100% |
We cannot promise Cardiff Central still has a baggage check, because plenty of stations closed theirs.
Baggage storage near Cardiff Central
Priced by the bag and by the day, booked before you get there, and insured while it sits.
Check Cardiff 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 Reading to Cardiff
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 Reading to Cardiff?
The fastest journey from Reading to Cardiff takes 1h 55m door to door, of which 1h 18m is spent moving, on the Train. Most services take around 3h 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 Reading to Cardiff?
The cheapest fare from Reading to Cardiff is €10.08, checked on September 28, 2026. A typical fare across the next three weeks is €22.62. 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 Reading to Cardiff?
The cheapest way from Reading to Cardiff is by Coach, at €11.18 for one passenger on September 28, 2026. That journey takes 2h 56m 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 Reading to Cardiff?
The fastest way from Reading to Cardiff is by Train, at 2h 2m door to door. Only 1h 18m of that is spent moving; the remaining 44m is reaching the terminal and leaving it at the far end. The cheapest fare on that mode is €20.69.
When should I book Reading to Cardiff?
Fares from Reading to Cardiff bottom out around 90 days before departure, at €10.08. Across the whole booking window the gap between the cheapest and the most expensive lead time is 149 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 Reading to Cardiff?
Monday is the cheapest day to depart from Reading to Cardiff, at €11.18. 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 Reading to Cardiff?
December is the cheapest of the next 6 months to travel from Reading to Cardiff, at €10.07 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 Reading to Cardiff?
4 operators sell services from Reading to Cardiff across 3 modes: Brittany Ferries, FlixBus, Great Western Railway, South Western Railway. 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 Reading to Cardiff?
50 percent of the services we sell from Reading to Cardiff are direct. The rest connect at Bristol, Didcot, Bath, Swindon, with about 70 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 Reading to Cardiff produce?
Traveling from Reading to Cardiff by Coach produces about 4.3 kg of CO2 per passenger, the lowest of any mode on this corridor. The same journey by Ferry produces about 18.5 kg, roughly 4 times as much for one passenger.
Which station or terminal do services from Reading to Cardiff use?
Services from Reading to Cardiff by Train leave from Reading Station and arrive at Cardiff Central. Allow about 44m 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 Reading to Cardiff?
4 of the 4 operators we sell from Reading to Cardiff 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
Derived from service area No carrier record names this exact pair. The operators listed publish a service area covering both places at a distance their mode plausibly carries people, which is evidence that the corridor is served and not evidence of a specific service. Pages state which, because presenting the two as the same thing would be dishonest.
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 Reading to Cardiff on September 9, 2026: 161 km of route against 153 km in a straight line, 8 services a day, 4 operators, a cheapest fare of €10.08, and 1h 55m door to door on the fastest mode. The return direction is computed separately and its numbers are not these numbers.
Plenty of what is worth seeing sits outside Cardiff and elsewhere in United Kingdom. None of it is ours to sell.
Things to do in Cardiff
Timed entry, guided walks and half-day trips out of Cardiff, with free cancellation on most of it.
See Cardiff on GetYourGuideOr browse Viator
Partner links. We do not sell tours or tickets. We earn a commission on a booking, and it never changes the price.
Other ways to make this journey
Arriving in Cardiff
Leaving Cardiff
- 118Places you can leave for
- 15Countries
- 22Operators
Plan a trip from here
Ask Ori for the same corridor under a different constraint, or for a longer trip that starts on it.