Rhoose Cardiff International Airport (CWL)

Overview

A small airport with only basic facilities, Rhoose Cardiff International Airport (CWL) is nonetheless an important transport hub in Wales as its only international airport. Located 12 miles (19km) west of Cardiff in the village of Rhoose, the airport has only a few shops and restaurants, but is known for its efficiency and ease of use.

Serving nearly 1.5 million passengers each year, Cardiff International Airport is the fastest (and often cheapest) method of getting to Wales. The airport is served by a number of low-cost airlines offering routes to European hubs like Amsterdam and Edinburgh, and dozens of cheap flights to Spanish resorts like Mallorca and Alicante.

Location

The airport is located 12 miles (19km) southwest of Cardiff city centre.

Getting to the city

The Cardiff buss service (X91) runs every two hours during the day, seven days a week. (Tel: 029 2066 6444). Journey time to Cardiff from the airport is approximately 35 minutes and bus fare is approximately £3.40 one way. A rail link connects Cardiff International Airport to Cardiff Central and Bridgend. Trains run each direction every hour daily (every two hours on Sunday) with onward connections possible to other destinations on the rail network. A shuttle connects from the airport to the nearby train station (Tel: 0845 748 49 50). The official airport taxi operator, Checker Cars, has a desk in the arrivals hall. Approximate fare to Cardiff City Centre is £26 (Tel: 01446 711747).

Time

GMT (GMT +1 from last Sunday in March to Saturday before last Sunday in October).

Contacts

Tel: +44 (0)1446 711 111.

Car rental

Avis, Europcar and Hertz are represented at the airport.

Facilities

Facilities include a bureau de change, ATMs, baby changing facilities, faxing and photocopying, game zones, duty-free shops, restaurants, cafés and bars. There are also facilities for disabled passengers; those with special needs are advised to inform their airline or travel agent in advance.

Parking

Short-term parking is right outside the terminal building, and fees range from £1 for the first 20 minutes to roughly £3.10 per hour. Long-term parking is further away from the terminal but is serviced by a free shuttle. Long-term rates are £17.50 for one day, £60.50 for a week, and £106.50 plus £5.50 per extra day for stays over 15 days. There are no pre-booking facilities, but the airport guarantees that space will be available for all cars.

Website

www.tbicardiffairport.com

Airlines

Flights to Cardiff International Airport are available on KLM, Aer Lingus, bmibaby, Austrian Airlines, Thomas Cook Airlines, Flybe, Helvetic Airways, and Thomson Airlines.

Internet

Wifi is available throughout the terminal through Spectrum Interactive, and passengers can buy prepaid vouchers for browsing time.

Business Lounges

Rhoose Cardiff International Airport has several meeting rooms for hire equipped with all the necessary audio-visual equipment. There are also internet kiosks, post boxes, and cell phone charging stations located throughout the airport.

Cardiff Airport Taxis: the taxi fares above are intended as a guideline only.