How to travel from Cardiff to Dover, United Kingdom

The distance between Cardiff and Dover is around 360km (224 miles) and the quickest way to get there is to take the train which takes around 3h 10m.

5 routes found

We've found 5 different ways to get from Cardiff to Dover by train, bus, car and plane. The recommended routes, which include information on duration, ticket price, and level of difficulty, can be found below.

👋 Also check out DoverCardiff if you're planning a return trip.

🚀 Fastest
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train
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Train

Take the train to London Paddington and then to Dover Priory.

  • Duration3h 10m
  • Departsevery 3 hours
  • Typical cost
    £105($125)
Operated by

Multiple train operators

1 similiar route

We’ve grouped similar routes together, click the arrows to see the other options.

2
train
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plane
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Train and Plane

Take the train to Bristol Temple Meads then fly from Bristol (BRS) to London City (LCY) then take the train to Dover Priory.

  • Duration5h 10m
  • Flight time2h 50m
  • Typical cost
    £270($315)
Operated by

Multiple operators

💰 Cheapest
3
bus
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bus
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Bus

Take the bus to London Victoria Coach Station and then to Canterbury.

  • Duration6h 30m
  • Departsevery 3 hours
  • Typical cost
    £20($24)
4
car
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Drive

Drive to Dover.

  • Duration3h 45m
  • Distance364km (226 miles)
Get turn-by-turn directions

Frequently asked questionsabout travel between Cardiff and Dover

There are several options for getting from Cardiff to Dover by train, bus, car and plane. The cheapest option is to take the bus which costs around £20 ($24) and will take around 6h 30m. If you need to get there more quickly, you can take the train and arrive in approximately 3h 10m, though it is a bit more costly at approximately £105 ($125).

The distance between Cardiff and Dover is around 360km (224 miles). In a direct line (as the crow flies), the distance is 315km (196 miles)

It takes around 3h 10m to get from Cardiff and Dover by train. If you are travelling by car it will take around 3h 45m to drive there.

The quickest way to get from Cardiff to Dover is to take the train which takes around 3h 10m and will set you back approx £105 ($125).

The cheapest way to travel between Cardiff and Dover, if you exclude driving, is to take the bus which will typically cost around £20 ($24) for a standard one-way ticket.

Train travel

Yes there is a train service that runs between Cardiff and Dover. It typically takes around 3h 10m and departs every 3 hours.

There are no direct train services that runs from Cardiff to Dover. However, you can instead can take several connecting trains with a changeover in London Paddington, King's Cross St. Pancras station and St Pancras International. These services run every 3 hours and will take a minimum of 3h 10m.

Great Western Railway and South Eastern Trains Service run train services between Cardiff and Dover. Trains depart every 3 hours and will take around 3h 10m, however, this may vary depending on the particular service and whether it runs express or stops all stations.

Bus travel

Yes there is a bus that runs regularly from Cardiff and Dover. It typically takes around 6h 30m and departs every 3 hours.

There are no direct bus services that runs from Cardiff to Dover. However, you can instead can take several connecting buses with changeovers in London Victoria Coach Station and Canterbury. These services run every 3 hours and will take a minimum of 6h 30m.

National Express run regular bus services between Cardiff and Dover. Buses run every 3 hours and take around 6h 30m on average but will vary depending on you book with.

Flights and Airlines

It doesn't look like you can fly directly from Cardiff to Dover. We recommend that you take the train to Bristol Temple Meads then fly from Bristol (BRS) to London City (LCY) then take the train to Dover Priory. instead which will take 5h 10m.

The closest major airport to Dover is London City Airport (LCY) (LCY) which is approximately 97km (61 miles) from Dover. Gatwick Airport (LGW) (LGW) and London Stansted Airport (STN) (STN) are also nearby and might be a better alternative airport depending on where you are flying from.

Drive yourself

Yes it is possible to drive from Cardiff and Dover. The distance is around 364km (226 miles) by road and it will take around 3h 45m in normal traffic conditons.

If you don't have a car, the easiest way to get from Cardiff to Dover is to take the train which takes, on average, 3h 10m and will usually cost around £105 ($125).

How do I get from Cardiff to Dover

Compare travel optionsbetween Cardiff and Dover

Transport options from Cardiff to Dover
Transport optionDurationCostFrequencyDistance
Train + 1 similar
3h 10m
£105($125)
every 3 hours360km (224 miles)
Train via London Paddington3h 60m
£105($125)
hourly360km (224 miles)
Train and Plane
5h 10m
£270($315)
every 3 hours1,002km (622 miles)
Bus
6h 30m
£20($24)
every 3 hours378km (235 miles)
Drive
3h 45m
£63($75)
on demand364km (226 miles)

Top Carriersoperating between Cardiff and Dover

Train operators

Airports near Dover

The following major airports near Dover offer regular flights to various popular destinations within United Kingdom and internationally.

LCY
London City Airport (LCY)
International Airport
Distance
97km (61 miles) from Dover
LGW
Gatwick Airport (LGW)
International Airport
Distance
104km (65 miles) from Dover
STN
London Stansted Airport (STN)
International Airport
Distance
112km (69 miles) from Dover