How far is Manchester from Cardiff?

Manchester and Cardiff are 144 miles (232 km) apart.

What are the departure and arrival stations when taking the bus from Manchester to Cardiff?

Most of the buses traveling from Manchester to Cardiff leave from Manchester Airport and arrive at Cardiff University (o/s Cathays Rail Stn). These are the most popular departure and arrival locations on this route, but you can find others that could fit better into your travel plans.

What are the best sights and things to do in Cardiff?

Once in Cardiff, you can start exploring the city and discover its surroundings. The top sights and things to do are Cardiff International White Water, Brecon Beacons National Park, Caerphilly Castle, St Fagans National Museum of History and Techniquest.

Bus Manchester to Cardiff from $15 | Refundable Tickets

Next bus departures

Next departures for Manchester to Cardiff on November 20
Vehicle type	Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
Bus	7:30am	Coach Station	7h 10m	2:40pm	Sophia Gardens	Cheapest
Bus	6:20pm	Manchester (Moss Lane East)	6h	12:20am	Cardiff North Road (Friary Gardens)	Fastest
Bus	8:50am	Shudehill	6h 40m	3:30pm	Cardiff North Road (Friary Gardens)	No tags
Bus	7:30am	Coach Station	7h 10m	2:40pm	Sophia Gardens	No tags
Bus	11:40am	Shudehill	6h 55m	6:35pm	Cardiff North Road (Friary Gardens)	No tags

Next departures for Manchester to Cardiff on November 21
Vehicle type	Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
Bus	3:00pm	Shudehill	7h 15m	10:15pm	Cardiff North Road (Friary Gardens)	Cheapest
Bus	9:10am	Manchester (Moss Lane East)	6h 20m	3:30pm	Cardiff North Road (Friary Gardens)	Fastest
Bus	12:45am	Manchester Airport	11h 45m	12:30pm	Cardiff North Road (Friary Gardens)	No tags
Bus	4:10am	Coach Station	7h 55m	12:05pm	Sophia Gardens	No tags
Bus	8:50am	Shudehill	6h 40m	3:30pm	Cardiff North Road (Friary Gardens)	No tags

Next departures for Manchester to Cardiff on November 22
Vehicle type	Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
Bus	8:50am	Shudehill	6h 40m	3:30pm	Cardiff North Road (Friary Gardens)	Cheapest
Bus	6:20pm	Manchester (Moss Lane East)	6h	12:20am	Cardiff North Road (Friary Gardens)	Fastest
Bus	12:45am	Manchester Airport	11h 45m	12:30pm	Cardiff North Road (Friary Gardens)	No tags
Bus	4:10am	Coach Station	7h 55m	12:05pm	Sophia Gardens	No tags
Bus	11:40am	Shudehill	6h 55m	6:35pm	Cardiff North Road (Friary Gardens)	No tags

Next departures for Manchester to Cardiff on November 23
Vehicle type	Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
Bus	9:10am	Manchester (Moss Lane East)	6h 20m	3:30pm	Cardiff North Road (Friary Gardens)	Cheapest
Bus	6:20pm	Manchester (Moss Lane East)	6h	12:20am	Cardiff North Road (Friary Gardens)	Fastest
Bus	12:45am	Manchester Airport	11h 45m	12:30pm	Cardiff North Road (Friary Gardens)	No tags
Bus	4:10am	Coach Station	7h 55m	12:05pm	Sophia Gardens	No tags
Bus	8:50am	Shudehill	6h 40m	3:30pm	Cardiff North Road (Friary Gardens)	No tags

Next departures for Manchester to Cardiff on November 24
Vehicle type	Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
Bus	7:30am	Coach Station	22h 5m	5:35am	Cardiff University (o/s Cathays Rail Stn)	Cheapest
Bus	6:20pm	Manchester (Moss Lane East)	6h	12:20am	Cardiff North Road (Friary Gardens)	Fastest
Bus	12:45am	Manchester Airport	11h 45m	12:30pm	Cardiff North Road (Friary Gardens)	No tags
Bus	4:10am	Coach Station	1d 1h	5:35am	Cardiff University (o/s Cathays Rail Stn)	No tags
Bus	8:50am	Shudehill	6h 40m	3:30pm	Cardiff North Road (Friary Gardens)	No tags

Next departures for Manchester to Cardiff on November 25
Vehicle type	Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
Bus	11:40am	Shudehill	6h 55m	6:35pm	Cardiff North Road (Friary Gardens)	Cheapest
Bus	9:10am	Manchester (Moss Lane East)	6h 20m	3:30pm	Cardiff North Road (Friary Gardens)	Fastest
Bus	12:45am	Manchester Airport	11h 45m	12:30pm	Cardiff North Road (Friary Gardens)	No tags
Bus	4:10am	Coach Station	7h 55m	12:05pm	Sophia Gardens	No tags
Bus	8:50am	Shudehill	6h 40m	3:30pm	Cardiff North Road (Friary Gardens)	No tags

Last refresh of the prices: Today at 4:05 AM GMT.

Compare 3 ways to go from Manchester to Cardiff

We recommend carpooling

Among the sustainable travel choices, the carpool stands out as the good way to reach Cardiff. The journey takes about 2 hours 50 minutes and with fares starting at just $21, it presents an excellent value for a comfortable ride.

1carpool per day

2h 50mAverage Duration

144 milesDistance

10kgCO₂ emissions

	Average Price	Average Duration	CO₂ emissions
Bus	Average Price$17 - $101	Average Duration7h 45m	CO₂ emissions 6kg CO₂e
Train	Average Price$44 - $216	Average Duration3h 30m	CO₂ emissions 6kg CO₂e
Carpool	Average Price$21 - $24	Average Duration2h 50m	CO₂ emissions 10kg CO₂e

Compare bus companies

FlixBus

3.5/511,380 reviews

Staff4.2

Timeliness3.9

Cleanliness4.1

Wifi2.7

Flixbus is a European bus operator that offers intercity and bus travel in over 38 countries. Known for their easy-to-spot lime green buses and for offering affordable transportation between cities in Europe and the Americas, Flixbus is a good option for those looking for an affordable, reliable bus company. In their buses, you'll find free WiFi, bathrooms, and power outlets. You can also pay extra to choose your seat and get extra legroom, or even buy a snack or drink onboard directly from the driver. You can reschedule your ticket for a small fee, which varies from $1 to $5, depending on how close you are to the departure date.

Flixbus Manchester Cardiff recent customer reviews

The flixbus is really good

Hardayal K.

October 11, 2025

National Express

4/529,720 reviews

Staff4.7

Timeliness4

Cleanliness4.7

Wifi3.4

Megabus UK

3.5/54,274 reviews

Staff4.4

Timeliness3.4

Cleanliness4.4

Wifi2.6

Based on 4274 reviews, the company was rated 3.6 stars on Busbud. Travelers were especially satisfied with the ticket access and the staff but often complained with the wifi. Megabus UK ticket prices on this trip start at $32

Megabus Manchester Cardiff recent customer reviews

Bus came 1hr late. Stopped o. The way 50mns waiting for change of driver. I couldn't get home yesterday 😩 because we arrived 2hrs late no train to go home

Jessica Y.

October 30, 2024

I was unable to make the date of booking, I did try to exchange my bus ticket to another date however the process made it to hard to do so

Gareth J.

November 14, 2023

It was late one hour.

Wehazit S.

December 5, 2024

GB bus companies: FlixBus, BlaBlaCar Bus, ALSA, Greyhound, Intercape, Trenitalia, National Express

Where are the popular stops in Manchester and Cardiff?

Stops in Manchester

A - Manchester Airport

B - Coach Station

C - Shudehill

D - 56 Great Bridgewater St

E - City of Manchester Stadium

F - Manchester Coach Station

Stops in Cardiff

A - Cardiff University (o/s Cathays Rail Stn)

B - Sophia Gardens

C - Cardiff Coach Station - Sophia Gardens

D - Cardiff - Castle Street Bus Stop

E - National Museum

F - Cardiff Bus Stop - Westgate

Frequently asked questions about traveling from Manchester to Cardiff by bus

How far is Manchester from Cardiff?
What are the departure and arrival stations when taking the bus from Manchester to Cardiff?
What are the best sights and things to do in Cardiff?

Find cheapest prices for buses

Price is for a one-way ticket for one passenger and based on past searches.

Best price found

11/18

$28

11/19

$59

Today

$28

11/21

$27

11/22

$31

11/23

$39

11/24

$27

11/25

$21

The cheapest trip from Manchester to Cardiff was searched and found on Nov 25, 2025 with a price of $21

To save money and be sure you have the best seat, it's a good idea to buy your bus tickets from Manchester to Cardiff, as early as possible.

You can expect to pay from $21 to $69 for a bus ticket from Manchester to Cardiff based on the last 2 days. You can expect to find the cheapest price for the trip at $21 which is on 2025-11-25.