Major disruption between Haywards Heath and Lewes as emergency services respond to an incident. Services are expected to be impacted until end of day. More info here.

Skip to contentTrainline homepage
RailcardsBusiness

No tickets in your basket.

Why not plan a trip?

My Bookings
Loading...
Loading...

Trains from Sunderland to Cardiff Central

Booking.com

ExternalLinkExternalLink

Open Booking.com in a new tab with places to stay on your trip

Avanti West Coast
CrossCountry

Compare prices from over 270 rail and coach companies in Europe

Icon of trainline-phone-tickets.svg

Buy your tickets with us and easily find them on your phone

Icon of trainline-safe-payments.svg

Safely pay with PayPal, Visa and all international payment cards

  1. Home
  2. Train times
  3. Sunderland to Cardiff Central

Trains to Cardiff Central from Sunderland

First train

04:50

Last train

23:57

Departure stationSunderland
Arrival stationCardiff Central
Journey time

From 5h 40m

Distance

248 miles (400 km)

Frequency

26 trains per day

Changes

1 change

Train operators

Avanti West Coast, CrossCountry, Grand Central Railway, Great Western Railway, London North Eastern Railway, TransPennine Express, Transport for Wales

Trains to Cardiff Central from Sunderland

Want to travel from Sunderland to Cardiff Central by train? Start your journey with us.

It takes an average of 8 hours 44 minutes to travel from Sunderland to Cardiff Central by train. You'll find on average 26 trains per day running on this route.

There aren't any direct services on this line, but it's still easy to travel to Cardiff Central by train; you'll need to make 1 change.

London North Eastern Railway, Avanti West Coast, Great Western Railway and Transport for Wales trains operate on this route.

Generally, booking Advance train tickets works out cheaper.

See our Journey Planner for up-to-date times and prices.

What do people frequently ask about the train journey from Sunderland to Cardiff Central?

Want to know more about your journey from Sunderland to Cardiff Central? We've compiled some of the most frequently asked questions by our customers to help you plan your journey.

How do you get to Cardiff Central from Sunderland?

To travel to Cardiff Central from Sunderland, you can take the train - on average, the journey takes around 8 hours and 44 minutes, though the fastest trains can take 5 hours and 40 minutes. Use our Journey Planner to get more information.

How long is the train ride from Sunderland to Cardiff Central?

Trains from Sunderland to Cardiff Central take an average of 8 hours and 44 minutes, although on the fastest services it can take just 5 hours and 40 minutes. You'll usually find 26 trains per day on this route, so use our Journey Planner to check specific dates as times may vary.

What is the quickest journey time between Sunderland and Cardiff Central by train?

The quickest journey time between Sunderland and Cardiff Central by train is 5 hours and 40 minutes.

Are there direct trains from Sunderland to Cardiff Central?

No, there are no direct trains running from Sunderland to Cardiff Central, you’ll usually need to make at least 1 change during the journey.

How do I find cheap train tickets from Sunderland to Cardiff Central?

As most UK train companies increase their prices as the departure date approaches, our Trainline team of experts have put together these tips to help you find the cheapest tickets.

1. Sign up to Ticket Alert

If you're planning a trip more than 12 weeks ahead, sign up to our Ticket Alert to get notified when Advance tickets are released for your travel date.

2. Use a Railcard

National Railcards offer a 1/3 off eligible train tickets in the UK and can be a great investment if you travel throughout the year. Buy one with us and you'll be able to store it digitally in our app, so you'll always have it on your travels.

3. Book split tickets

Our handy feature SplitSave will 'split' your train journey into multiple tickets, which can be much cheaper than buying a single ticket. Find out more about split tickets.

4. Travel Off-Peak

If you can be flexible with your travel times, Off-Peak and Super Off-Peak tickets are usually cheaper in the UK. Generally, Off-Peak times are any time at weekends and outside of Monday to Friday morning and evening rush hours.

5. Consider a Season Ticket

Best for commuters, if you catch a train on the same route more than 3 times per week, you could save money with a Season Ticket. With annual, monthly, weekly and flexi options available, find out if a Season Ticket for Sunderland to Cardiff Central is right for you.

For more money-saving tips on UK and European train travel, read our cheap train tickets guide.

§Advance adult single fare. Excludes booking fee. Prices seen by Trainline customers in the last 30 days. Availability limited.
† Average savings on advance fares booked at least one week before day of travel vs Anytime fares purchased on day of travel. Subject to availability. Excludes coach.

Looking for more ideas?

Europe’s leading train and coach app

We help customers across Europe make more than 172,000 smarter journeys every day.

Get a link