England, Ireland, Iceland/ Last Minute Trip

As long as you can get lodging and flights, you should be fine. Don't expect big discounts in August.

As for money....the only place you mentioned that uses Euros is Ireland. The UK uses the Pound and Iceland has the Krona. If the latter two countries did take your Euros they would give terrible exchange rates.

Having been to Cardiff you may find it easiest to fly to Dublin (rather than Shannon) from Cardiff Airport on Ryanair, or from Bristol on Aer Lingus or Ryanair.

Iceland deserves more than a night.
It’s going to take an entire day to travel from Cardiff to Ireland since there are no nonstop flights. You can take a train to the Holyhead port then catch a ferry to Dublin. Where are you going to base yourself in West Ireland?

The Cardiff to Dublin flight referenced above runs on Friday to Monday- Friday- Friday at 2155, Saturday at 2245, Sunday at 1500 and Monday at 1455 and takes 1 hour.

There are 3 direct flights a day from Bristol to Dublin on Ryanair (and two more on Aer Lingus), and a regular National Express bus from Cardiff to Bristol Airport. They all take just over 1 hour.

Billy Joel I see is on Friday 9 August.

You could go to the Concert then the middle of the night bus to Bristol Airport (at 0230, arrive 0355) then the 0615 flight on 10 August arriving Dublin at 0720, for train or direct bus to the West of Ireland.

Cardiff Sophia Gardens Bus Station may look deserted at that time of the morning- but you can get a taxi there from the stadium or the centre of Cardiff. And in an office in the Bus Shelter there is a security guy with CCTV monitoring the area, also the bus drivers are around. I've been there a couple of times at such an unlikely hour. It feels a bit odd at first glance until you realise there is security and that there is a constant flow of human traffic off terminating buses and onto starting buses.

If taking the ferry, and travelling from Cardiff, you wouldn't go to Holyhead for Dublin. You would drive or train through South and West Wales to either Pembroke or Fishguard and take the ferry to Rosslare (Irish Ferries from Pembroke and Stena from Fishguard). Then drive across Country through Waterford to Limerick. Or train to Dublin if you decide to stay there.

The overnight Fishguard ferry is useful- gets you in to Rosslare nowadays at 4am, then an early train to Dublin Connolly for tram connections to Heuston for the trains west.

EDITED - To add that there are no flights from Shannon to Iceland, only from Dublin to Iceland.

If you are set on Shannon then you could fly Ryanair Birmingham to Shannon on 11 August at 1340 arrive 1500, or there are morning and afternoon direct Ryanair flights on 10 August (and daily) from London Stansted and London Gatwick. Gatwick is easiest as National Express have a direct bus from Cardiff every 2 hours or so.

Be sure to check the hotel prices in Cardiff first as they rocket when major events take place at the Principality Stadium - which is right in the city centre - immediately west of the shopping area.

I can’t understand why you are going all the way to Cardiff to see BJ and then leaving Wales for Ireland & Iceland. Wales in its own right has loads of interesting places to see yet you appear to be shooting off elsewhere. If you go to the Wales forum on RS and read previous postings, you may find out more about Wales. Also check out the https://www.visitwales.com

If travelling from London - Paddington is your departure station and the trains take about 1 hour 48 minutes to do the journey. Pre book Advance (non refundable) specific trains for lowest prices. National Express & Megabus are cheaper but going by road takes longer. The M4 also jams up at Newport to the east of Cardiff. (M = motorway = Interstate in American).

Plenty to see in and around Cardiff for starters:>
CARDIFF & FOUR VERY DIFFERENT CASTLES.
Do you know that 4 castles can be found in & around the city?
https://www.cardiffcastle.com is found in the centre and dates from Roman times. In the middle is a Norman keep (1087) but much of the castle dates from the 1800’s when it was owned by the Marquess of Bute. CARDIFF CASTLE is now under the control of Cardiff Council who unfortunately allow events to take place on the green in the middle.
CAERPHILLY CASTLE is a massive medieval fortress just a 20 minute local train ride north from Cardiff. The town of Caerphilly is a dump in an ex mining area but the castle is everything that you would expect of an 1100’s fortress complete with moat. If you are visiting Caerphilly, you might like to break the journey at Lisvane station and walk for 5 minutes across the car park and into CEFN-ONN-PARK (free). In spring it is very colourful with azaleas, camellias, rhododendrons and bluebells all under the canopy of a temperate rain forest. https://www.outdoorcardiff.com/parks/parc-cefn-onn/
CASTELL COCH stands on a hillside in north Cardiff. If you have a car - it is M4 junction 32 and you could easily visit this castle and Caerphilly Castle in one go. If visiting by bus from Cardiff - you need Stagecoach 132 and alight at Tongwynlais (about 25 minutes out). The walk from the bus stop to castle is about 17 minutes uphill.
ST.FAGANS CASTLE & MUSEUM OF WELSH LIFE is just to the west of the city. The site is vast and needs at least half a day. You have grounds with buildings of significance brought from all over Wales and re-erected. The Castle is really a 1500’s Manor House. You will also find gardens near the castle. Cardiff Bus 32 - usually hourly.
You will also find indoor galleries explaining about life in Wales through the ages - handy if it starts to rain.

LLANDAFF CATHEDRAL is about 2 miles NW of Cardiff Castle.
If visiting Cardiff, I suggest you visit CARDIFF BAY - which is just over 1 mile south of the city centre.
https://cardiffmuseum.com is a small museum about Cardiff in the centre of the city. THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF WALES is found just N of the shopping area next to the City Hall.
https://www.visitcardiff.com

If you were to continue to Ireland, then consider taking the train from Cardiff to TENBY in Pembrokeshire (SW Wales) & staying for a couple of nights. You could then continue by train to Pembroke Dock* to catch Irish Ferries over to Ireland. (Also note that direct trains go from Cardiff to Holyhead (train station by ferries) for the ferries to Dublin, but this is a long journey and you may well wish to fly). If going from Holyhead, you may wish to consider seeing north Wales first. * Taxi needed to ferry as long walk.
https://www.visitwales.com/destinations/west-wales/pembrokeshire/things-do-tenbyhttps://www.irishferries.com/uk-en/routes-and-times/rosslare-pembroke/

Whilst your plan is possible I would cut down on locations for what looks like little over a week's trip. 4 different locations in that time is just too much. Beyond Cardiff which other location is your priority?

John (above) has offered sound advice.

I'll differ; I would prefer to see a little bit of several places rather than limit the number of places, especially in a last-minute trip like this. I like the original itinerary.

My apologies, I do see a one-way flight from Cardiff to Dublin on Ryanair. From Dublin’s airport you can take a bus to Galway.

Thank you for all of this valuable insight. I have a lot of work to do. James, we have family and a family home in Tulla, Ireland which is north of Limerick, north of Shannon. Ireland has been on our radar. Cardiff castles sound incredible so maybe I’ll be able to work one in. We have no set time frame at this point, but I’m thinking around 10-11 days total.

Best that you ask family in Ireland for advice.

At least you are now more aware that there is more to see in the immediate Cardiff area should you decide to visit.

Here is the other ferry company that go from Wales to Ireland in the event that you decide not to fly.https://www.stenaline.co.uk/ferries-to-ireland

Note that Fishguard Harbour (Stena Line only) also has trains from south Wales and that these stop right by the ship - unlike the situation at Pembroke Dock. However, Tenby is not on the Fishguard line.

If you decided to go from Cardiff by train to Holyhead for the ferry to Dublin, then I would suggest that Conwy would be a good place in north Wales to have a stop over. https://www.visitwales.com/destinations/north-wales/10-brilliant-places-visit-conwy

You can buy combined train & ferry tickets:> https://tfw.wales/ways-to-travel/rail/ticket-types/sailrail

Note that if flying from Bristol Airport, that the buses are slower than the trains. You can buy a through ticket from Cardiff Central to Bristol Airport using the train to the downtown station (called Bristol Temple Meads) from which you transfer to a bus for the 20 minute trip out to the Airport.

If using Cardiff Airport - either take a taxi or train (hourly) to Rhoose station where a bus will meet the train for the 2 mile trip to the Airport terminal.

I would assume that your family are going to pick you up at Limerick Colbert station. But if you got a morning flight into Dublin, you could take a late morning/early afternoon train to Limerick, potentially connecting to Ennis.

Or the Citylink bus 712X from Dublin Airport to Limerick every 2 hours, 24 hours a day - journey time 2:30

If going all the way by public transport that is now feasible with Transport for Ireland buses from Ennis to Tulla as late as 1730, 1815 and 2130, 7 days a week.

Or maybe you will rent a car from Dublin.

By the way you could also take a slightly unorthodox route to Ennis- by taking the airport bus to Galway (as mentioned above) and then the Galway to Limerick train down the West Coast as far as Ennis, then the bus as above. This is Ireland's only long non radial route into Dublin. But do cross check times as services on that route are not super frequent- https://www.irishrail.ie/IrishRail/media/Timetable-PDF-s/Heuston-timetables/17_Limk-Galway.pdf

This is the Dublin to Limerick rail timetable- https://www.irishrail.ie/IrishRail/media/Timetable-PDF-s/Heuston-timetables/02_dublin-limk-ennis.pdf

and this the express bus from Dublin Airport to Limerick-https://www.citylink.ie/timetables/712x/

I was googling the village you are going to and for a village with a population of around 600 it has a very good bus service.

For general journey planning in the Republic of Ireland you should use this website- https://www.transportforireland.ie/

and for the local TfI buses in County Clare this website- https://www.transportforireland.ie/plan-a-journey/network-maps/clare-tfi-local-link-bus-services/

Each county has it's own subsidiary website like the County Clare one above for subsidised bus services- each of which is configured differently, just to add spice to life!

Is it better to rail and ferry to Dublin from Cardiff or train back to London and fly to Dublin? The latter seems less time actually traveling, but logistically train station to large airport has me concerned. I have found a combined rail/ ferry pass.

Also, I found a car rental in Ireland for about 34 euros per day. Seems reasonable to me, but what do you all think? Pickup in Dublin and drop off in Shannon.

Is it better to rail and ferry to Dublin from Cardiff or train back to London and fly to Dublin? The latter seems less time actually traveling, but logistically train station to large airport has me concerned. I have found a combined rail/ ferry pass.

Why not just fly to Dublin from Cardiff, or Bristol?

I have found Bristol to Dublin which is reasonable, time and cost. Transport Cardiff to Bristol airport? Are there car services in that area?

If you can fly 3x daily from Bristol to Dublin (and can get to Bristol Airport easily from Cardiff) I am not sure why you would want to go back to London for a flight.

It just feels like an unnecessarily long deviation.

Cardiff to Bristol Airport is about 90 minutes (bus all the way or train/bus combination), say 2 hours to be generous.

Cardiff to Heathrow is at least another 75 minutes of journey time, to other airports (Gatwick, Stansted, Luton or London City) 1 or even 2 hour further.

Yes the Cardiff flight may be at an anti social hour, so Bristol may be preferable over Cardiff.

If it was Heathrow you were going to Cardiff to Reading, then the Rail-Air Bus (which is a coach bus) is probably the easiest and fastest option, especially as the bus from Reading now runs every 20 minutes. The Reading bus route has just been re-equipped with brand new vehicles.

Add on 2 hours check in at the airport it is about 5 hours from Cardiff to landing at Dublin via Bristol, if you get your timings right. Or 6 to 7 hours via London.

By ferry via train to Holyhead it is about 9 hours (or around 10 to 11 hours via Rosslare). But cheaper than flying with the fantastic rail-sail deal. And no baggage or liquids restrictions.

Driving out of the sea port (if you can get a car delivered to the port) you are straight onto the motorway/freeway -totally avoiding the centre of the City- and it is highway all the way to Limerick.

Two different freeway routes to Limerick- same distance and same journey time of 2hrs 30 minutes Dublin seaport or airport to Ennis on the route planner.

So you take your choice on flying vs ferry. Then if flying whether Bristol or 'London'.

If flying to Dublin, Cardiff or Bristol Airports would be a better option than going back to London. If Bristol offers better times & prices, go that way but beware of baggage in hold charges with Ryan Air & other low cost airlines.

Many people would use the train to Bristol Temple Meads (1 hour from Cardiff Central) and then take the bus link for the journey to the Airport. You used to be able to buy a through train and bus ticket by using the codes CDF > XPB (Called Bristol Air Bus on the Rail system website - which is a bit confusing). Anyway, I can’t get the XPB code to work at present for August - but it does work for BRI which is Bristol Temple Meads (downtown main station) - so, you may have to purchase the *bus link separately? Note that at present, the Severn Tunnel that links Bristol & Cardiff is closed for maintenance and so no direct trains - but it will be open when/if you visit.
www.nationalrail.co.uk

* This is the local bus link from Bristol temple Meads to the Airport:> https://flyer.bristolairport.co.uk

3 different coach companies have services between Cardiff & Bristol Airport but some may require a change in Bristol rather than going direct to the airport. Note that none of these companies use the new bus station by Cardiff Central Train station.

.https://www.nationalexpress.com/en/airports/bristol use SOPHIA GARDENS as their terminal in Cardiff and this is found about a 15 minute walk NW of Cardiff Castle on the west side of the river.

Megabus & Flixbus also have services from Cardiff to Bristol Airport and these have different starting points in Cardiff.

You use station code QAE- which in long hand is Bristol Airport Bus A1- for through rail tickets to Bristol Airport. That is a £9 add on to any fare type- so the same fare as train and bus separately (pay on the bus)

If you were connecting through the Airport Bus from Weston Super Mare and Worle (which you aren't) you would use station code QAF- Bristol Airport Bus A3.

The National Express bus to Bristol Airport also picks up in the City at Cardiff University Park Place, opposite the Centre for Student Life (which is basically at Cathays Station). Inbound it also sets down at the Castle.

Agree with many posters on doing more in Cardiff. Make sure you do the Museum of Welsh Life as well as castles.

"Iceland deserves more than a night." MaryPat got that right.
Take a week and do the Ring Road Tour.

Ok, I booked a flight from Bristol to Dublin, arriving in Dublin at about 5pm. We do plan to arrive as early as possible in Cardiff, see the castle and explore a bit. If we had more time, we’d explore northern Wales, but we don’t and I’d really like to see family in Dublin. Spending the night there.

So my itinerary so far is to London on Aug 5, midday, staying until August 8. Only real plan so far is the Churchill War Rooms.
August 8-10, Cardiff. Only plan so far is the Billy Joel concert on August 9.
August 10-11 Dublin. Only plan is the Oscar Wilde House, a favorite author of our daughter’s.
August 10- 15….. (Rental car) Onto stay a the house in Tulla and/ or bed and breakfasts… exploring the Glin/ Shannon area. Def doing the Cliffs of Moher and the Burren. Obviously a castle or two.

Open to suggestions for sights to see.

And also looking for a good neighborhood in London. Quaint, walkable, central, would be lovely to stay somewhere that has a quintessential old London feel.
Any thoughts?

In Cardiff there are lots of ideas above,

but you could also think of taking the Traws Cymru bus T4 into the Brecon Beacons- https://passenger-line-assets.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/transportforwales/SSWL/T4-timetable-20240430-7f456bae.pdf

There are all sorts of round trip possibilities with Traws Cymru (on their website) like another bus from Brecon to either Abergavenny or Hereford (then train back from either to Cardiff) or down to Swansea (train back to Cardiff)- all very scenic runs.

Even Tenby mentioned above is a perfectly possible day trip- 2hrs 40minutes in each direction.

Llandaff Cathedral mentioned above has buses on several different bus lines-
the 24- https://passenger-line-assets.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/ccts/CB/24-timetable-20240630-ce0e8c53.pdf
the 25- https://passenger-line-assets.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/ccts/CB/25-timetable-20240331-3b062116.pdf
62 and 63- https://passenger-line-assets.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/ccts/CB/62-timetable-20240630-8902cf90.pdf

Other possible short train trips are to Chepstow, to Bristol and even to Bath.

You are travelling from London to Cardiff on Thursday the 8th and leaving for Bristol Airport & Dublin on Saturday 10th. That only leaves one full day in Cardiff = Friday 9th (Billy Joel Day). That being so, you will have to think how to make the most of this limited time. Maybe check into hotel on arrival from London & see Cardiff Castle?

Being as the Friday is your only full day, you could perhaps take the Cardiff Bus 32 & head out to St. Fagans Castle & Museum of Welsh History? Be sure to know the times of these buses back to the city if you do go. Also note that the city centre gets so full with fans when events take place that buses will get moved to alternative stops from about noon. (The 32 coming back to the city will most likely terminate on the west bank of the river directly opposite the stadium). Alternatively, you could take a local train (every few minutes) to Caerphilly to see the medieval castle in the morning before returning to the city. Note that if you do that, that you may be forced to exit the central station on the south side rather than the main entrance/exit on the north side due to the number of people arriving & leaving because of BJ. This is no big deal & just go with the herd.

Timetable for Bus 32 > https://www.cardiffbus.com/services/CB/32?date=2024-08-09&direction=outbound
PS. Note that entry to St.Fagans Castle & Museum is free and the grounds are vast & split into two sections. The Castle & gardens are in the eastern half - reached via a tunnel. The western half contains buildings of historic interest brought stone by stone from all over Wales and re-erected.

Have a great trip.

Note that Cardiff Bus have now issued their City Centre service plans and diversions for the day of the Billy Joel Concert- they are here- https://www.cardiffbus.com/principality-stadium

The diversions start at 1500- 3pm