How to Get to Cork from Dublin

250 kilometres separate the cities of Dublin and Cork. Perfectly connected by public transport and roads, the journey between the two is one of the most frequented in Ireland. By train, bus or car, in this post we will review the advantages and disadvantages of each method of transport.

If you’ve already seen and done everything you should in Dublin and have a few days to spare, visiting Cork is a great option. This city in the south of Ireland has several attractions such as the English Market, the old jail or the Elizabeth Fort. The advantage is that the city can be visited in one day and the return trip from Dublin is very convenient.

1. Travelling from Dublin to Cork on an organised tour

If you are looking for a same-day return trip to Cork from Dublin, you may want to take an organised tour.

The great advantage is that as well as including transport, it also has a guide and a pre-arranged itinerary which makes the trip much easier. On this type of tour there is a starting point in the centre of Dublin from which a bus leaves in a fully air-conditioned bus.

Departure is usually in the early hours of the morning and the journey takes about 3 hours by road. Once in Cork you will have about 6 hours to see the city, which is plenty of time considering that you will be accompanied by a guide with an organised itinerary.

• Price: From around €80 for adults and €50 for children.
• Duration and distance: The bus trip takes about 3 hours each way. In total the tour takes 12 hours from the time you leave Dublin to the time you return.
• What’s included in the tour: Return transport, accredited guide and organised itinerary with entrance to the main sights.
• Recommended if: You are looking for a round trip on the same day and want to have everything organised beforehand.

What to see on an organised tour to Cork

To sum up, here’s what you’ll see on an organised tour of Cork City.

This small city conquers its visitors first through the stomach, as it has one of the most important markets in the north, considered world class. This is known as the English market. Founded in 1788, this is where you can sample first class local and national produce and is one of the first regular stops on organised tours.

The old cityjail is another interesting place to visit. Although it looks more like a castle than a prison, this Gothic-style building has a lot of history linked to the War of Independence and other legends and curiosities worth discovering.

Similar is Fort Elizabeth, which has a lot of history and the best views of the city, and is also part of the itineraries for excursions.

In the city centre there are other historic buildings that are part of the guided tours such as St. Finbar’s Cathedral and St. Anne’s Church with the Shandon Bells. Both are in the French Neo-Gothic style with many local legends surrounding them.

The historic Franciscan Well Brewery, so called because it is located in what was once a Franciscan monastery, has become a place of pilgrimage for beer lovers. Since you have a few hours to move around freely on any organised tour, this is a good destination to make the most of that time.

If you take an organised tour of the city, these are the essential places to visit. But I encourage you to discover this beautiful city on your own, getting lost in its streets and beautiful corners.

2. How to get there by Train: The best option

Travelling by train from Dublin to Cork is the best option all things considered. It is the fastest mode of transport, with journeys taking 2.5 hours and a wide range of timetables. Trains run every hour from 7am and the last train back from Cork is at 20:25.

In terms of prices, it is not the cheapest way to travel, but considering the length and comfort of the journey the ticket price is quite reasonable. Tickets start from €21.50 although in this case it is almost compulsory to book online to get the best deals. If you wait to buy your tickets on the day or at the station you run the risk of paying up to double the price. The company offering these journeys is Irish Rail.

It should be noted that the trains depart from Dublin Heuston station, which is located on the outskirts of the city. However, from Dublin city centre you can get there by bus 145 in 5 minutes. In Cork, the train station is a 15-minute walk from the centre, but there are also numerous bus services from the station itself.

• Price: From 21 euros.
• Duration and distance: 2.5 hours.
• Recommended if: You are looking for the best option in terms of speed and comfort.

3. Getting there by bus: The cheapest way.

If you are looking for a cheaper alternative to the train, the best option is the bus. Bus journeys are slightly longer, about 3.5 hours from Dublin to Cork, but you will save a lot of money. There are two options for the bus; travel from Dublin city centre or from the airport if that suits you better.

Although there are several companies offering the journey between the two cities, two are the most recommended because of the wide variety of timetables they offer. The first is Aircoach.

This company offers trips from the airport and from Dublin city centre. The trips from the city centre cost 10 euros if you buy it online or 17 euros if you buy it directly on the bus. If you buy a return ticket, the price doubles in both cases. There are also trips from the airport which are 7 euros more expensive and take almost 4 hours.

The other company to consider is GoBus. It is slightly more expensive as the normal ticket costs 14 euros online and 18 euros from the bus, although the journey time is the same. However, the frequency is a little less and the buses leave every two hours. There are also trips to Cork directly from the airport. In this case the online ticket is €23 and the bus fare is €28.

• Price: From €10
• Length and distance: 259 kilometres and 3.5 hours.
• Recommended if: You are looking for the cheapest option.

4 .How to get there by car: The alternative.

If you hire a car, or have one, it is also possible to travel from Dublin to Cork. It is a very convenient journey as it is well connected by road.

There are several routes, but the fastest one is 259 kilometres which takes about 3 hours. There are tolls on this section of the route, which, together with the fuel, is not a cheap option compared to the rest. There are two tolls on the M7 and M8 and each one costs 1.90€.

The main advantage of a car is that it gives you the freedom to make some intermediate stops at interesting places such as Glendalough, Kilkenny and Rock of Cashel. Hiring a car is not the only option as there are also ridesharing companies such as Blablacar.

• Duration and distance: 3 hours and 259 kilometres.
• Recommended if: You want transport that gives you maximum freedom of movement.

Price:From 80 euros

Duration: 3 hours

Advantages: Transfer and organised itinerary

Disadvantages: Limited time to see the city and its surroundings

Price: From 20 euros

Journey time: 2 hours 30 minutes

Advantage: The most comfortable and fastest way to travel

Disadvantage: More expensive than the bus

• Price: From 10 euros
• Journey time: 3 hours- 3 hours and 30 minutes
• Advantage: The cheapest option
• Disadvantage: Longer journey than by train

Price: Depends on consumption

Journey time: 3 hours

Advantage: Maximum freedom of movement

Disadvantage: Total price between rental, consumption and expenses.

Tips for travelling between Dublin and Cork

To make the journey from Dublin to Cork by the different means of transport on this list you should bear in mind a series of recommendations that may help you: