We are traveling to Ireland in mid-September, with 4 nights in Cork then 3 nights in Dublin. We are not planning on renting a car (except maybe for day trips around Cork), and are exploring options for travel from Cork to Dublin. I know the Bus Eireann is much less than Irish Rail, and both seem to go from downtown Cork to Heuston Station in Dublin, which is close to our Air BnB. Anyone have experience with or opinion about either? We will be two travelers with 2-3 suitcases and a personal item each.
Posted by
Lake District, England
10283 posts
Bus Eireann no longer run direct from Cork to Dublin, it's now a change at Waterford.
Dublin Coach, Aircoach and Citylink all now run the route.
The bus is a motorway express so not interesting scenery, and takes 30 minutes longer than the train. Some buses take 2 hours longer than the train.
With a comfortable hourly train costing 25 Euro, the bus can't be a lot less than the train.
For me there simply is no competition, it's train every time. The 7 Euro might matter to a hard up local. If you can afford to travel to Ireland it is small change.
Posted by
OP
Bethesda, MD, USA
10 posts
Thank you for the prompt comment! We generally prefer traveling by train as well so this seals it.
Posted by
Bellingham, WA
1257 posts
I don't think I paid anything like €25 for that train. Advance fares are discounted. I can't find my receipt now, but I remember paying €15 for an advance ticket from Westport to Dublin.
You probably don't need a car for day trips from Cork. We took the train to Cobh and the bus to Blarney.
Posted by
Seattle, WA, USA ☔️
7234 posts
We took the train from Cork to Dublin. It was fine. Comfortable, roomy, not cramped like an airliner - like any train. Not particularly fancy or sleek, but perfectly decent and no complaints. Scenery was nothing special but not dreadful either (we had just come from the far southwest, so any scenery would have to have been pretty jaw-dropping to impress me at the time). I don't recall what it cost but it couldn't have been much (otherwise I would remember it). I'd take the train on that route over a bus any time.