I was looking at schedules and planning on prepurchasing a one way bus ticket from Derry to Sligo on bus eireann but the site shows no availability on any day or time I enter. We will be in Ireland in less than 3 weeks. Any insight on buying bus tickets? Also is it better to prepurchase train tickets on line or just get them at station? Planning on Dublin to Belfast, Belfast to Derry, Sligo to Dublin (spread out over 6 days)
Thanks in advance!
I believe the best schedules on that route are operated by Expressway and perhaps need to be purchased directly from them: https://expressway.ie/Route-64-derry-to-galway. www.transportforireland.com can also help identify a variety of transport companies.
Buying train tickets for Dublin-Belfast and Sligo-Dublin in advance online will be cheaper than buying at the station on the day. For Belfast-Derry it's not possible or required to buy in advance. Use www.irishrail.ie to purchase.
Bus Éireann probably can't sell tickets online for services starting across the Border so just buy on the day.
Nobody mentioned using Irish Rail for rail travel in NI so no need to shout.