Travelling to Wales from elsewhere in the UK

The main direct rail route to Wales is the fast and frequent service from London Paddington, Reading, Bath and Bristol to Newport and Cardiff, with easy connections to Swansea, Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire.

There are also direct trains from London Euston and Manchester to Llandudno, Bangor and Holyhead; from Birmingham, Shrewsbury and Crewe to the North Wales coast and the Llŷn Peninsula; from Manchester and Shrewsbury to Newport; and from Portsmouth, Southampton and Salisbury to Cardiff.

The train journey from London to Cardiff takes only two hours. From Manchester to Llandudno Junction, it’s about the same.

From London Heathrow Airport, there’s a fast, direct rail service to Paddington, where you can change onto a direct train to Wales. From London Gatwick Airport, you can travel direct to London Victoria, then hop on the tube to Paddington or Euston to continue your journey.

National Rail Enquiries

Traveline Cymru

Transport for Wales

Great Western Railway

Virgin Trains

The National Express coach network links major towns and cities in the UK. Direct routes to Wales include:

London Victoria Coach Station > Cardiff, Swansea, Pembrokeshire

London Victoria Coach Station, Birmingham > Newtown, Aberystwyth

London Gatwick Airport, London Heathrow Airport, Bristol > Cardiff, Swansea

Hull, Nottingham, Leicester, Birmingham > Cardiff, Swansea, Pembrokeshire

Newcastle-upon-Tyne, York, Leeds, Manchester, Liverpool, Chester > North Wales

Megabus provides low cost intercity travel in the UK, with a coach service running from London and Bristol to Newport, Cardiff, Swansea, Carmarthen and Pembroke Dock.

Driving to Wales gives you maximum flexibility. The fastest routes are via the M4, M5, M6 and M56. 

Birmingham > Aberystwyth - 123m   2hrs 41mins

Canterbury > Cardiff - 215m    3hrs 46mins

Coventry > Barmouth - 130m    2hrs 47mins

Exeter > Swansea - 157m    2hrs 43mins

Leeds > Llandudno - 127m    2hrs 19mins

London > Cardiff - 153m   2hrs 52mins

London > Tenby - 239m    4hrs 19mins

Manchester > Caernarfon - 104m    2hrs 04mins

Nottingham > Swansea - 196m   3hrs 37mins

Peterborough > Aberystwyth - 207m    4hrs 11mins

Newcastle > Llandudno  - 227m    4hrs 08mins

Reading > Carmarthen - 173m    2hrs 56mins

York to Welshpool - 152m    2hrs 53mins

(Mileage and times supplied by www.theaa.com)

There are direct flights to Cardiff Airport from Aberdeen, Newcastle, Belfast, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Jersey.