What's the distance between Manchester and Cardiff by coach?

The journey from Manchester to Cardiff by coach covers an approximate distance of 144 miles (232 km).

How can I get from Manchester to Cardiff without driving?

The best way to go from Manchester to Cardiff without a car is by coach. They are frequent and reliable, offering a convenient and eco-friendly journey. Depending on your preferences, another alternative is to explore ridesharing trips.

Bus Manchester to Cardiff from £12 | Refundable Tickets

Next bus departures

Next departures from Manchester to Cardiff on 20 November
Vehicle type	Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
Bus	15:20	Manchester (Moss Lane East)	6h 55m	22:15	Cardiff North Road (Friary Gardens)	Cheapest
Bus	18:20	Manchester (Moss Lane East)	6h	00:20	Cardiff North Road (Friary Gardens)	Fastest
Bus	18:00	Shudehill	6h 20m	00:20	Cardiff North Road (Friary Gardens)	No tags
Bus	15:45	Coach Station	9h 5m	00:50	Sophia Gardens	No tags
Bus	15:45	Coach Station	9h 5m	00:50	Sophia Gardens	No tags

Next departures from Manchester to Cardiff on 21 November
Vehicle type	Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
Bus	15:00	Shudehill	7h 15m	22:15	Cardiff North Road (Friary Gardens)	Cheapest
Bus	09:10	Manchester (Moss Lane East)	6h 20m	15:30	Cardiff North Road (Friary Gardens)	Fastest
Bus	00:45	Manchester Airport	11h 45m	12:30	Cardiff North Road (Friary Gardens)	No tags
Bus	04:10	Coach Station	7h 55m	12:05	Sophia Gardens	No tags
Bus	08:50	Shudehill	6h 40m	15:30	Cardiff North Road (Friary Gardens)	No tags

Next departures from Manchester to Cardiff on 22 November
Vehicle type	Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
Bus	08:50	Shudehill	6h 40m	15:30	Cardiff North Road (Friary Gardens)	Cheapest
Bus	18:20	Manchester (Moss Lane East)	6h	00:20	Cardiff North Road (Friary Gardens)	Fastest
Bus	00:45	Manchester Airport	11h 45m	12:30	Cardiff North Road (Friary Gardens)	No tags
Bus	04:10	Coach Station	7h 55m	12:05	Sophia Gardens	No tags
Bus	11:40	Shudehill	6h 55m	18:35	Cardiff North Road (Friary Gardens)	No tags

Next departures from Manchester to Cardiff on 23 November
Vehicle type	Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
Bus	07:45	Coach Station	8h 20m	16:05	Sophia Gardens	Cheapest
Bus	18:20	Manchester (Moss Lane East)	6h	00:20	Cardiff North Road (Friary Gardens)	Fastest
Bus	00:45	Manchester Airport	11h 45m	12:30	Cardiff North Road (Friary Gardens)	No tags
Bus	04:10	Coach Station	7h 55m	12:05	Sophia Gardens	No tags
Bus	08:50	Shudehill	6h 40m	15:30	Cardiff North Road (Friary Gardens)	No tags

Next departures from Manchester to Cardiff on 24 November
Vehicle type	Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
Bus	07:30	Coach Station	22h 5m	05:35	Cardiff University (o/s Cathays Rail Stn)	Cheapest
Bus	18:20	Manchester (Moss Lane East)	6h	00:20	Cardiff North Road (Friary Gardens)	Fastest
Bus	00:45	Manchester Airport	11h 45m	12:30	Cardiff North Road (Friary Gardens)	No tags
Bus	04:10	Coach Station	1d 1h	05:35	Cardiff University (o/s Cathays Rail Stn)	No tags
Bus	08:50	Shudehill	6h 40m	15:30	Cardiff North Road (Friary Gardens)	No tags

Next departures from Manchester to Cardiff on 25 November
Vehicle type	Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
Bus	11:40	Shudehill	6h 55m	18:35	Cardiff North Road (Friary Gardens)	Cheapest
Bus	09:10	Manchester (Moss Lane East)	6h 20m	15:30	Cardiff North Road (Friary Gardens)	Fastest
Bus	00:45	Manchester Airport	11h 45m	12:30	Cardiff North Road (Friary Gardens)	No tags
Bus	04:10	Coach Station	7h 55m	12:05	Sophia Gardens	No tags
Bus	08:50	Shudehill	6h 40m	15:30	Cardiff North Road (Friary Gardens)	No tags

Last refresh of the prices: Today at 15:03 GMT.

Compare 3 ways to travel from Manchester to Cardiff

We recommend carpooling

Among the sustainable travel choices, the carpool stands out as a good way to reach Cardiff. The journey takes about 2 hours 50 minutes and with fares starting at just £16, 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£13 - £79	Average duration7h 45m	CO₂ emissions 6kg CO₂e
Train	Average price£34 - £169	Average duration3h 30m	CO₂ emissions 6kg CO₂e
Carpool	Average price£16 - £19	Average duration2h 50m	CO₂ emissions 10kg CO₂e

Compare bus companies

FlixBus

3.5/511,381 reviews

Staff4.2

Timeliness3.9

Cleanliness4.1

WiFi2.7

National Express

4/529,722 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. Travellers were especially satisfied with the ticket access and the staff but often complained with the Wi-Fi. Megabus UK ticket prices on this trip start at £25

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.

30 October 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.

14 November 2023

It was late one hour.

Wehazit S.

5 December 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
Visit page
B
Coach Station
16 Chorlton St, Manchester M1 3HW, UK
Visit page
C
Shudehill
Shudehill Interchange, Stand G, Manchester M60
Visit page
D
56 Great Bridgewater St
56 Great Bridgewater St, Manchester M1 5LE, UK
E
City of Manchester Stadium
Citylink, Manchester M40 7EP, UK
F
Manchester Coach Station
Manchester Coach Station, Chorlton St., , Manchester M1 3JF, United Kingdom

Stops in Cardiff

A
Cardiff University (o/s Cathays Rail Stn)
50 Park Place (Bus Stop, o/s Cathays Rail Stn), Cardiff CF10
B
Sophia Gardens
2 Sophia Cl, Cardiff CF11, UK
Visit page
C
Cardiff Coach Station - Sophia Gardens
22 Cathedral Rd, Cardiff CF11 9LJ, UK
Visit page
D
Cardiff - Castle Street Bus Stop
21A Castle St, Cardiff CF10 1BT, UK
E
National Museum
Gorsedd Gardens Rd, Cardiff CF10 3NP, UK
F
Cardiff Bus Stop - Westgate
206 Westgate St, Cardiff CF10, UK

Frequently asked questions about travelling by bus from Manchester to Cardiff

What's the distance between Manchester and Cardiff by coach?
The journey from Manchester to Cardiff by coach covers an approximate distance of 144 miles (232 km).
How can I get from Manchester to Cardiff without driving?
The best way to go from Manchester to Cardiff without a car is by coach. They are frequent and reliable, offering a convenient and eco-friendly journey. Depending on your preferences, another alternative is to explore ridesharing trips.

Find cheapest prices for buses

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

Best price found

18/11

£22

19/11

£46

Today

£22

21/11

£21

22/11

£24

23/11

£31

24/11

£21

25/11

£17

The cheapest trip from Manchester to Cardiff was searched and found on 25 Nov 2025 with a price of £17

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 £17 to £54 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 £17, which is on 2025-11-25.