London to Dublin

Eddie, The "best" (and probably cheapest) way will be to use one of the budget airlines, which will be a more efficient use of your holiday time. There are numerous flight choices from most of the airports in London. Have a look at www.whichbudget.com for information. My preference would be Aer Lingus or one of the others (I'm not a big fan of RyanAir). You could also take EasyJet to Belfast and then train to Dublin. If you'd rather travel by rail, the trip will be about 9 hours with 2 or 3 changes. Have a look at www.nationalrail.co.uk for further information. You could also travel by Bus, which will probably be an overnight trip of about 12 hours. Check www.nationalexpress.com for details. Happy travels!

The rail journey leaves London Euston and chugs up to Holyhead with a change somewhere in Cheshire. It takes four or five hous. After that it's the ferry. The fastest ferry takes less than two bours. I don't know if there are combo tickets.

Virgin Trains offer a package deal from London Euston. For example, departing tomorrow at 09.10, it's a direct train to Holyhead port, then a Stena Line ferry arriving Dublin port 17.15. Just over 8 hours, costs £43.50. That was with Virgin Trains and then Stena, but specifying the Irish Ferries terminal as your destination on the Virgin Trains journey planner will show you other departures and costs. See http://www.virgintrains.co.uk/tickets-offers/dublin-trains-ferries/

The best way is to travel on Aer Lingus, because they offer the low fares of a budget airline but fly from Heathrow instead of a remote airport. Also on board, if needed, you can buy food and beverages at moderate prices.

Thank you all.

If you're still interested in the "rail and sail" option from London to Dublin, here's all the details from The Man In Seat 61: http://www.seat61.com/Ireland.htm. I do agree that unless you have time and money to burn, or unless you plan to stop off along the way, flying makes much more sense.

Also if looking at a flight don't rule out British Airways - it was the cheapest option for me out of Heathrow the last time I went to Dublin.