Trains tickets from Cardiff to Manchester

Discover your next train travel journey from Cardiff to Manchester and book online with ease

Join 75M+ travelers booking 2M+ routes across 85+ countries.
Enjoy our 24/7 customer service to assist you at every step.
Cancel anytime and receive a 100% refund, no reason needed.
TodayMay 1
TomorrowMay 2
from $60
SatMay 3
from $60
SunMay 4
from $69
MonMay 5
from $60
TueMay 6
from $60
WedMay 7
from $60
ThuMay 8
from $60

Trains leaving tomorrow

One passenger / one way

  • This trip is recommended because it is: Cheapest
    Departure time: May 2 at
    Departure city: Cardiff
    Departure location: Cardiff Central
    Arrival time: May 2 at
    Destination city: Manchester
    Destination location: Manchester Piccadilly
    Operated by: Transport for WalesTransport for Wales
    Vehicle: TrainDuration:
  • This trip is recommended because it is: Fastest
    Departure time: May 2 at
    Departure city: Cardiff
    Departure location: Cardiff Central
    Arrival time: May 2 at
    Destination city: Manchester
    Destination location: Manchester Piccadilly
    Operated by: Transport for WalesTransport for Wales
    Vehicle: TrainDuration:
  • Departure time: May 2 at
    Departure city: Cardiff
    Departure location: Cardiff Central
    Arrival time: May 2 at
    Destination city: Manchester
    Destination location: Manchester Piccadilly
    Operated by: Transport for WalesTransport for Wales
    Vehicle: TrainDuration:
  • Departure time: May 2 at
    Departure city: Cardiff
    Departure location: Cardiff Central
    Arrival time: May 2 at
    Destination city: Manchester
    Destination location: Manchester Piccadilly
    Operated by: Transport for WalesTransport for Wales
    Vehicle: TrainDuration:
  • Departure time: May 2 at
    Departure city: Cardiff
    Departure location: Cardiff Central
    Arrival time: May 2 at
    Destination city: Manchester
    Destination location: Manchester Piccadilly
    Operated by: Transport for WalesTransport for Wales
    Vehicle: TrainDuration:

Accepted payments

  • Visa
  • MasterCard
  • American Express
  • China Union Pay
  • Diners Club Canada
  • Discover Click to Pay
  • JCB payment
  • Klarna (Pay over time)
  • Google Pay

Compare 3 ways to go from Cardiff to Manchester.

Bus
Average Price$15 - $106Average Duration7h 10m
6kg CO₂e5 out of 5 stars
CheapestMost eco-friendly
Train
Average Price$61 - $223Average Duration3h 41m
6kg CO₂e5 out of 5 stars
Carpool
Average Price$27 - $38Average Duration3h 10m
10kg CO₂e4 out of 5 stars
Fastest
busbud logoBusbud recommends carpooling from Cardiff to Manchester

Among the sustainable travel choices, the carpool stands out as the good way to reach Manchester. The journey takes about 3 hours 10 minutes and with fares starting at just $27, it presents an excellent value for a comfortable ride.

1carpool per day
3h 10mAverage Duration
$27Cheapest ticket
10kgCO₂ emissions

Train Cardiff to Manchester: Trip Overview

Please note, this information is subject to change.

Average ticket price$72
Average train trip duration3h 41m
Number of daily trains12
Earliest train departure7:21am
Distance144 miles (232 km)
Latest train departure11:34pm

Cardiff to Manchester Train

Busbud shows you the best train ticket fares and train schedules so you can easily plan and book a trip by train from Cardiff to Manchester.

We make sure you can find a train service from Cardiff to Manchester from the most reliable train companies operating this trip.

Whether it is train tickets or first class train tickets going to Manchester from Cardiff, we help you find what you're looking for based on how much of a budget you have.

Frequently asked questions for your trip Cardiff - Manchester

Find cheapest prices for trains

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

Best price found
04/29
$60
04/30
$77
Today
$60
05/02
$60
05/03
$60
05/04
$69
05/05
$61
05/06
$60
busbud logoThe cheapest trip from Cardiff to Manchester was searched and found on Apr 29, 2025 with a price of $60

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

You can expect to pay from $60 to $213 for a train ticket from Cardiff to Manchester based on the last 2 days. You can expect to find the cheapest price for the trip at $60 which is on 2025-05-02.

Usually RDG_CROSSCOUNTRY will charge you higher prices for tickets closer to the departure date. To find the best prices, you should be flexible on your date of travel.

About Train Travel

Train Travel Tips

Do you like to go fast? With high-speed trains going faster than 300 km/h on certain routes, the time will fly by. Taking a train between Cardiff and Manchester is also a great way to travel to arrive in the city centre and save more time for your stay in Manchester.

Regional train? High-speed train? Whichever train to Manchester you take, you’ll help reduce the environmental impact and carbon footprint of your trip. As you watch the landscapes unfold before your eyes, you can tell yourself that with this choice, you are making sure they remain protected.

By choosing the train between Cardiff and Manchester, you emit up to 30 times less CO2 than for the same journey made by plane or car!

Create your own real life musical score by curating a personalized train travel playlist - the perfect accompaniment to your bus ride from Cardiff to Manchester.

Did you know?

Some trains in Sweden can recover more than a fifth of the energy they use by braking. This is especially true with ore trains as they descend from Narvik to Kiruna.

The magnetic levitation train (Maglev for short) is currently the fastest train in the world. With a speed of 603 km/ h, it is closely followed by the French high-speed train (574.8 km / h) which remains in 2020, the fastest train to date

Railway companies played a major role as early as 1883 in the use of time zones as we know them today.

Will you be returning to Cardiff by train?

Train from Manchester to Cardiff

Why choose Busbud?

The Best Way To Book Bus and Train Tickets

Busbud helps you easily search, compare and book intercity bus tickets on a worldwide scale with our comprehensive list of bus routes and schedules. With Busbud, wherever you go, you have a worldwide bus station within reach and available in your own language and currency. Busbud partners with safe and reliable bus companies throughout the world such as Greyhound, Eurolines, ALSA, OUIBUS (BlaBlaBus), National Express and many others so you can buy tickets without a worry.

People from around the world trust Busbud

‌

Popular Trains Connecting Cardiff

Trains Leaving from Cardiff

Popular Trains Connecting Manchester

Trains Going to Manchester