Is Cardiff safe?
Safe with normal care. Weekend drunkenness in the center and bike theft are the usual problems.
Key facts
- SoloSquare safety rating: 4/5, safe with normal care.
- US travel advisory: Level 2: Exercise increased caution, updated 2025-05-07.
- Homicide rate in United Kingdom: 1.1 per 100,000 people (2021, UNODC via World Bank).
- Road deaths in United Kingdom: 3.2 per 100,000 people a year (2019, WHO).
- Emergency numbers: Police 999 · Ambulance 999 · Fire 999 · All emergencies 999.
Safety in Cardiff at a glance
| What to expect | |
|---|---|
| Overall | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Crime | Petty theft, phone snatching in busy streets, and drunken fights around Mill Lane and City Road at weekends. |
| At night | The center is busy and lit on weekends. Buses are patchy late; use Uber, Bolt or a licensed cab after midnight. |
| Solo women | Comfortable for solo women. Use taxis at night and watch your drink in busy venues. |
| Other risks | Rain-slick pavements and cobbles; Big crowds on rugby match days |
Scams, areas and local laws
Common scams
- Resold tickets for rugby and gigs outside the stadium
- Unlicensed taxi touts after clubs; use an app or marked cab
- Card-skimming at isolated cash machines
Take care
- Mill Lane and Caroline Street late weekend nights: fights and drunk crowds
- Cardiff Bay waterfront after dark: quiet paths
- Match days: crowded streets and heavy drinking
Calmer areas to stay
Laws visitors break by accident
- Riding a private e-scooter on public roads or pavements is illegal; only official rental schemes are allowed.
- Carrying a knife in public without good reason is illegal, including locking or long folding blades.
- Cannabis is illegal, and drinking alcohol is banned on London public transport.
How Cardiff compares in United Kingdom
| Place | Safety |
|---|---|
| Edinburgh | 5/5 · Very safe |
| Oxford | 5/5 · Very safe |
| Bath | 5/5 · Very safe |
| Cambridge | 5/5 · Very safe |
| Scottish Highlands | 5/5 · Very safe |
| Isle of Skye | 5/5 · Very safe |
| York | 5/5 · Very safe |
| Lake District | 5/5 · Very safe |
| Cornwall | 5/5 · Very safe |
| Cotswolds | 5/5 · Very safe |
| Snowdonia | 5/5 · Very safe |
| London | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Manchester | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Liverpool | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Glasgow | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Brighton | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Bristol | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Belfast | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Cardiff | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Newcastle | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Leeds | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Birmingham | 3/5 · Take real precautions |
Quick answers
Is Cardiff safe for solo female travelers?
Comfortable for solo women. Use taxis at night and watch your drink in busy venues.
Is Cardiff safe at night?
The center is busy and lit on weekends. Buses are patchy late; use Uber, Bolt or a licensed cab after midnight.
What is the crime rate in Cardiff?
Petty theft, phone snatching in busy streets, and drunken fights around Mill Lane and City Road at weekends. Nationally, United Kingdom records 1.1 homicides per 100,000 people a year (2021).
What number do I call in an emergency in Cardiff?
Police 999 · Ambulance 999 · Fire 999 · All emergencies 999.
More about Cardiff
Going to Cardiff solo?
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Sources
- US State Department travel advisory
- Visit Cardiff
- Transport for Wales
- Cardiff Airport
- Cardiff and Vale University Health Board
- World Bank: intentional homicides (UNODC)
- World Bank: road traffic deaths (WHO)
Safety ratings are SoloSquare's editorial judgment from official advisories, crime data and local reporting. Compiled and reviewed by SoloSquare. How we compile and score this. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.