Can I travel around Ireland by train and bus without hiring a car?
Yes, with bases chosen for their stations and bus stops. Irish Rail links Dublin with Cork, Galway, Limerick, Waterford, Killarney and Tralee, Belfast, Sligo and Westport, and Bus Eireann plus the private coach companies fill most of the gaps between towns. The workable pattern is two or three town bases, day trips by local bus or organised tour for the peninsulas and coast roads that buses serve thinly, and no rural B&B miles from anywhere. What you give up is spontaneity: the last bus out of a small town can be early, and Sunday services are sparse. Check each leg in the Transport for Ireland journey planner before you book beds around it.
Useful pages: Plan your journey · Public transport in Ireland · Dublin · Belfast · Plan your Ireland itinerary · Dublin and the East in 3 Days · The Grand Tour in 10 Days · The Full Island in 14 Days · Ennis · Galway city · Experiencing the Irish coastline · Guided versus self guided tours · Where to stay · Ready-made itineraries · Coming home · County Galway · Cashel · Northern Ireland · Travel notices
Sources
- Transport for Ireland and Iarnrod Eireann: journey planning, service and accessibility information, transportforireland.ie and irishrail.ie
More in Trip planning and transport
- What can I realistically see in Ireland in seven days without changing beds every night?
- Which airport should I fly into for the west of Ireland: Dublin, Shannon or Knock?
- How do I get from Dublin Airport into the city centre, and how long should I allow?
- What is the best way to travel between Dublin and Belfast?
- Should I start a first Ireland trip in Dublin, or go straight to the regions?