I personally think that the best way to explore Ireland is by car, camper or motorbike. The lovely Irish roads lead you to beautiful places you would never see on a standard tour or on public transport.
But if you are worried about driving in Ireland and want to relax on your journeys, there are a few options available. I will discuss these in this post.
Airport Transfers
Dublin Airport is one of the only major airports in Europe not connected by train. But there are plenty of buses to get you into the city or elsewhere (see below). Alternatively, you can use ‘GET TRANSFER’ to get a taxi straight to your hotel.
Public transport, Trains and Buses
Unfortunately, many of the old train lines have been closed in Ireland, and now the train system is rather limited.
Irish Rail (Iarnród Éireann) operates intercity and commuter rail, and connects Dublin to major hubs like Cork, Galway, and Limerick.
There are some private Bus companies like Expressway, which provide good connections between airports and cities.
You can book Train and Expressway tickets here: TRAINLINE. Be careful to select ‘Train’ or ‘Coach’ when looking for tickets. You may want to book your ticket in advance to reserve a seat.
Companies like Flightlink also provide a limited, but good connection between some towns and Dublin Airport. I recommend that you book your ticket online before travelling to reserve your seat. You will have to pick the bus time when you wish to travel.
Bus Éireann is the national bus company that provides regional, commuter, and city services outside Dublin. These buses tend to take a longer time to go from A to B than an Expressway bus, for example.
TFI Local Link provides low-cost community bus routes that connect rural villages and small parishes in the different regions. This is useful if you are travelling to out-of-the-way places, but the frequency of buses is not very high, and the buses are generally smaller.
DAY TRIPS AND ACTIVITIES
You can book organised day trips to the Cliffs of Moher or many other locations around Ireland HERE: GET YOUR GUIDE
IN DUBLIN
Dublin is expensive to park a car and it is also difficult to find places to park, so if you are going to hire a car, we recommend you do it when you leave the city. There are several different ways to get around Dublin.
DART (Dublin Area Rapid Transit)
The DART is a rapid electric commuter rail system that serves the coastline and greater Dublin area.
The LUAS is a modern two-line light rail (tram) system that runs red and green routes through the capital.
Dublin bus operates the yellow and green buses in and around Dublin.
Last Updated on August 20, 2026 by Gav
