Trains from Cardiff Central to London Paddington from £30.20

Two capital cities less than two hours apart by train, Cardiff and London are well-connected by high-speed Great Western Railway trains that make travelling between them simple and enjoyable. To make the most of your day out by train from Cardiff to London, buy cheap train tickets when you book in advance with Trip.com.

The direct route from Cardiff Central to London Paddington benefits from frequent and efficient services, convenient whether you’re travelling for business meetings or a day of sightseeing. In this guide, we’ll explore key details to know about the journey, including information about the train operator, stops on the direct route, and how to save money on your journey with a Railcard and split ticket discounts.

Departing from Cardiff Central

Before you board your train from Cardiff Central to London Paddington, you’ll have all the facilities you need at the station, from accessible toilets and baby changing facilities to comfortable waiting rooms and seating areas.

To start your journey, take a bus to the Cardiff Bus Interchange, where people are dropped off from around the city and wider area. Alternatively, you can arrive at the station on foot; Cardiff is a very walkable city.

Travelling from Cardiff Central to London Paddington by train

As you would expect, direct routes from Cardiff to London are fast and convenient when travelling on services operated by Great Western Railway. On average, the journey from Cardiff Central to London Paddington takes around two hours, with the fastest trains reaching the UK’s capital in under two hours, and typical journey times arriving anywhere between 1 hour 45 minutes and 2 hours 30 minutes.

Where does the Cardiff to London train stop?

With Great Western Railway, quick and efficient services stop at only a handful of stations between Cardiff and London. These include Newport, Bristol Parkway, Swindon, Didcot Parkway, and Reading.

What is the journey like on board GWR trains?

On services from Cardiff Central to London Paddington, enjoy free Wi-Fi, comfortable seating, power sockets, and spacious tables as standard with one of the UK’s most premium train operating companies. If you are travelling in Standard Class, you’ll also have the chance to buy items from a wide selection of snacks and drinks onboard.

For passengers travelling first class, GWR offers a luxurious travel experience, with complimentary drinks and snacks from the GWR First Class menu, plus additional legroom and reclining extra-wide seats. To top it off, first-class passengers can browse the web at faster speeds thanks to enhanced Wi-Fi, as well as at-seat power and USB sockets. Find out more about GWR First Class offerings here.

Can I bring animals and bags on board GWR trains?

If you want to travel from Cardiff to London with pets, GWR is a good choice of operator, as it allows small animals to travel for free, up to a maximum of two pets per passenger. The only restriction is that, for the duration of your journey, pets must be held on a lead or confined in a suitable pet carrier.

On your GWR train, luggage restrictions are generous: each passenger may bring two large items and one smaller bag onboard GWR trains from Cardiff to London.

How to get cheap train tickets to London Paddington

You can book tickets from Cardiff Central to London Paddington easily and at low prices when you book online with Trip.com.

Simply visit the website, head to the "trains" section, and enter ‘Cardiff' as your departure station and ‘London Paddington’ as your destination. Add your preferred date and time and search the various options to make your pick; then follow the instructions on the checkout screen, entering your passenger information and payment details.

Prices start below £30.20 per passenger on trains from Cardiff to London. Additionally, benefit from Railcard discounts on your journey: a Railcard is your ticket to ⅓ savings on all rail journeys in the UK (except peak times) for one whole year. Choose from options including 16-25 Railcard, Disabled Persons Railcard, Senior Railcard, and Two Together Railcard, depending on your age and eligibility.

Arriving at London Paddington

One of the most popular London train stations, London Paddington is a major transport hub situated to the west of London. Modern and well-equipped, the station has shops, cafes, a water fountain, and free station Wi-Fi, in addition to a First Class Lounge that first-class passengers arriving from Cardiff Central can use.

A short walk from Hyde Park, London Paddington has transport links around London, whether you want to take the London Underground on the Bakerloo, Circle, District, or Hammersmith & City line, or are looking for a local bus, which stops just outside Paddington at nearby Praed Street. For onward travel, passengers from Cardiff can continue their journey from London Paddington to Birmingham, Glasgow, or Manchester.

What to do in London

London has some of the UK’s top attractions for days out by train or weekend city breaks. Visit Westminster Abbey, Tower Bridge, the National Gallery, or Buckingham Palace, and explore almost 2,000 years of history at iconic locations across the city. See our full London guide here.