Swansea: how to get there and around
Airports, stations, ports, where the hotels are and what the numbers say, from public data rather than a brochure.
Swansea is a city of 300,352 people in United Kingdom (Wales), 18 m (59 ft) above sea level. The nearest large airport is Cardiff International Airport (CWL), 48 km (30 mi) from the centre. It has 3 railway stations on record, including Swansea railway station.
Key facts
Daylight in Swansea runs from about 7 h 53 min a day in late December to 16 h 44 min in late June (computed for 51.62° latitude), which matters more than the forecast when a day is built around one flight or one crossing.
Getting there
Swansea is served by 2 airports with scheduled flights within 100 km. The closest large one is Cardiff International Airport (CWL), 48 km (30 mi) from the centre, with a longest runway of 7,723 ft, which limits it to short and medium-haul aircraft. The alternatives are Bristol Airport (BRS, 89 km).
Flights to Swansea: every airport, routes and times
By rail: stations on record include Swansea railway station, Swansea Bay railway station, Upper Bank railway station. Trains to Swansea
Buses to Swansea · Driving and car hire
Nearby cities, and how to get between them
- London, 264 km — flights · trains · buses · car rental · tours
- Birmingham, 169 km — flights · trains · tours
- Dublin, 246 km (Ireland) — flights · trains · buses · car rental · tours
- Manchester, 237 km — tours
- Sheffield, 258 km — tours
- Leeds, 291 km — tours
- Liverpool, 209 km
- Bristol, 95 km — buses · car rental · tours
- Cardiff, 55 km — trains · buses · car rental · tours
- Leicester, 223 km
Twin towns and sister cities: Mannheim, Ferrara, Cork, Nantong, Pau, Wuhan, Bydgoszcz.
Common questions
Which airport serves Swansea?
Cardiff International Airport (CWL), 48 km (30 mi) from the centre, plus 1 other airport with scheduled flights within 100 km.
How big is Swansea?
About 300,352 people live in Swansea, across 390,000,000 km² (GeoNames and Wikidata).
What time zone is Swansea in?
Europe/London, currently UTC+1.
What currency is used in Swansea?
The Pound (GBP). Traffic drives on the left.
Which cities are near Swansea?
London (264 km), Birmingham (169 km), Dublin (246 km), Manchester (237 km), Sheffield (258 km).
Where these facts come from
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, elevation, time zone, postal codes
- Wikidata (CC0): area, sister cities, visitor numbers, heritage listings, stations and ports
- OurAirports (public domain): airports, runways
- Natural Earth (public domain): map outlines
Data compiled 14 September 2026. Hotel and hostel figures are from our booking partner’s catalogue on that date. Journey times on this page are estimates from distance, not timetables; check the operator before you rely on one.