Lowest Prices
We partner with the top coach & train carriers to bring you the best deals.
Best Travel Options
We help you find & compare the best buses & trains in one place.
Quick & Easy Booking
Book trips quickly with a simple, hassle-free checkout – online & on our app.
Fast Customer Support
We don’t monkey around. We respond within minutes to help you out.
Journey Information
There are 19 intercity coaches per day from Cardiff to Birmingham. Traveling by coach from Cardiff to Birmingham usually takes around 5 hours and 51 minutes, but the fastest National Express coach can make the trip in 2 hours and 25 minutes.
| Distance | 88 mi (142 km) |
| Shortest duration | 2h 25m |
| Cheapest price | £3.42 |
| Trips per day | 8 |
| Most frequent service | Megabus |
| Coach lines | 3 |
Coaches from Cardiff to Birmingham
- FlixBus: 4 daily coaches from £3
- Megabus: 14 daily coaches from £9
- National Express: 5 daily coaches from £8
How much is a coach ticket from Cardiff to Birmingham?
£14.03 is the average price of a bus ticket from Cardiff to Birmingham. This is currently one of the best deals in bus travel. It’s easy to find a bus ticket at this price or lower when you use Wanderu to book your trip online in advance of your travel date.
Monthly average prices
The lowest bus ticket prices on this route can usually be found in November. That’s when the average price of a bus ticket is expected to be just £14 – the lowest of the year.
Alternatively, if you plan to travel from Cardiff to Birmingham in December, expect to spend more on your bus trip, as the average ticket price may surge to £21 at that time of year. However, if you book your trip ahead of time, you can still score a ticket at a lower price.
What coach companies travel from Cardiff to Birmingham?
There are 3 bus lines from Cardiff to Birmingham available for you to search and compare on Wanderu. With 14 daily trips, Megabus usually has the most buses running on any given day. Here are some time and price comparisons for all the available options:
| Coach | Daily Trips | Avg. Time | Avg. Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| FlixBus | 4 | 9h 53m | £22.64 |
| Megabus | 14 | 4h 43m | £17.52 |
| National Express | 5 | 2h 52m | £16.45 |
First launched in Germany in 2013, FlixBus has become one of the largest intercity bus companies in Europe. Its fleet travels through nearly every country in Europe, including the U.K. FlixBus operates an average of 4 trips from Cardiff to Birmingham, and usually makes the trip in about 9 hours and 53 minutes. On your trip, you'll enjoy Wi-Fi and live GPS, as well as restrooms, air conditioning, and power outlets.
Founded in 2003, Megabus UK was created to provide travelers with greener, more straightforward and smarter travel. The carrier has routes all across the United Kingdom in England, Scotland, and Wales. The Megabus UK fleet, easily distinguishable by its dark blue and yellow colors, has free Wi-Fi, outlets and charging ports, onboard restrooms, and 20 kg luggage allowances on each bus.
National Express is probably the UK's best-known bus company, offering intercity services to London, Manchester, Southampton, and Edinburgh. Onboard the single and double-decker vehicles, travelers enjoy a good amount of legroom – roomier than airlines have in coach class – alongside WiFi, restrooms, and air conditioning.
Frequently Asked Questions
The coach takes an average of 5 hours and 51 minutes to cover the 88 miles from Cardiff to Birmingham. However, the fastest coach only takes 2 hours and 25 minutes. It’s definitely on the longer side, so plan to get comfortable for a long road trip. Keep in mind that your actual coach may arrive earlier or later than scheduled, depending on whether there is more or less traffic than usual.
Because many passengers travel from Cardiff to Birmingham at the beginning of the work week, Monday is usually the busiest day for coaches. If you are planning to travel on a Monday, you should make sure to book tickets well in advance as they may sell out.
On the other hand, Wednesday is typically the least busy day for coach travel on this route. If you're looking for some extra space on the coach, traveling mid-week is your best bet.
The first coach leaves at 02:00 and the last coach leaves at 18:00. To see the times for all coaches from Cardiff to Birmingham, enter your specific travel dates in the search bar.
There are 19 scheduled coaches that travel from Cardiff to Birmingham every day, so you have a decent number of options to choose from. This includes 8 direct coaches, where you can stay on the same coach without having to transfer to a connecting coach at any point during your trip.
Need more travel options? Consider taking the train from Cardiff to Birmingham; ticket prices start at £29.01.
City Information
Cardiff
Image credit: Unsplash
Image credit: Unsplash
Image credit: Unsplash
Cardiff is the capital of Wales, as well as its largest city. Although the city was initially founded as a Roman fort, Cardiff has glided effortlessly into the 21st century, offering tourists a diverse mix of old and new.
Looking to explore the city's history? Cardiff Castle at the heart of the city makes for an exciting day out, where visitors can learn about the fascinating 2,000 years of history that the castle represents.
If the castle gets you in the mood to explore more history, the St Fagans National Museum of History will surely satisfy your historical appetite. As one of Europe's leading open-air museums, the museum offers historical attractions that detail history back to the Celtic era.
For those seeking a more modern experience, Cardiff boasts a fantastic selection of shops and cafes, with Cardiff Central Market as the top choice for retail therapy.
Cardiff has excellent transport links, making it an easy place to visit no matter where you're coming from. Cardiff Airport provides access for visitors traveling from off the island, while high-speed rail services make access to and from London simple. Cardiff Central Station also offers direct routes from Bristol, Bath, Manchester, Nottingham, as well as other main cities and towns.
Birmingham
As the second-largest city in the UK, Birmingham effortlessly blends the city’s quaint vibe with modern-day high-rises. One of the top local attractions is St. Martin in the Bull Ring, the original parish church of Birmingham. Featuring remarkable Gothic Revival architecture standing in stark contrast with the futuristic-looking shopping centers, the church is a great spot for travelers looking for a bit of respite. As you stroll around the city, don’t forget to visit the famous Cadbury World, which details the long history of the brand, as well as all the products it produces. For culturally-inclined activities, head to the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, which offers over 40 exhibits.
If you wish to try out authentic Indian dishes with a local twist, head over to Pushkar. For those who wish to enjoy a more upscale dining experience, Bank offers a chic menu in an elegant setting.
The principal rail station is Birmingham New Street Station, which is the busiest train station in the UK. The Birmingham Coach Station offers coach services by National Express as far as London and Dublin. The city’s main airport is the Birmingham Airport, which is located 6 miles east of the city center.
Station Information
Where does the coach leave from in Cardiff?
Main departure station: North Rd 330
Coaches to Birmingham leave from 5 stations in Cardiff.
All coach stations in Cardiff:
North Rd 330
Cardiff University
Cardiff Royal Welsh College of Music
Cardiff University
2 Sophia Cl
Where does the coach arrive in Birmingham?
Main arrival station: Brunel St
Coaches arrive in Birmingham at 3 stations, depending on which coach line you are traveling with.
Coach stations in Birmingham:
Brunel St
Birmingham Summer Row- Great Charles Street
Coach Station
Get around town with Moovit
Need a return trip from Birmingham to Cardiff?
Search Coach TicketsPlan your next adventure
More coaches from Cardiff
Continue by coach from Birmingham
- Coach from Birmingham to Bradford
£17+
- Coach from Birmingham to Barnstaple
£27+
- Coach from Birmingham to Exeter
£18+
- Birmingham to York Coach
£12+
- Birmingham to Glasgow Coach
£24+
- Coach from Birmingham to Leicester
£8+
- Birmingham to Leeds Coach
£10+
- Coach from Birmingham to Liverpool
£7+
- Coach from Birmingham to London
£11+
- Birmingham to Slough
£31+
- Coach from Birmingham to Luton
£26+
- Coach from Birmingham to Manchester
£7+
- Coach from Birmingham to Norwich
£20+
- Birmingham to Nottingham Coach
£12+
- Coach from Birmingham to Weston-super-Mare
£13+
- Coach from Birmingham to Portsmouth
£13+
- Birmingham to Reading Coach
£13+
- Coach from Birmingham to Minehead
£31+
Wanderu is the simplest way to book coach and train travel.
With just a quick search on Wanderu, you can compare coach and train schedules and prices from hundreds of travel companies in one convenient place to find the trip that works best for you. Wanderu’s simple checkout process makes it easy to book cheap coach and train tickets hassle-free and with no additional fees. Most importantly, as Wanderu is an official partner of all leading coach and train companies, we always have the best coach and train deals out there.
Book coaches and trains on the go with the Wanderu app.
Download our app and snag the best travel deals across North America & Europe.Learn more