Getting around Ireland by rail is easy, quick, inexpensive and a great way to see the Irish countryside. It’s really easy and cheap to get to Ireland from the UK!
If you are starting out in the UK you can buy a SailRail ticket from any station in Britain to any station in Ireland, routed via Holyhead and either Stena Line or Irish Ferries. This covers both the train and the ferry and any onward Irish train too, all on one ticket for one inclusive price. The price from any given station in Britain to Dublin will run you about £ 40 to £ 50 one way. Booking usually opens 9-12 weeks ahead of time but you can usually get tickets day of.
Kids under 5 go free, kids under 16 go for half price. Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. Unaccompanied children 16-17 years old must have written authority to travel from their parent or guardian. Children under 5 go free, but they need a reservation for the ferry.
When comparing with the cost of an airline flight, a flight will cost around £15 one-way or £30 roundtrip for the train ride from central London to or from Heathrow, Luton, Stansted or Gatwick airports, in addition to the airfare.
And remember the airline baggage fees, check-in fees, and so on… And these SailRail fares are available at short notice and peak times, too, when flights are expensive!
Railcard discounts do not apply to SailRail.
You can buy SailRail tickets online at www.virgintrains.co.uk if you are coming from the UK to Ireland
If you want to go from Ireland to the UK then buy your tickets at www.irishferries.com/ie-en/offers/sail-rail/
So where does the Irish rail system take you?
Irish trains are a pleasant and relaxing way to get around Ireland. As you’d expect, most rail lines radiate out of Dublin, see Irish Rail’s map of the Irish rail network. New air-conditioned intercity trains are being introduced as part of a massive investment program, and frequencies are being increased.
Dublin to Cork and Limerick will soon become hourly throughout the day, and trains will run every 2 hours on routes to Sligo, Wexford, Waterword and Galway.
Trains run from the Dublin Connolly Station to Belfast (2 hours), Sligo (3 hours), Dun Laoghaire, Wicklow, Wexford, Bray and Rosslare.
Trains run from the the Dublin Heuston Station to Limerick (2 hour 45 min), Cork (2 hours 50 min, change at Cork for Cobh), Killarney, Tralee, Galway (2 hours 45 min), Kilkenny and Waterford.
To check Irish train times & fares, see the Irish Railways website, www.irishrail.ie. It’s easy enough to buy tickets at the station as seat reservations are never compulsory, but to save a few euros you can buy cheap tickets in advance online at www.irishrail.ie, collecting them at the self-service ticket machine at all main stations.
Irish rail enquiries can be made by phone (within Ireland) 01 836 6222 or (calling from outside Ireland) 00 353 1 836 6222.
Going Dublin to Belfast…..
Modern air-conditioned Enterprise trains link Dublin & Belfast approximately every 2 hours or better, journey time around 2 hours.
You can buy cheap tickets from around €14.99 each way if you book online in advance, you should buy one-way or return tickets starting in Dublin at www.irishrail.ie and one-way or return tickets starting in Belfast at www.translink.co.uk.
Travel tip 1: Belfast’s Great Victoria Street station is often more convenient than Belfast Central, as it’s next to the main bus station and the excellent Europa Hotel, and just across the road from the equally excellent National Trust-owned Crown Bar. If you hold a ticket for the Enterprise between Belfast Central & Dublin, you are entitled to a free transfer by regular local train between Belfast Central and Belfast Great Victoria Street.
Travel tip 2: On board the Enterprise, I recommend a seat on the left hand side going south to Dublin, right hand side going north to Belfast, for the sea views north of Dublin.
Day Trips by Train from Dublin
If you want to kiss the Blarney Stone, drive the Ring of Kerry or walk on the Giant’s Causeway as a stress-free day trip from Dublin, Railtours Ireland (www.railtoursireland.com) deserves a special mention.
They run daily tours from Dublin using a unique concept that makes the famous sights & scenery of remote western & northern Ireland accessible as a day trip.
Working closely with Iarnrod Eireann (Irish Railways), you are whisked from central Dublin to Limerick, Galway, Cork or Belfast by comfortable air-conditioned intercity train, leaving around 7:00-7:30 am.
A motorcoach meets the train and takes you on a guided tour into the countryside.
The range of tours includes kissing the Blarney Stone at Blarney Castle, driving around the Ring of Kerry, or to see the Giant’s Causeway, or to Bunratty Castle and the Cliffs of Moher, and more…
There’s stops for lunch & photographs;
In the early evening the coach takes you back to the station and puts you on a fast intercity train back to Dublin, arriving (depending on the tour) 8:00-10:15 pm.
Prices are pretty good, for example the 1 day tour to Cork, the Blarney Stone & the Queenstown Story at Cobh costs €109 (£87) including the train ride from Dublin, and the 1 day tour to Belfast and the Giant’s Causeway, or the Ring of Kerry are the same price. As well as these day trips, they also run 2-6 day tours. They’ve been operating for 10 years now, and get great reports.
You can book online at www.railtoursireland.com, or by phone.
Tip – There’s a full cooked breakfast available in the restaurant car of some of the Irish Rail intercity trains they use out of Dublin, costing around €16 (£13). It’s as good a cooked breakfast as you’ll have on any regular scheduled train, so treat yourself and enjoy!