Which bus from Cardiff to Reading is the cheapest?

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Which bus from Cardiff to Reading is the best?

Check the bus schedule for Cardiff to Reading. Here is a selection of the cheapest coach trips for the next days from bus operators like FlixBus or National Express. To see the full timetable for all coaches just use or search and compare.

today
£15
tomorrow
£12
Sunday
£8
Monday
Tuesday
£9
Wednesday
£5
Thursday
£24

Cheapest bus trips today

Mode of Transport BertCompanyCountOneCompanyName Duration Departure time From Departure Arrival time To Destination Logo Seat classes Price
FlixBus 4h 35m 16:00 Cardiff Kingsway Coach Stop 20:35 Reading Mereoak Park & Ride  Economy £15
FlixBus 5h 5m 23:35 Cardiff Kingsway Coach Stop 04:40 Reading Mereoak Park & Ride  Economy £15
FlixBus 4h 45m 09:15 Cardiff Kingsway Coach Stop 14:00 Reading Mereoak Park & Ride  Economy £24
National Express 6h 35m 06:45 Cardiff Coach Station 13:20 Reading Mereoak Park & Ride  Economy £32
National Express 6h 25m 10:45 Cardiff Coach Station 17:10 Reading Mereoak Park & Ride  Economy £38
  • Did you know that if you travel from Cardiff to Reading via Bristol, you can save more than £6? You can find the corresponding connections below.
    • National Express
      6h 25m
      0
      22:15
      Cardiff
      University
      23:15
      Bristol
      Coach Station
      0
      National Express
      Economy
      £3
      • Waiting Time 3h 50m
    • FlixBus
      1h 35m
      0
      03:05
      Bristol
      Coach Station
      04:40
      Reading
      Mereoak Park & Ride
      0
      FlixBus
      Economy
      £6
    Travel time is 1h 50m longer, but you will save £6

Cheapest bus trips tomorrow

Mode of Transport BertCompanyCountOneCompanyName Duration Departure time From Departure Arrival time To Destination Logo Seat classes Price
FlixBus 5h 5m 23:35 Cardiff Kingsway Coach Stop 04:40 Reading Mereoak Park & Ride  Economy £12
FlixBus 3h 55m 00:45 Cardiff Kingsway Coach Stop 04:40 Reading Mereoak Park & Ride  Economy £14
FlixBus 4h 35m 16:00 Cardiff Kingsway Coach Stop 20:35 Reading Mereoak Park & Ride  Economy £14
National Express 6h 5m 10:45 Cardiff Coach Station 16:50 Reading Mereoak Park & Ride  Economy £29
National Express 6h 0m 07:15 Cardiff Coach Station 13:15 Reading Mereoak Park & Ride  Economy £34
  • Did you know that if you travel from Cardiff to Reading via Bristol, you can save more than £1? You can find the corresponding connections below.
    • National Express
      5h 0m
      0
      23:40
      Cardiff
      Coach Station
      00:45
      Bristol
      Coach Station
      0
      National Express
      Economy
      £5
      • Waiting Time 2h 20m
    • FlixBus
      1h 35m
      0
      03:05
      Bristol
      Coach Station
      04:40
      Reading
      Mereoak Park & Ride
      0
      FlixBus
      Economy
      £6
    Travel time is 1h 5m longer, but you will save £1

Cheapest bus trips Sunday

Mode of Transport BertCompanyCountOneCompanyName Duration Departure time From Departure Arrival time To Destination Logo Seat classes Price
FlixBus 2h 50m 13:00 Cardiff Kingsway Coach Stop 15:50 Reading Mereoak Park & Ride  Economy £8
FlixBus 3h 55m 00:45 Cardiff Kingsway Coach Stop 04:40 Reading Mereoak Park & Ride  Economy £12
National Express 6h 0m 07:15 Cardiff Coach Station 13:15 Reading Mereoak Park & Ride  Economy £26
National Express 6h 5m 10:45 Cardiff Coach Station 16:50 Reading Mereoak Park & Ride  Economy £28

Cheapest bus trips Tuesday

Mode of Transport BertCompanyCountOneCompanyName Duration Departure time From Departure Arrival time To Destination Logo Seat classes Price
FlixBus 4h 45m 09:15 Cardiff Kingsway Coach Stop 14:00 Reading Mereoak Park & Ride  Economy £9
FlixBus 4h 35m 16:00 Cardiff Kingsway Coach Stop 20:35 Reading Mereoak Park & Ride  Economy £10
FlixBus 5h 5m 23:35 Cardiff Kingsway Coach Stop 04:40 Reading Mereoak Park & Ride  Economy £13
National Express 6h 30m 06:45 Cardiff Coach Station 13:15 Reading Mereoak Park & Ride  Economy £22
  • Did you know that if you travel from Cardiff to Reading via Bristol, you can save more than £1? You can find the corresponding connections below.
    • National Express
      4h 5m
      0
      16:30
      Cardiff
      Coach Station
      17:50
      Bristol
      Coach Station
      0
      National Express
      Economy
      £3
      • Waiting Time 1h 15m
    • FlixBus
      1h 30m
      0
      19:05
      Bristol
      Coach Station
      20:35
      Reading
      Mereoak Park & Ride
      0
      FlixBus
      Economy
      £5
    Travel Time is 0h 30m shorter, and you will save £1

Cheapest bus trips Wednesday

Mode of Transport BertCompanyCountOneCompanyName Duration Departure time From Departure Arrival time To Destination Logo Seat classes Price
FlixBus 2h 50m 13:00 Cardiff Kingsway Coach Stop 15:50 Reading Mereoak Park & Ride  Economy £5
National Express 6h 30m 06:45 Cardiff Coach Station 13:15 Reading Mereoak Park & Ride  Economy £16

Cheapest bus trips Thursday

Mode of Transport BertCompanyCountOneCompanyName Duration Departure time From Departure Arrival time To Destination Logo Seat classes Price
National Express 6h 30m 06:45 Cardiff Coach Station 13:15 Reading Mereoak Park & Ride  Economy £24
  • Did you know that if you travel from Cardiff to Reading via Bristol, you can save more than £16? You can find the corresponding connections below.
    • National Express
      4h 5m
      0
      16:30
      Cardiff
      Coach Station
      17:50
      Bristol
      Coach Station
      0
      National Express
      Economy
      £3
      • Waiting Time 1h 15m
    • FlixBus
      1h 30m
      0
      19:05
      Bristol
      Coach Station
      20:35
      Reading
      Mereoak Park & Ride
      0
      FlixBus
      Economy
      £5
    Travel Time is 2h 25m shorter, and you will save £16

Best Price Offer: The price for the cheapest coach from Cardiff to Reading is £5 on 04/02/2026. Flexible travellers save on ticket prices.


What is the best day and time to travel by bus between Cardiff and Reading?

Here is the frequency of all coach connections from Cardiff to Reading. See on which day of the week you have more travel options and what time you have more bus trips to choose from.
Saturday is the busiest day, with more than 6 daily coaches from Cardiff to Reading. Thursday has instead the fewest connections, with only 1 daily coaches between Cardiff and Reading.
The busiest time of the day is the Morning, with 12 coaches from Cardiff to Reading, while Night sees the fewest connections between Cardiff and Reading, with 2 offers.

All facts for Cardiff to Reading bus at a glance

Compare all coach operators like FlixBus and National Express that travel daily 3 times by bus from Cardiff to Reading in one click. Book your Cardiff to Reading bus ticket starting from £5!

Cheapest Bus £5
Fastest Bus 2h 50m
Earliest Coach 06:45
Latest Coach 06:45
Daily Bus Connections 3 Ø
Distance 152.9 km
Coach Companies FlixBus and National Express

What are the cheapest coach tickets from Cardiff to Reading?

Every day, 3 buses from 2 coach companies leave Cardiff for Reading. Check the table below to find the cheapest prices for coach tickets for this route, starting from 30/01/2026 and for the following days. Make sure get the cheapest bus ticket!

Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Monday 26/01
Tuesday 27/01
Wednesday 28/01
Thursday 29/01
Friday 30/01
£15
Saturday 31/01
£12
Sunday 01/02
£26
Monday 02/02
Tuesday 03/02
£22
Wednesday 04/02
£16
Thursday 05/02
£24
Friday 06/02
£21
Saturday 07/02
£28
Sunday 08/02
£6
Monday 09/02
Tuesday 10/02
£18
Wednesday 11/02
£16
Thursday 12/02
Friday 13/02
Saturday 14/02
Sunday 15/02
£10
Monday 16/02
£38
Tuesday 17/02
£8
Wednesday 18/02
£28
Thursday 19/02
Friday 20/02
£10
Saturday 21/02
£9
Sunday 22/02

The cheapest time to travel from Cardiff to Reading

See here on which day and which time of the day you can find the cheapest bus ticket from Cardiff to Reading, for the next 30 days.
With a price starting from £5, Wednesday is the cheapest day for a coach from Cardiff to Reading. Thursday instead is the most expensive day with prices starting from £24.
Afternoon is the cheapest day time for bus tickets from Cardiff to Reading, with £5. Evening is the most expensive time of the day with prices starting from £12.

How to save money travelling from Cardiff to Reading

Travel can be expensive, but it doesn't need to be! Do you want to avoid paying higher prices for your trip? Plan your bus trips smartly. Here are a few hacks to save money on your coach journey.

Book the ticket from Cardiff to Reading in advance! The earlier you book, the cheaper usually the price is. Also, you will be sure to have a place on the coach from Cardiff to Reading, compared instead if you buy it at the last moment, or directly at the station.

If you can, avoid travelling at peak times. Instead of weekend, try travelling during the week. Travelling in the evening or at night it’s also cheaper, and later coaches from Cardiff to Reading are also emptier.

Check for bus deals and promotions for all bus companies in this route. On CheckMyBus we show special offers directly in the coach trip on our search. Sign-up and check or deals sections and get notifications on our latest travel hacks.

What are the most popular bus companies from Cardiff to Reading?

These are the most booked bus companies by our users on the Cardiff to Reading timetable.

National Express from Cardiff to Reading

National Express

Here you will find the key facts about the National Express bus route Cardiff to Reading:

Cheapest Price £16
Fastest Coach 6h 0m
Earliest Coach 06:45
Last Coach 06:45
Daily Connections 1 Ø
Found on 27/01/2026

FlixBus from Cardiff to Reading

FlixBus

Here you will find the key facts about the FlixBus bus route Cardiff to Reading:

Cheapest Price £5
Fastest Coach 2h 50m
Earliest Coach 09:15
Last Coach 13:00
Daily Connections 2 Ø
Found on 27/01/2026
In total 2 operators offer buses for this route. Find all bus timetables for them. Each coach company has a dedicated cancellation policy and possibilities for transport luggage on the bus. Check also special conditions to travel with kids or coach cards with rebates.

All bus stations and stops in Cardiff and Reading

Here is a map with all coach stations in Cardiff and Reading. Compare which stop is closest to your destination to save time to find the fastest buses and connections.

Compare the bus with other modes of transport

The bus is often the cheapest mode of transport, while other modes like train or flight are faster. Looking for quicker alternatives to travel from Cardiff to Reading? Compare all modes of transports from Cardiff to Reading.

All you need to know when you travel by bus from Cardiff to Reading

Check all information on comfort and services on the coaches from Cardiff to Reading. Which seat classes are available or what are the amenities of operators on your coach trip? Below you´ll find answers to your questions.

FAQs for Cardiff to Reading bus

How much does a Cardiff Reading coach trip cost?

This depends on, among other things, the day and travel time. The cheapest ticket for the Cardiff Reading bus trip is available from £5 and takes 2h 50m. Compare offers and save money!

How much could I save by comparing buses from Cardiff to Reading?

This connection is offered by 2 companies with ticket prices ranging from £5 to £38. Therefore, we suggest booking your ticket as soon as possible to ensure you’ll get the cheapest bus trip to Reading.

How many connections are available for the Cardiff Reading route on average every day?

Each day, the bus route from Cardiff to Reading is offered by roughly 3 busses. By using our search, you can compare bus schedules and find your ideal trip.

How long does a bus to Reading from Cardiff take?

The quickest coach from Cardiff to Reading is provided by FlixBus and takes 2h 50m. Coach tickets for this connection cost £8. However, keep in mind that the connection can take longer due to traffic.

What time is the first bus from Cardiff to Reading?

The earliest bus to Reading departs from Cardiff at 06:45. In this context, information about departure times may differ on weekends and holidays. Simply use our search to find the exact times for your planned travel date.

What time is the last coach from Cardiff to Reading?

The latest bus to Reading departs from Cardiff at 06:45. Please note that departure times may differ on weekends and holidays. Simply use our search to find the exact times for your planned travel date.

Which bus companies serve the Cardiff Reading route?

Passengers looking to travel from Cardiff to Reading can travel with FlixBus and National Express. Compare all available bus tickets with our search to book the trip that works best for you.

Is there a direct bus between Cardiff and Reading?

You can check all the direct connections between Cardiff and Reading by using our search and looking at the Changes section in our filters. These are some of the companies which offer a direct bus: FlixBus and National Express.

What can I take with me on the bus to Reading from Cardiff?

Depending on which provider you travel with, what you're allowed to bring with you can vary. Generally, you can take a suitcase and hand luggage with you on the bus for the Cardiff Reading bus route free of charge. Simply use our search to find a coach that is best suited to your needs for your planned travel date.

What equipment is available for the Cardiff Reading bus route?

The equipment on board differs depending on the provider. However, many long-distance buses have WiFi so you can tell your friends your exact location during the journey. To make travelling even more pleasant, air conditioning systems provide ventilation. It is best to use our search to get precise information about the equipment of the bus from Cardiff to Reading on your planned travel date.

How does CheckMyBus find the best coach deals from Cardiff to Reading?

CheckMyBus collaborates directly with companies around the world to provide you with the best options when searching for a trip. We retrieve their first-hand data to show you real-time prices, schedules, and seat availability for 3 daily trips between Cardiff and Reading. With the most up-to-date information from verified sources, you can fairly compare all available options and choose the trip that suits you best.

How does CheckMyBus technology work for trips from Cardiff to Reading?

Prices and availability for 3 trips between Cardiff and Reading change constantly. To provide you with the most up-to-date information, we connect directly with bus operators, Online Travel Agencies (OTAs), and Global Distribution Systems (GDS) via real-time interfaces (APIs). The data collected from these sources undergoes strict quality checks, is processed within our infrastructure, and is then presented to you on our search results pages. Visit our About Us page to learn more.

Available seat classes which are offered on the bus route Cardiff to Reading

Economy
Economy

The cheapest option available for your ticket, it usually comes with reclinable seats and AC.

More bus routes to Cardiff and to Reading

Here’s an overview of the most popular bus routes to Cardiff and to Reading. Simply click on the connection of your choice, and you’ll find all the details about your bus route!
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Popular Airport Transfers to Cardiff and to Reading
CheckMyBus › Coaches in United Kingdom › Coach to Cardiff › Coach to Reading

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