Ticket
delivery: Tickets can be collected at
any main British station including London Euston or sent to
any UK address, but they cannot be collected in
Ireland.
Booking
fee: There's a £1.00 booking fee. Collection
at stations is free, tickets sent by 1st class post add
£1.50. Debit cards free, credit card fee around
£1.41.
Overseas
credit cards welcomed. You can collect tickets at
London Euston or any main British station, but not in Dublin,
so journeys starting in Ireland should be booked
as shown here
instead.
Irish
residents: You cannot collect
tickets in Ireland & they won't send tickets outside
the UK, so please buy tickets by phone or in person
as shown here
instead.
Which
journeys can this system book? It can
book tickets between any station in Britain and Dublin Port (Irish Ferries), Dublin port (Stena), Dun Laoghaire (all via Holyhead),
Rosslare Harbour (via Fishguard), or Belfast (via Holyhead
or Stranraer) one-way or return in
either direction. It cannot book tickets
to other Irish destinations such as Galway or Limerick,
so buy these by phone or at stations
or buy a separate onward ticket from Dublin at
www.irishrail.ie.
Which
ferry? Holyhead-Dublin Irish ferries crossings which take 3 hours
or more are
the ship 'Ulysses', crossings taking 2 hours are the
Swift.
from any station in Britain to Dublin
or any station in Ireland...
It's a
well-kept secret & a genuine bargain... A
special train+ferry
ticket from London or any station in Britain to Dublin costs just £29
or less, any day, any date. In fact, you can buy a
ticket from any station in Britain to any station in Ireland,
one-way or return in
either direction, at amazingly cheap prices,
just use the
route map below to choose the most suitable ferry crossing.
The ticket covers train travel to the port, the ferry to
Ireland and onward train travel to your Irish destination.
The online booking form on
this page sells tickets from any station in Britain to Dublin,
Belfast, Dun
Laoghaire or Rosslare, or you can buy tickets to other Irish destinations
such as Cork, Galway or Limerick
by phone or at stations.
No stressful airports or flights, no lousy coach journeys on
eyesore motorways, just a relaxing ride through the British countryside by train & across the Irish Sea by ferry.
It's the traditional, time-honoured way to reach Ireland, the
environmentally-friendly alternative
to a short-haul flight. Bring a bottle of your
favourite wine along (try doing that on Ryanair), sit back
with a good book and enjoy the ride.
London to Dublin
only £29 each way...
Any day, any date. This is
what
you pay, even on the day of travel, it's not a 'from' price.
The ticket covers both train & ferry, with no baggage fees, no
airport taxes, no costly train fare to the airport, children
under 5 go free, under 16's half price. Any rail
station in Britain to Dublin is the
same or less:
Manchester, Liverpool -
Dublin £24
Birmingham, Leeds - Dublin £27
Oxford,
Brighton, Norwich - Dublin £29
Little Kimble - Dublin £29
(Little where???
Exactly. Any rail station in Britain to
Dublin, for £29 or less...)
A small
booking fee applies to online sales.
This section
recommends the best London-Dublin out & return services.
Buy tickets online
using the form opposite
▶ ▶ ▶ ▶ ▶ ▶ ▶
On this page...
Route map - this
will help you choose the most suitable train+ferry route to
Ireland.
Which
route? The route via Holyhead (Stena Line or
Irish Ferries) is the traditional route from London to
Dublin & most of Ireland including Cork, Limerick &
Galway. Rosslare is handy for Wexford & Waterford,
but not well connected to Cork or Limerick. London to Belfast
works equally well via Holyhead or Stranraer, see the
Northern Ireland page. Scotland
to Ireland is normally easiest via Stranraer.
Leave central London aboard
Virgin Trains 9.10am 'Irish Mail' to Holyhead (08:50
Saturdays, 08:15 Sundays)...
The 125 mph Voyager train is modern &
air-conditioned, better than any plane or coach, with
T-Mobile WiFi, power sockets for laptops & mobiles and a
buffet car serving drinks & snacks. The train journey
takes 3h40, time to get some work done or catch up on your
reading...
The train
passes right by Conway
Castle...
...and along
the North Wales coast a stone's
throw from the sea. Yes, this was taken from the train!
...then crosses
the Menai Strait to Anglesey.
At Holyhead, the ferry terminal is right next to the
station. You check in for your chosen ferry
operator, either Stena Line or Irish Ferries.
Compared to flying, it's quick & painless.
After checking in, a courtesy bus transfers you to the luxurious 50,000 ton
Irish Ferries ship
'Ulysses' for the Irish Sea crossing to Dublin...
...the Ulysses deserves it's title as a 'cruise'
ferry. It's one of the most comfortable ferries
serving the British Isles. The sea crossing takes
3h15, arriving Dublin Ferryport at 17:25.
On board the ferry, it costs £14 to upgrade to club
class in the Martello Lounge on 11 deck, with
complimentary red & white wine, tea & coffee, cheese &
crackers, olives, smoked salmon canapés, muffins & fruit
juice. The lounge is directly above the ship's
bridge, giving a superb forward view of the Irish coast
approaching...
All this for just £29, any day, any date, even bought
on the day of travel, plus £14 if you want Club Class on
the ferry...
Above: First, take a frequent DART train from Dublin to Dun Laoghaire...
....Then take
Stena Line's HSS from Dun Laoghaire to Holyhead.
Here, the Welsh
coast appears ahead...
Above: Stena
Line's HSS fast ferry at Holyhead
Above: Inside Stena Line's HSS fast
ferry...
Dun Laoghaire to London also costs £29 one-way, any
day, any date, even bought on the day of travel....
Let's keep things
simple. Here's the most convenient daytime train+ferry
service between
London & Dublin via the cheapest & most direct route, with
onward train connections for Cork, Limerick, Galway, Sligo &
Belfast.
London ► Dublin
Travel from London
to Holyhead by train, leaving London's Euston station at
09:10 on Mondays-Fridays or 08:50 Saturdays on a 125mph
tilting 'Super Voyager' train direct to
Holyhead arriving 12:50. On Sundays, leave London at
08:15, change trains at Crewe and arrive Holyhead at 12:43.
At Holyhead, the station is right next to the ferry terminal.
Sail from Holyhead
to Dublin by ferry, leaving Holyhead at 14:10 daily
on Irish Ferries luxurious cruise ferry 'Ulysses' across the Irish
Sea, arriving Dublin Ferryport at 17:25. Dublin
Ferryport is 2 miles from Dublin city centre, shuttle buses &
taxis available. There's also a competing Stena Line
ship sailing at 13:50 & arriving at Dublin Ferryport at 17:05.
Cost: London to
Dublin costs £29 one-way, children
under 16 half price, under 5s free. This includes both
train
& ferry.
If this service
doesn't suit you, see the
London-Dublin
complete timetable for a summary of all London-Dublin
train & ferry services, including a time-effective
overnight option.
You don't have to
start in London, of course. Simply use the
online booking form on this
page to
check timetables & buy tickets
from any rail station in Britain to or from Dublin
Port (Irish Ferries) or Dublin Port (Stena). The fare
from any station in Britain to Dublin is £29 or less each way
via Holyhead. Children under 16 half price, under 5s free.
Full details of fares from any
station in Britain to Ireland & how to
buy tickets.
Use the
route map above to check the best
ferry
route:
For example, Glasgow to Belfast is best via Stranraer,
Cardiff to Wexford is best via Fishguard. The
route via Holyhead is the best route from London, the
southeast, south, East Anglia & Midlands to Dublin
and most of Ireland including Cork, Galway & Limerick. You can also check times &
fares (but not buy tickets) from anywhere in Britain to Dublin
using
www.nationalrail.co.uk. If you live in Scotland,
you'll find a Glasgow to Belfast timetable (via Stranraer) on the
Northern Ireland page,
simply use www.irishrail.ie
to find train times for onward travel to Dublin,
allowing at least 1 hour between ferry arrival and train
departure in Belfast.
London ► Belfast,
Sligo, Galway, Limerick, Cork, Tralee...
First, travel to
Dublin as shown above, then hop on an
Irish inter-city train as follows:
For Belfast,
take the daily 19:00 'Enterprise' express from Dublin Connolly
station
arriving at Belfast Central at 21:10.
For Sligo,
take the daily 19:05 train from Dublin Connolly
station
arriving Sligo at 22:08.
For Cork,
take the daily 19:00 train from
Dublin Heuston station
arriving Cork at 21:55.
For Limerick,
a train leaves Heuston station on Mondays-Saturdays at 20:00,
change at Limerick Junction, arriving Limerick at 22:16.
On Sundays, leave Heuston at 19:10, change at Limerick
Junction and arrive Limerick at 21:26.
For Galway,
leave Heuston station on Mondays-Saturdays at 19:15
arriving Galway at 21:55. On Sundays, leave Heuston at
18:50 arriving Galway at 21:34.
You can check
these train times using the Irish Railways website
www.irishrail.ie.
For any other
destination in Ireland, use the journey
planner at
www.irishrail.ie to check train times from Dublin.
Make sure you allow enough time to interchange in Dublin.
If it's not possible to complete your journey the same day
(for example, the last train to Tralee leaves Dublin before
you get there), you can stay in Dublin overnight and take a
train next day.
Fares:
London to Cork, Limerick, Galway, Sligo, Tralee or Killarney costs
£47.50 each way. London to Belfast
costs £41 each way. Children under 16 half price, children
under 5 free. Or buy a ticket from any station in
Britain to these destinations for the same or less.
How to buy
tickets: You can't buy tickets to these
destinations (except Belfast) online, so buy them
by phone or at stations. If you want to stop off to
see
Dublin, you'll need to buy a London-Dublin ticket (which you
can do online using the
booking form above), then
buy a separate onwards train ticket from Dublin using
www.irishrail.ie. Buying separate tickets in this
way will cost a bit more than buying a through ticket.
The train from
London to Holyhead: The train is
a modern air-conditioned 125 mph 'Super Voyager' with refreshments available on
board. Virgin Trains have chosen not to use the
traditional train names in their timetables, but the 09:10 (08:50 Saturdays) direct train to Holyhead
is the famous 'Irish Mail'. For the best views
between London & Holyhead, choose a seat on the right-hand
side of the train. The Voyager train tilts into the
curves at high speed - you won't notice it unless you look
closely!
The train sweeps through the
Buckinghamshire & Northamptonshire countryside, with
frequent
glimpses of narrow boats on the Grand Union Canal alongside
the railway. A couple of hours out of London, the train calls at the railway town of Crewe.
Look out for the railway
museum on the right just after leaving. Later it calls
at the city of Chester - you'll see part of Chester's historic
city walls on the right just after leaving.
The train then
runs along the scenic north Wales coastline, often just a
stone's throw from the sea. Look out for the old ferry
'Duke of Lancaster', originally moored as a floating nightclub
and now just rusting gently. After calling at Llandudno
Junction, the train enters the pretty town of Conway and
passes right under the towering walls of Conway's impressive
castle.
After
leaving Bangor, look through the trees on the right and you'll catch a glimpse of
Telford's suspension bridge
carrying the old London-Holyhead coach road (now the A5) from the mainland
onto the
Isle of Anglesey, and shortly afterwards your train crosses to Anglesey over
the equally historic
Britannia Bridge,
built by Robert Stephenson in 1850. Originally just a
rail bridge, it was rebuilt after a fire in 1970 and now
carries a road above the railway. As the train crosses
the bridge, you'll see Telford's beautiful suspension bridge a
little way along the river to your right.
You're now on
Anglesey, and your train swishes non-stop through a little
local station with the longest name in Britain, a visitor
attraction in its own right - it's called
Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch, in
case you were wondering, but normally features in railway
fares manuals as 'Llanfair PG'... Finally, you'll see
the mountains of Snowdonia in the distance to your left before
arriving in the port of Holyhead, the traditional embarkation
point for Ireland.
In Holyhead, the
ferry terminal for both Stena Line and Irish Ferries is right
next to the station at the end of platform 2. So walk straight off the train and into the terminal to check in
for the ferry. There's a 30 minute check-in for Irish Ferries,
40 minutes for Stena Line, if you've time to spare you can wander across the stainless-steel
footbridge into Holyhead's pleasant town centre (5 min walk
from the station & ferry terminal). After
getting your boarding pass there's a brief and painless X-ray
security check, and you then check in your bags so you don't
have to carry them round with you on the ferry.
Which ferry?
There are two ferry operators between Holyhead and Dublin,
Stena Line & Irish Ferries, and each operates both a
conventional ship and a fast ferry. Stena Line's 'HSS' fast ferry
(which goes to Dun Laoghaire rather than Dublin Ferryport) berths
right next to the terminal building at Holyhead, but after
cutbacks in 2009 it only sails once a day at 10:25, too early
for train connections from London. So in the London to
Dublin direction, I recommend that you buy a ticket routed to
Dublin Port (Irish
Ferries) and use their conventional ship, the luxurious 50,000
ton 'Ulysses' from Holyhead to Dublin Ferryport. Stena
Line also have an afternoon ship to Dublin Ferryport, the Stena Adventurer, with
similar timings (in fact, you'll get to Dublin 20 minutes
earlier, arguably a better option if you have an onward train
to catch in Dublin) but the Ulysses is a great ship and Irish Ferries
have a wider choice of sailings so offer more flexibility.
Both Stena Line & Irish Ferries ships berth a little way from
the terminal building at Holyhead, so after check-in
passengers are transferred to the ferry on a free courtesy bus.
Holyhead to
Dublin Ferryport by Irish Ferries ship 'Ulysses' (or Stena Line's
competing ship 'Stena Adventurer' if you
prefer, though you'll need to specify the ferry operator when
buying a ticket). The
online system above has
'Dublin Port (Irish Ferries)' pre-selected so it will book you
on Irish Ferries 'Ulysses', but feel free to change this to
'Dublin Port (Stena)' if you prefer the Stena Line ship. The Ulysses leaves Holyhead at
14:10 daily and arrives at Dublin Ferryport at
17:25. The Stena Adventurer sails from Holyhead daily at
13:50 and arrives Dublin Ferryport at 17:05. Both ships
have bars, cafes, lounges, a
restaurant, a cinema, children's play area, fast food outlets & a shop. Head up on deck for some fresh sea air. You'll sea
the town of Holyhead give way to rocky Welsh coastline which then
disappears astern as the ferry heads for Ireland.
A couple of hours later you enter the wide Bay of Dublin with
the church spires and yacht-filled harbour of Dun
Laoghaire to your left, with the dark purple Wicklow Hills in the distance
behind it, and the town of Howth on your right. This is the best way to see Ireland for
the first time, not from inside an airport!
Map of Dublin showing the Ferryport.
Shuttle bus
into Dublin city centre.
Arriving on the Irish Ferries' Ulysses at 17:25, you'll find a
double-decker Dublin bus waiting right outside the terminal
building to take you into the city centre. It leaves
when all foot passengers have left the ship, around
17:40-17:55, arriving at the Busaras (Dublin's central bus
station) in the city centre at 18:00-18:10. The fare is
2.50 euros adult, 1.25 euros child.
Or take a taxi. Dublin Connolly station (for trains to
Belfast, Sligo, Wicklow) is 2 minutes walk round the
corner from the bus station. For Dublin Heuston station
(trains to Cork, Limerick, Galway) take the LUAS tram (1.50
euros,
www.luas.ie) from Connolly station to Heuston. Arriving on the Stena Adventurer, a free
shuttle bus takes you to central Dublin at Connolly Station by
17:30, and Westmoreland Street at by around 17:45. A
painless and scenic trip from central London, three countries
in one day, England, Wales & Ireland!
FAQ...
Can I stop
off on the way? No, not using one of these cheap train
& ferry tickets. These cheap and flexible
Britain-Ireland fares are actually cheaper than most domestic fares between London and (for example) Chester or
Holyhead, so you cannot break your journey, only travel
straight through to or from Ireland. Though that
doesn't mean you can't wander round Holyhead town centre
whilst waiting for your ferry! Of course, if you
really want to stop off, nothing
stops you buying separate tickets, for example a normal
ticket London-Chester, then a Chester-Ireland
train+ferry ticket, but this costs a lot more than a
London-Ireland through ticket.
Are there any
baggage limits or baggage fees? Do I check my bags in?
There are no baggage weight limits or baggage fees to worry
about, within reason.
You simply take your bags with you on the train, placing
them on the luggage racks above your head or at the end of
the coach. You check bags in at the ferry terminal so
you're free to use the ferry's facilities without being
encumbered with luggage, then you collect your bags again
from the carousel at the ferry terminal on the other side.
Can I take my
bike? Yes. Bicycles go for £5 each way on
both Irish Ferries & Stena Line, no reservation required,
you simply pay at the ferry terminal when you check in for
the ferry. Bikes are carried on trains to Holyhead,
but reservations are required and a small fee (£3-£5) is
payable per journey. Bikes are not carried on Dun
Laoghaire-Dublin DART trains.
Can I take my
dog or cat? Dogs no, as neither Irish Ferries nor
Stena Line allow foot passengers to take dogs (except guide dogs).
But Irish Ferries will now allow foot passengers to
take cats if they're in a container. The cats must
travel in their container on the car deck or in the kennel
area, see
www.irishferries.ie.
In this direction
the best option is to travel via Dun Laoghaire (pronounced
'Dunn Leary', 7 miles south of Dublin by frequent DART local
train) rather than Dublin Ferryport, as Stena Line's daily
13:30 'HSS' fast ferry has good train connections to London &
other UK cities, it offers the easiest train-ferry transfers
at Dun Laoghaire & Holyhead, and it allows same-day
connections from Belfast, Cork, Galway and other Irish cities.
This route is no longer recommended in the westbound direction
because the one daily HSS sailing leaves Holyhead at 10:25,
too early for any train connections from London or other
British cities.
Travel from
Dublin to Dun Laoghaire by DART suburban train, leaving
Dublin Connolly at 12:10, arriving Dun Laoghaire at 12:33.
DART trains to Dun Laoghaire normally leave from platform 6,
occasionally platform 5. There are plenty of other DART
trains if you want to leave earlier. It's a very scenic
journey along the sea wall with superb views across Dublin Bay
to Howth. In Dun Laoghaire, follow the 'way out' signs
up onto the footbridge, turn left and down the escalators.
The modern ferry terminal is just across the road outside the
station. Easy! There's a 30 minute check-in for
the ferry.
Sail from Dun
Laoghaire to Holyhead on Stena Line's 'HSS' fast ferry,
leaving Dun Laoghaire ferry terminal daily at 13:30 and
arriving in Holyhead at 15:29. The HSS (High Speed Sea
Service) is a giant twin-hull fast ferry, with bars, cafes,
spacious lounges, a restaurant, fast food outlets and a shop.
On arrival at Holyhead you walk straight off the ferry into
the terminal and directly onto the railway station, it
couldn't be simpler.
Travel from
Holyhead to London by train. On Mondays to Fridays
leave Holyhead at 17:21, change at Chester, arriving London
Euston station at 21:42. On Saturdays, leave Holyhead at
16:38, change Chester & Crewe, arriving London Euston at
21:58. On Sundays, leave Holyhead at 16:25, changing at
Chester, arriving London Euston at 20:44. You can check
train times using
www.nationalrail.co.uk.
If you're
travelling to any other town or city, use
www.nationalrail.co.uk to find trains leaving Holyhead any
time after about 16:10.
Cost: Dun
Laoghaire to London is just £29 one-way, children under 16
half price, under 5s free.
How to buy
tickets: Simply use
the booking form above, enter 'Dun Laoghaire' (not
Dublin) to 'London (mainline stations)' or your own local
station and look for the 13:30 departure from Dun Laoghaire.
In fact, if you ask it for a return ticket from London to
Dublin Port (Irish Ferries), you are usually offered an
'11:00' option for the return leg which in fact books you a
ticket from Dun Laoghaire back to London on the 13:30 sailing
(hover over the word 'details' and it will confirm the route).
In either case, you'll need to buy a separate DART train
ticket Dublin-Dun Laoghaire at the station in Dublin, this
costs just a few euros.
Note about booking
return tickets to Dublin.
Full details of fares & how to
buy tickets.
Dublin ► London
(option
2)
This service runs
daily and is also a good choice.
Take a taxi or
shuttle bus from central Dublin to Dublin Ferryport. A bus leaves the Busaras (central bus
station) at 06:45 & 07:30 on Mondays-Saturdays, 07:00 & 07:30
on Sundays. Fare 2.50 euros (child 1.25 euros). Or
take a taxi, it's about 2 miles.
Map of Dublin showing the Ferryport.
Sail from
Dublin Ferryport to Holyhead on Irish Ferries superferry
'Ulysses',
leaving Dublin Ferryport terminal 1 daily at 08:05 and
arriving Holyhead at 11:30. The Ulysses is the world's
largest car ferry, with excellent on board accommodation
including bars, restaurant, cinema, children's play area and
even private cabin for an extra charge. At Holyhead, a
courtesy bus transfers you to the passenger terminal and
station. Alternatively, there's a competing Stena Line ship, the
Stena Adventurer, leaving Dublin Ferryport terminal 2 at
08:20, arriving Holyhead at 11:25, you can book this on the
form above by entering
'Dublin Port (Stena)' instead of Dublin Port (Irish Ferries).
Travel by train
from Holyhead to London. On
Mondays-Fridays, leave Holyhead at 13:58 on a direct train to
London arriving London Euston at 17:38. On Saturdays,
leave Holyhead at 14:36 on a direct train to London, arriving London
Euston 18:38. On Sundays leave Holyhead at 13:55 on a
direct train to London, arriving London
Euston at 17:44. Always use
www.nationalrail.co.uk
to check train times for your specific date of travel.
The fare
from Dublin to London on this service is just £29 one-way
(children under 16 half price, under 5s free).
To book this
journey online using the
booking form above, enter 'Dublin Port (Irish Ferries)' to
'London (mainline stations)' (or
enter the name of your local station) and look for the 08:05
departure, or simply book a return ticket from London (mainline
stations) to Dublin port (Irish Ferries). It has an
unfortunate habit of not showing the 08:05 ship and suggesting the 08:45 Swift
fast ferry departure instead, as the Swift overtakes the ship
- by all means
take the Swift if you like, just remember that the ship has
all-weather reliability, the Swift is faster but can be
cancelled if the weather is poor. You could always turn up
early for the 08:45 Swift, if you arrive at the terminal at
07:20 or earlier you'll be transferred onto the 08:05 Ulysses
if the 08:45 Swift is cancelled. Or use the alternative Stena
Line ship at 08:20, asking the system for a journey from Dublin Port (Stena) to London
(mainline stations) instead.
Full details of fares & how to
buy tickets.
Dublin ► Anywhere
in Britain
Simply use the
online booking form above to
find ferry & train times from Dublin Ferryport (Irish
ferries), Dublin Ferryport (Stena) or Dun Laoghaire to your
chosen British destination via Holyhead. The 13:30 ferry from Dun
Laoghaire is the best option if you're connecting from other
Irish cities.
If you live in
Scotland, you'll find a Belfast-Glasgow timetable (via
Stranraer) on the
Northern Ireland page.
Simply use
www.irishrail.ie to find train times from Dublin to
Belfast, allowing at least 2 hours in Belfast to get from the
station to the ferry terminal and check in.
Belfast, Cork,
Limerick, Galway, Sligo, Tralee ► London
First, travel up to
Dublin by train as follows:
From Belfast,
leave Belfast Central at 08:00 on Mondays-Saturdays arriving
Dublin Connolly at 10:00. No connection on Sundays.
From Sligo,
take the 07:00 train on Mondays-Saturdays arriving Dublin
Connolly at 10:03. No connection on Sundays.
From Cork,
leave Cork on Mondays-Saturdays at 07:30 arriving in Dublin's
Heuston station at 10:20. On Sundays, leave Cork at 08:10
arriving Dublin Heuston at 11:02.
From Limerick,
leave Limerick on Mondays-Saturdays at 07:35 arriving in
Dublin's Heuston station at 09:55. On Sundays, leave Limerick
at 08:35 arriving Dublin Heuston at 10:55.
From Galway,
leave Galway on Mondays-Saturdays at 07:15 arriving in
Dublin's Heuston station at 09:45. On Sundays, leave Galway at
08:25 arriving Dublin Heuston at 11:10.
You can check
these train times, or find times from other Irish towns &
cities to Dublin at
www.irishrail.ie. Remember to allow enough time in
Dublin to interchange, even if the train arrives a bit late.
If your train
arrives at Heuston station, take the LUAS tram to Connolly
station, this runs every 5-10 minutes and takes 15 minutes,
fare 1.50 euros (not included in through tickets). The
tram leaves from right outside the front of the station.
Alternatively, take bus 90.
Then, travel from
Dublin to London by train & ferry
using option 1
above. This allows same-day connections from all
these Irish cities to London. You can also use option 2
between Dublin & London if you like, but you'd then need to
travel up to Dublin on any suitable train service the day
before and spend the night in Dublin.
For a return
trip to Dublin,
first try booking a return ticket from London (mainline
stations) to Dublin Port (Irish
Ferries) using the online
booking form above. For your outward journey, you
can select
the recommended 09:10 Mon-Fri, 08:50 Saturdays, 08:15 Sundays
departure from London Euston, arriving Dublin 17:25 on the
'Ulysses'. For your return journey, I recommend selecting what at first
appears to be an 11:00 departure from Dublin Port. If
you hover over the word 'details' beneath the 11:00 return
option you'll see it's actually routing you via the 13:30
sailing from Dun Laoghaire, which is the Stena Line HSS, the
recommended return option. Book & pay for these journeys
online, tickets can be sent to any address or collected in
London or at any main station in Britain. Naturally, you
don't need to go all the way out to Dublin Ferryport for a
phantom 11:00 departure to London, you simply take the DART
from Dublin Connolly station in the city centre straight to
Dun Laoghaire for the 13:30 sailing
exactly as described
above. '11:00' is simply the theoretical time you'd
need to leave Dublin Ferryport by bus or taxi back through
central Dublin to make the 13:30 from Dun Laoghaire. What you've bought as a 'return ticket' is in
fact two one-ways, one from London to Dublin Port and another
from Dun Laoghaire to London. Which is exactly what you
want, congratulations...
If the system
doesn't offer you this 11:00 return journey via Dun Laoghaire when you
ask for a return ticket to Dublin Port
(Irish ferries), you can book a round trip to Dublin as
two one-way tickets. That way, you can definitely use the
recommended Irish Ferries 'Ulysses' to Dublin Ferryport on
your outward journey and the recommended Stena Line HSS from
Dun Laoghaire on your return, although admittedly it means
paying the small booking fee twice.
Step 1, use
the online booking system to
book a one-way ticket from 'London (mainline stations)' to
'Dublin Port (Irish Ferries)' for your outward journey,
looking for the 09:10 departure from London (08:50 Sats, 08:15
Suns). Book & pay for this ticket, it will be sent to
any UK address or can be collected in London.
Step 2,use the system again to booka second separate one-way
ticket from 'Dun Laoghaire' (not Dublin Port) back to London
(mainline stations) for your return journey, looking for the
13:30 departure. Admittedly this means two small booking
fees rather than one, but in the return direction the 13:30
Stena Line HSS from Dun Laoghaire is usually the best option
as explained
above, with easy train-ferry transfers, all-weather
reliability and a convenient afternoon departure time.
This ticket can be sent to any UK address, but not
collected anywhere.
Alternatively, the
08:05 Irish Ferries 'Ulysses' from Dublin Port (Irish Ferries)
or 08:20 Stena Line ship from Dublin Port (Stena) are good all-weather options. The 08:45 & 14:30 Irish
Ferries departures from Dublin Port back to Holyhead are the
Swift fast ferry, a fast crossing but the Swift can be
cancelled in poor weather. The HSS or the
ships are the more reliable options.
If you're
booking from overseas, don't buy two one-way tickets as
you won't be given the option to collect the second one-way
ticket at the station as it starts in Ireland (even though
you're passing through London on your outward trip). You
should either
book a round trip ticket to Dublin Port (Irish Ferries) and
look for the return journey routed via Dun Laoghaire as
suggested initially, or book a round trip ticket to Dublin
Port (Stena) as you can then book an outward journey using
the 09:10 departure from London with Stena Line ship, and a return journey using the
08:20 Stena Line departure from Dublin Ferryport, and collect
the round trip ticket in London.
Take a train to
Holyhead in North Wales, then choose one of 4 types of
ferry to Dublin. Stena Line operate a giant twin-hull
fast ferry called an 'HSS' once a day from Holyhead to Dun Laoghaire, from where frequent suburban trains run
the scenic 11km north to Dublin
city centre. Stena Line also operate a conventional ship called the Stena Adventurer from Holyhead
to Dublin Ferryport, 2 miles from Dublin's city centre
by shuttle bus or taxi. Irish Ferries operate a luxurious
cruise ferry called the 'Ulysses' twice a day & a high-speed catamaran
called the 'Dublin Swift', from Holyhead to Dublin
Ferryport. Train+ferry tickets are routed via a
specific ferry operator, those routed via
Irish Ferries can be used on the Ulysses & the Swift,
those via Stena Line on HSS & Stena Adventurer.
Which ferry
should you choose? Stena
Line's HSS used to offer the fastest journey and easiest transfers,
because in
Holyhead you can walk from the train straight onto the
HSS, whereas Stena Line ship passengers and all Irish Ferries passengers must take a free
courtesy bus between the ferry terminal and their ferry
after checking in.
From Dun Laoghaire you can take a DART train into
Dublin city centre, whereas from Dublin Ferryport you need a
bus. The crossing to Dun Laoghaire is also (if such
things matter to you) the historic & traditional route to
Ireland. However, cutbacks in early 2009 mean there's
now only one HSS sailing per day which is so poorly timed
it doesn't connect with trains from London in the London-Dublin
direction. So Irish Ferries ship Ulysses
becomes the best choice, with twice daily departures and
good rail connections. The HSS is almost entirely enclosed (it has two
small viewing decks at the rear, largely caged in), and you
may prefer the
leisurely 3 hour 15 minute voyage on the 50,000-ton
'Ulysses', the world's largest car ferry, with
cruise-liner-style lounges, bars, restaurant & cinemas,
and open decks where you can take in the sea air and watch
the coast of Ireland approach. Finally, the Dublin Swift offers
the fastest crossing and offers a wider range of departures,
but it has a reputation for being cancelled in poor weather
with case
passengers transferred to the next available sailing of the
Ulysses. You need to specify the ferry operator when
buying a ticket, which will include a reservation on a
specific ferry. This reservation can later be
transferred to other sailings of the same operator if
necessary, but not to sailings of the other ferry
operator.
OR
OR
1. Irish Ferries
'Ulysses': A
luxurious cruise ferry to Dublin
Ferryport. The leisurely crossing takes 3 hours
15 minutes. Bars, restaurants, cinema, and
optional private cabins are available on board.
2. Irish Ferries
'Dublin Swift': A fast catamaran to Dublin Ferryport,
taking just 1 hour 49 minutes. Reclining seats & refreshments are available on board.
The Swift can be cancelled if the weather is bad, with
passengers transferred to the Ulysses.
3. Stena
Line HSS (High Speed Sea Service, the world's
largest fast ferry) to Dun Laoghaire in 1 hour 49
minutes, for a DART train to the city centre.
4. Stena
also run a ship to Dublin Ferryport.
London ► Dublin
(via Irish Ferries)
Mondays-Fridays
Saturdays
Sundays
1. Train...
Change trains at:
Crewe
Direct
Chester
Direct
Crewe, Chester
Direct
Chester
Chester
------
Crewe
------
Direct
London Euston
depart by train:
07:10
09:10
12:10
19:10
06:36
08:50
12:10
18:10
------
08:15
------
19:05
Holyhead arrive
by train:
11:19
12:50
16:14
22:56
11:19
12:56
16:14
22:19
------
12:43
------
22:59
2. Ferry...
Ferry type:
Swift*
Ulysses
Swift
Ulysses
Swift*
Ulysses
Swift
Ulysses
Swift*
Ulysses
Swift
Ulysses
Holyhead
depart by ferry:
12:00 *
14:10
17:15
02:40
12:00 *
14:10
17:15
02:40
12:00 *
14:10
17:15
02:40
Dublin Ferryport
(terminal 1) arrive:
13:49 *
17:25
19:15
05:55
13:49 *
17:25
19:15
05:55
13:49 *
17:25
19:04
05:55
London ► Dublin
(via Stena Line)
Mondays-Fridays
Saturdays
Sundays
1.
Train... Change trains at:
------
Direct
------
Direct
------
------
London Euston depart
by train:
------
09:10
------
08:50
------
------
Holyhead arrive
by train:
------
12:50
------
12:56
------
------
2. Ferry...
Ferry type:
HSS
Ship
HSS
Ship
HSS
Ship
Holyhead depart
by ferry:
10:25
13:50
10:25
13:50
10:25
13:50
Dun Laoghaire
(for Dublin) arrive
by ferry:
12:24
|
12:24
|
12:24
|
Dublin
Ferryport (terminal 2) arrive
by ferry:
-
17:05
-
17:05
-
17:05
Always
check train times at
www.nationalrail.co.uk, especially at
weekends as times can vary.
You can enter any station in the UK and 'Dublin Ferryport',
as it has ferry times loaded into it.
* The 12:00
Swift from Holyhead isn't daily. It will run daily
3-19 April 2009 and from 15 May 2009 to 5 Jan 2010, also on
Fri to Sun inclusive from 20 Apr - 14 May. The 08:45
Swift from Dublin isn't daily. It will run daily 3-19
April 2009, 15 May 2009 to 5
Jan 2010, also on Fri to Sun inclusive from 20 Apr-14 May
2009.
** On Saturday mornings,
the train leaves Holyhead at 04:25, change at Llandudno Jn &
Crewe,
arriving London 08:59. If you've heavy luggage, a
direct train leaves Holyhead at 06:50 arriving London Euston
at10:38.
Direct = This
train is a direct
125mph Virgin Trains 'Voyager' or 'Pendolino' train between London & Holyhead.
Crewe = You must change trains at Crewe. Birmingham =
You must change
trains at Birmingham New Street.
---- =
There's no
train connection available for this ferry.
At Holyhead the ferry terminal for both Stena Line
& Irish Ferries is right next to the station at the end
of platform 2. After checking in, Stena Line HSS passengers can walk
straight onto the
ferry as the HSS berths right next to the terminal, but
Irish Ferries 'Ulysses', Irish Ferries Swift & Stena Line
ship passengers are transferred by
free courtesy bus across the port area to the ferry, as these
ferries berth a little way from the terminal. There is
a 30 minute check-in for Irish Ferries or 40 minutes for
Stena Line, and your bags are checked in for the crossing. A left luggage
office is available at Holyhead, and the town centre is just
5 mins walk across a footbridge if you have time for a
wander.
Dublin Ferryport (where Irish Ferries 'Ulysses',
Irish Ferries Swift & Stena Line ship arrive) is 2
miles from central Dublin. There's a shuttle bus
from the ferry terminal to the busaras (main bus station) in Dublin city centre,
2 mins walk from Dublin's Connolly station for trains to
Belfast, Wicklow & Sligo. Buses connecting with Stena
Line arrivals are free, buses connecting with Irish Ferries
cost 2.50
euros adult, 1.25 euros child, you pay the driver on the bus.
For Heuston station (for trains to Cork, Galway, Limerick),
take the LUAS tram from Connolly station to Heuston, 1.50
euros.
Dun
Laoghaire (pronounced 'Dunn Leary', where the Stena Line
HSS arrives) is 11 km (7 miles) south of
Dublin. It's the traditional place to arrive in
Ireland. Leave the ferry terminal main exit and you'll
find the railway station just across the road.
DART
suburban trains run
every 10-15 mins from Dun Laoghaire to Dublin Connolly
station in the city centre, journey time 25 minutes, so
you'll be in central Dublin around an hour or so after the
ferry arrives.
If you need to reach Dublin Heuston station
(the station for trains to Cork, Limerick, Galway & western
Ireland) bus 90 links Connolly & Heuston stations (allow 45
mins) or you can take the new tram,
www.luas.ie.
Train+ferry fares from UK stations to 'Dublin City' include
the DART train to Dublin Connolly, but it's 2.50 euros extra
each way if your ticket is only to Dun Laoghaire. Train+ferry fares
to Cork, Limerick, Galway etc. include the DART train
to Dublin Connolly and a bus (but not the tram) to Dublin
Heuston station.
Find train & ferry times from other UK
cities to Dublin...
Use the
online booking form above
to check train times & buy tickets from any
station in Britain to Dublin or Dun Laoghaire.
Enter any station you like in the 'From' box, such as
Birmingham, Cardiff, Newcastle, Norwich, your own local
station, whatever...
Enter 'Dublin Port (Irish Ferries)' or 'Dublin Port (Stena)' in the 'To' box for Irish Ferries
(Ulysses or Swift fast ferry) or Stena Line ship to Dublin
Ferryport,
enter 'Dun Laoghaire' for the Stena Line HSS to Dun
Laoghaire.
Enter your dates of travel and click 'find tickets'.
When the results appear, it doesn't distinguish between the
Ulysses ship and the Swift fast ferry to Dublin Ferryport,
it just says 'ferry'. With 'Dublin Port (Irish
Ferries)' selected, if the ferry takes 3 hours or
more than it's the Ulysses, if it takes 2 hours or less it's
the Swift. All ferries to Dun Laoghaire are the HSS
fast ferry run by
Stena Line. With 'Dublin Port (Stena)' selected, it
will be the Stena Line ship.
Click 'fares' to see the fare for that journey.
Fares
from any British station to Dublin & Ireland...
Fares via Irish Ferries
(Ulysses or Swift)
...to Dublin,
one-way
...to Cork, Limerick, Galway,
Sligo, Tralee
one-way
From London...
£29
£47.50
From Any UK station in zone A
£25
£43.50
From Any UK station in zone B
£26
£44.50
From Any UK station in zone C
£27
£45.50
From Any UK station in zone D
£29
£47.50
Fares via Stena Line
(HSS or ship)
One-way
Return
From London
£29
£47.50
From Any UK station in zone A
£25
£43.50
From Any UK station in zone B
£26
£44.50
From Any UK station in zone C
£27
£45.50
From Any UK station in zone D
£29
£47.50
Returns
are twice the one-way fare. Tickets to Dublin can be
booked online, tickets
to other Irish destinations must be
booked by phone.
Children under
5 go free, children under 16 go for half price. No
railcard discounts. No break of journey allowed on
these tickets.
Which
British station is in which zone?
You can buy a train+ferry ticket from any mainland UK railway station to Dublin or
any Irish
railway station.
Lancashire, West Yorkshire,
South Yorkshire, Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire,
Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, West Midlands,
Warwickshire, Hereford & Worcester, Gloucestershire,
Powys, Gwynedd South.
Zone D:
London, Cumbria, North Yorkshire,
Humberside, Lincolnshire, Cambridgeshire,
Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, Greater
London, Berkshire, Oxfordshire, Wiltshire, Avon,
Gwent, South Glamorgan, Mid Glamorgan, West Glamorgan,
Dyfed, Norfolk, Suffolk,
Essex, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire,
Dorset, Somerset, Devon, Cornwall.
Fares information...
These fares cover both the train to Holyhead and the ferry
to Ireland. One-way tickets are only valid on the date
you've booked, return tickets are valid for an outward
journey on the date you've booked and a return journey on
any day within the next month. Tickets are issued with
a reservation on a specific ferry sailing, but are in fact valid
on any sailing of your chosen ferry route & operator, and on
any train at any time of day on any permitted route to
connect with that ferry. You can even buy
tickets at these prices on the day of travel, as long as
there are places left on the ferry.
Children: Children under 16 must be accompanied
by an adult. Unaccompanied children 16-17 years old
must have written authority to travel from their parent or
guardian. Children under 5 go free, but they need a
reservation for the ferry.
Railcard holders: As they are so cheap, there's
no further discount for young person's or senior railcard
holders.
Taking a bicycle? Bicycles
go for £5 each way on Irish Ferries, no reservation
required, you simply pay at the ferry terminal. Bikes are carried on trains
to Holyhead, but reservations are usually required and a
small fee (£3-£5) is payable per journey.
Dogs: Unfortunately, foot passengers cannot
take dogs on Irish Ferries or Stena Line.
Stopovers:
Stop-overs are not allowed using these tickets, you must travel to/from
Ireland in one go.
Better value than flying: Unlike
many cheap flights, these train+ferry fares are flexible - you need a
reserved place on the ferry, but you can change your travel plans as you
like, and (if booked in person or by phone) you can leave your return open, making the ferry
reservation for the return journey in Dublin when you know
when you want to come back.
These fares are also centre-to-centre, not airport to
airport. When comparing with the cost of a flight,
remember that it will cost £13 one-way or £26 return for the
train ride from central London to or from Luton, Stansted or
Gatwick airports, in addition to the air fare.
If you live in Ireland, Dublin to London costs 44
euros each way, Dublin to Birmingham or Leeds 42 euros,
Liverpool or Manchester 40 euros. Fares in euros for tickets bought in
Ireland can be found on the
rail+sail brochure on the Irish Ferries website.
Buy tickets online: You can buy tickets
from London or any station in Britain to Dublin
Ferryport or Dun Laoghaire (in either direction)
online using the online
booking form above. Enter 'Dublin Port (Irish
Ferries)' for journeys using Irish Ferries ship
'Ulysses' or their 'Swift' fast ferry, 'Dublin Port
(Stena)' for journeys using Stena Line's ship to Dublin
Ferryport, or 'Dun Laoghaire' for journeys using Stena
Line's HSS fast ferry. If you want to
buy tickets to cities in Ireland beyond Dublin, you'll
need to book by phone or at a station. Tickets can
be sent to any UK address or collected at any main
station in Britain including London Euston, but cannot
be collected in Dublin.
Buy tickets by phone: You can buy tickets by phone from the SailRail booking line,
08450 755 755 (UK callers
only). Lines are open 08:00-20:00 Mondays-Fridays,
0900-1700 Saturdays & Sundays.Remember to ask for tickets
routed either 'Stena Line' or 'Irish Ferries' depending
on which service you want in which direction.
Buy tickets in
person:
You can buy these train+ferry tickets at most main British railway stations,
even on the day of travel. This includes London Euston. But allow plenty of time to
buy your ticket, and be aware that small stations
(ones without the capability to do seat reservations) may not
sell these tickets.
It's better to buy tickets a day or two before if you can. To buy tickets via
this route, ask for tickets via 'Stena Line HSS Holyhead-Dun
Laoghaire'.
How to buy
tickets in Ireland: Call (01)
703 1884 (Irish Rail) or0818 300 400
(Irish Ferries) or (01) 204 7777 (Stena Line)
Bought in
Dublin, the special train+ferry fare is 44
euros to
London, 42 euros to Birmingham or Leeds, 40 euros to
Liverpool or Manchester. See the
rail+sail brochure on the Irish Ferries website.
In person:
You can buy tickets at all major Irish Rail stations,
including the main ticket window at Dublin's Connolly
station, open all day, 7 days a week.
By phone: by calling Irish
Railways on (01)
703 1884 (lines open
09:00-17:00 Monday-Friday) or Irish Ferries
on 0818 300 400 (lines open
09:00-19:00 Mondays-Fridays, 09:00-16:00 Saturdays, if
calling from Northern Ireland or anywhere outside the
Republic of Ireland, dial +353 1 818 300 400) or Stena Line
on (01) 204 7777.
Unfortunately,
although the online form above
will easily book one-way or return tickets starting in
Dublin, tickets can only be sent to British addresses or
collected at British stations, they cannot be collected in
Dublin. So unless you will be passing through Britain
first, or have a UK address, you cannot book these tickets
online if you're in Ireland.
How to buy
tickets if you live overseas (in the USA, Canada, Australia,
Singapore and so on)...
If your
journey starts in Britain, you can buy on-way or
return tickets to Dublin
online
using the online booking system
above. Overseas credit cards are
accepted. They
won't send tickets overseas, so select the option
to collect tickets from the self-service ticket
machines located at most major British stations,
including London Euston (but not in Dublin).
If you have any problems, book in person or by phone.
The system will in fact book journeys starting in
Ireland, the problem is that there's no way to collect
tickets and they'll only send to UK addresses and there
are no British railway ticket machines in Ireland.
Alternatively,
book by phone, calling Virgin Trains telesales on +44 870 9080 107.
Tickets can only be posted to UK addresses, but you can ask
to collect them at many UK railway stations, including
London Euston, or have them sent to your hotel.
Or simply wait till you get to the UK and
buy tickets at
the station. Remember, the cheap flexible fares have
(in effect) unlimited availability, so there's no need to book a place
way ahead. Though better to book them a day or two
beforehand, not five minutes before the train leaves!
If your journey
starts in Ireland, book by phone with Irish Rail, calling
+353 1 703 1884 (09:00-17:00 Monday-Friday, Irish time).
You can also book with Irish ferries on +353 1 818 300
400 (09:00-19:00 Mondays-Fridays, 09:00-16:00 Saturdays.
Or simply wait till you get to Ireland an buy at the main
ticket office at Dublin's Connolly station. You can buy
tickets at these prices even on the day of travel, but it's
best to buy them beforehand.
Introducing Irish Ferries' Ulysses...
Irish Ferries' superb cruise ferry 'Ulysses' from
Holyhead to Dublin...
A private cabin aboard the Ulysses.
The
50,000-ton Ulysses is the world's biggest car ferry...
There is a regular
fully-integrated train+ferry service from London Paddington
to Rosslare in Southern Ireland via Fishguard.
Inclusive rail+sea tickets are sold from any UK railway
station to Rosslare Harbour via this route, but no longer
beyond Rosslare as onward train connections from Rosslare
are poor. If you're heading for Cork, Limerick and so
on, you're better off travelling via Holyhead & Dublin.
Connecting buses and trains link Rosslare with Wexford &
Waterford, with one slow train per day to Tipperary and Limerick.
London ►
Southern Ireland (via Fishguard & Stena Line)
Train (change at
Swansea):
Mon-Fri
Saturday
Sunday
Mon-Fri
Saturday
Sunday
Depart London
Paddington
08:45
08:45
08:35
19:15
19:45
19:45
Arrive Fishguard
13:38
13:38
13:55
01:04
00:59
01:01
Ferry:
Depart Fishguard
14:30
14:30
14:30
02:45
02:45
02:45
Arrive Rosslare
Europort
18:00
18:00
18:00
06:15
06:15
06:15
Train:
Depart Rosslare
Europort
20:30
20:30
19:00b
07:00
07:00
07:20b
Arrive Waterford
21:47
21:47
20:20b
08:18
08:18
08:45b
Arrive Tipperary
-
-
-
10:05
10:05
-
Arrive Limerick
-
-
-
11:00k
11:00k
-
b
= connection by bus
k = change at
Limerick Junction
x = change at
Waterford and Limerick Junction
w = change at
Waterford
No service on 25
& 26 December.
Always check UK train times for
your date of travel at
www.nationalrail.co.uk. Especially on Sundays,
engineering work can affect train times.
Southern
Ireland ► London (via Fishguard & Stena Line)
Train:
Mon-Fri
Saturday
Sunday
Mon-Thu
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Depart Limerick
-
-
-
10:55x
10:55x
10:55x
-
Depart Tipperary
-
-
-
11:58w
11:58w
11:58w
-
Depart Waterford
07:00b
07:00b
07:00b
17:25
17:25
17:25
14:00b
Arrive Rosslare
Europort
08:25b
08:25b
08:25b
18:41
18:41
18:41
15:25b
Ferry:
Depart Rosslare
Europort
09:00
09:00
09:00
21:15
21:15
21:15
21:15
Arrive Fishguard
12:30
12:30
12:30
01:00
01:00
01:00
01:00
Train (change at
Swansea):
Depart Fishguard
13:50
13:50
14:10
01:50
01:50
01:50
01:50
Arrive London
Paddington
18:30
18:29
19:56
07:32
07:38
09:40
07:32
Regular flexible fares
One-way
Return
London
or any South East rail station to Rosslare
£32
£64
Bristol or
Cardiff to Rosslare
£27
£54
These fares are valid on any day, any date, any train and
any Stena Line sailing.
Unlimited availability at these prices, you can even buy
tickets at these prices on the day of travel.
Unlike a cheap flight, the date of return can be left open.
Tickets include a reserved place on the ferry (so if you
leave the return portion open, you'll still need to make a
ferry reservation before your return journey).
Returns are valid for one month.
Stop-overs are not allowed in either direction, you must
complete your journey to Ireland in one go.
As they are so cheap anyway, there's no further discount
for young person's or senior railcard holders.
Travelling beyond Rosslare? You can buy tickets
from London or any station in Britain to Rosslare Harbour,
but if you want to go beyond Rosslare you'll need to buy a
separate onward train ticket when you get to Rosslare.
Children 5 to 15
travel at 50% off these fares.
Taking a bicycle? Bikes
go free on this Stena Line route, no reservation required. Bikes are carried on trains
to Fishguard, but reservations are usually required and a
small fee is payable. Call First Great Western to book
your bike on the train.
How to buy
tickets...
You can buy London to Ireland rail+sea tickets:
online, using
the online booking form above,
simply change 'Dublin Ferryport' to 'Rosslare Harbour'
and enter any starting station you like.
This will book train+ferry tickets from London or any
other station in Britain to Rosslare harbour, although not to other
stations within Ireland beyond Rosslare. A small (£1-£3)
booking fee is charged.
in
person at most UK
railway stations.
by calling the sailrail booking line,
0845 0 755 755. Lines are
open 08:00-20:00 Mondays-Fridays, 0900-1700 Saturdays &
Sundays. See
www.sailrail.co.uk for more information.
by calling Stena Line on 0870
5 455 455 (from overseas call
+44 870 5 455 455).
Lines are open 08:30-20:00 Mondays-Fridays, 09:00-18:00
Saturdays & 09:00-17:00 on Sundays.
by calling Virgin Trains on 0845 7 222
333 (This
number will not work from overseas - from outside the
UK, call Virgin Trains on +44 870 9080 107.
Tickets will not be posted abroad, but you can pick them up
on departure from many UK railway stations, including London
Euston).
Buying tickets
in Ireland...
If you're already in Ireland, to book rail+sea tickets in Dublin, call (01)
703 1884 (lines open 09:00-17:00 Monday-Friday)
or visit a major Irish Rail station.
This is the
easiest route. Simply travel from
London to Dublin on any of the train+ferry services
shown in the London to Dublin section above, then take
any of the hourly Irish
Rail InterCity trains from Dublin to Cork (journey time
2 hours 50 minutes). Use the Irish Rail
website, www.irishrail.ie,
to check train times from Dublin to Cork.
You can
buy a through ticket from any UK station to Cork via
either via Stena Line or via Irish Ferries. From any UK railway station to Cork
costs
£16 one-way or £32 return more than
the appropriate fare to Dun Laoghaire with Stena Line or Dublin Ferryport with
Irish Ferries. So London to Cork costs £42 one-way or
£84 return. See some sample
fares...
You can buy tickets at your local
railway station, or by calling Virgin Trains on 0845 7 222
333 or (if you plan
to travel with Stena Line) directly with Stena Line on 0870
5 455 455.
Stena Line's phone lines are open 08:30-20:00
Mondays-Fridays, 09:00-18:00 Saturdays & 09:00-17:00 on
Sundays.
London
- Cork via Swansea-Cork Ferries: Restarting in
March 2010...
NO SAILINGS 2007, 2008 OR 2009: Sadly,
Swansea-Cork Ferries went out of business in late 2006 and
there were no Swansea-Cork ferry sailings at all in 2007,
2008, and probably not now in 2009 either. See
www.bringbacktheswanseacorkferry.com. Now the
good news:
SAILINGS LIKELY TO RESUME IN MARCH 2010: New
company
www.fastnetline.co.uk hopes to restart this service with
a new ship in March 2010, so keep an eye on their website.
UPDATE SEPTEMBER 2009: Fastnet Line have now
bought their ship, the Julia, ready for the start of service
in Spring 2010. Built in 1982, the Julia previously
operated in Scandinavia.
When it resumes operation, the ferry will arrive at Cork's Ringaskiddy ferry terminal, 12 miles
from Cork. Buses link Ringaskiddy with Cork city
centre. Make sure you're on deck when the
ship sails into Cork Harbour, as she sails between the
headlands at the harbour entrance where the
trans-Atlantic liners (including the Titanic) dropped anchor
to pick up passengers from Cobh (called Queenstown before
1920), then passes right by Cobh seafront on the way to the
ferry dock at Cork Ringaskiddy. The yellow 'Titanic
Bar' is the old White Star Line shipping office, from which
passengers boarded the tenders taking them out to the
Titanic in June 1912. The low red building next along to the right of it is
the old Cunard office where survivors (and victims) of the
sinking of the Lusitania in 1915 were brought ashore.
In days
gone by, the old Swansea-Cork ship 'Superferry' boarding at
Swansea.
Arriving
in Cork harbour - sailing past the seafront at Cobh on
the way to Cork Ringaskiddy.
Previously, combined train+ferry tickets have been
available from any British railway station to Cork via this
route, but it is not yet clear if the new company will adopt
these.
Travel
from London to Dublin via Holyhead, then take an Irish
Rail InterCity train from Dublin to Limerick. See
the 'London to Dublin' section above for train and ship
times from London to Dublin. Then visit the Irish Rail
website, www.irishrail.ie,
to check train times from Dublin to Limerick. You
can buy a through ticket from any UK station to Limerick
via this route - the fare to Limerick is £16 more
one-way or £32 more return than
the equivalent fare to Dun Laoghaire with Stena Line or
Dublin Ferryport
with Irish Ferries. See
some sample fares...
Travel
from London to Limerick by connecting train+ferry+train
service via Fishguard and Rosslare. See the London
to Rosslare & Waterford section above for
times. You can buy a through ticket from any UK
station to Limerick via this route.
London to Sligo, Galway,
Kilkenny, Tralee...
From
London, Birmingham or Manchester, the most usual route would
probably be via Holyhead to Dublin / Dun Laoghaire -
see
the 'London to Dublin' section above for train and ship
times from London to Dublin. Then visit the Irish Rail
website, www.irishrail.ie,
to check train times from Dublin to Sligo, Kilkenny, Tralee
or Galway. You can buy a through ticket from any UK
station to Sligo, Galway or Tralee (or any station in
Ireland) via this route - the fare to Sligo, Galway,
Kilkenny or Tralee is £27 more than the equivalent fare to
Dun Laoghaire with Stena Line or £25 more than the
equivalent fare to Dublin Ferryport with Irish Ferries.
Manchester
► Cork, Limerick, Galway, Sligo, Tralee
£44.50
£89
East
Anglia, Kent, South, South-West to these places
£47.50
£95
These fares are valid on any day, any date, any train and
any Stena Line sailing.
Unlimited availability at these prices, you can even buy
tickets at these prices on the day of travel.
Unlike a cheap flight, the date of return can be left open.
Tickets include a reserved place on the ferry (so if you
leave the return portion open, you'll still need to make a
ferry reservation before your return journey). And
unlike a cheap flight, they are from your local station, not
from an airport miles away.
Returns are valid for one month.
Stop-overs are not allowed in either direction, you must
complete your journey to Ireland in one go.
As they are so cheap anyway, there's no further discount
for young person's or senior railcard holders.
You can check these fares at
www.sailrail.co.uk. Remember,
these fares are just a selection - you can buy tickets at
fares like these from ANY UK railway station to Dublin or
ANY Irish railway station via a selection of sea routes.
Children 5 to 15
travel at 50% off these fares. Children under 5 free.
Taking a bicycle? Bikes
go free on Stena Line, no reservation required. Bikes are carried on trains
to Fishguard, but reservations are usually required and a
small fee is payable.
Tickets
are issued as either out and back with Irish Ferries
to Dublin Ferryport or out and back with Stena Line
to Dun Laoghaire - you cannot go out and back with different
operators.
How to buy
tickets...
You can buy
tickets in person at your local railway station, or by calling
the sailrail booking line, 08450
755 755. Lines are open 08:00-20:00
Mondays-Fridays, 0900-1700 Saturdays & Sundays. See
www.sailrail.co.uk for more information.
Alternatively,
you can book with Virgin Trains on 0845 7 222
333 or Stena Line on 0870
5 455 455.
Stena Line's phone lines are open 08:30-20:00 Mondays-Fridays, 09:00-18:00
Saturdays & 09:00-17:00 on Sundays.
In Ireland,
visit any major Irish Rail station or call Irish Railways on 01
703 1884 (lines open
09:00-17:00 Monday-Friday) or (if travelling by Irish
Ferries) Irish Ferries
on 0818 300 400 (lines open
09:00-19:00 Mondays-Fridays, 09:00-16:00 Saturdays).
Trains
are a pleasant and relaxing way to get around Ireland.
As you'd expect, most rail lines radiate out of Dublin, see
the route map above.
Trains run from Dublin's Heuston Station to
Limerick (2 hour 45 minutes), Cork (2 hours 50 minutes -
change at Cork for Cobh), Sligo (3 hours), Killarney, Tralee,
Galway (2 hours 45 minutes), Kilkenny, Waterford.
Trains
run from Dublin's Connolly
Station to Belfast, Dun Laoghaire, Bray, Wicklow, Wexford
and Rosslare. Dublin to Belfast takes just 2 hours on
the modern 'Enterprise' express trains.
New
air-conditioned intercity trains are being introduced as
part of a massive investment programme, and frequencies are
being increased. Dublin to Cork and Limerick will soon
become hourly throughout the day, and trains will run every
2 hours on routes to Galway, Sligo, Waterford, Wexford.
For Irish train times
& fares, see
the Irish Railways website, www.irishrail.ie. Irish
rail enquiries are on (within Ireland) 01 836 6222 or(calling from
outside Ireland) 00
353 1 836 6222.
Above: The new face of Irish Railways.
These modern air-conditioned railcars were introduced
in 2008 onto all intercity routes from Dublin, other
than the Dublin-Belfast and Dublin-Cork routes which
already have new trains.
Above: These smart modern trains operate
the Dublin-Cork expresses. Centre, 1st class.
Right, 2nd class. The full Irish breakfast on
morning trains from Dublin is as good a cooked breakfast
as you'll have on any train anywhere!
Which station
in Dublin?
Heuston station is the station serving Cork, Limerick,
Galway, Kilkenny, Waterford, Tralee, Westport & Ballina. Connolly
station is the one for Belfast, Sligo, Wicklow, Wexford,
Dun Laoghaire & Rosslare...
Above:
Dublin's Heuston station, showing the new LUAS tram
(www.luas.ie) which links it to the city centre & to Dublin's other
main station, Dublin Connolly.
Above:
Inside Dublin's Heuston station, looking towards the tracks.
Dublin ► Belfast 'Enterprise'
service...
Modern air-conditioned 'Enterprise'
trains link Dublin & Belfast every 2 hours or better, journey
time about 2 hours. See www.irishrail.ie or
www.translink.co.uk.
Enterprise
train from Dublin to Belfast...
Standard class seating.
More spacious first class seating is also available.
Buffet car...
Rail map of
Great Britain & Ireland.
Thomas Cook publish an excellent
map of train network in Great Britain and Ireland, showing
all train routes, scenic routes, ferry routes and places of
interest.
Above: Intercity train from Dublin to Limerick,
Cork, Galway or Belfast, then motorcoach to the sights...
Above: The Cliffs of
Moher, western Ireland...
Right: Kissing the Blarney Stone, on the upper
battlements at Blarney Castle, southern Ireland, supposedly giving
you the gift of eloquence...
If you want to kiss the Blarney Stone, drive the Ring of Kerry or walk
on the Giant's Causeway as a stress-free day trip from Dublin,
Railtours Ireland (www.railtoursireland.com)
deserves a special mention. They run daily tours from Dublin using
a unique concept that makes the famous sights & scenery of remote western &
northern Ireland accessible as a day trip. Working
closely with Iarnrod Eireann (Irish Railways),
you are whisked from central Dublin to Limerick, Galway, Cork or
Belfast by comfortable air-conditioned intercity train, leaving around
7:00-7:30 am...
A motorcoach meets the train and takes you on a guided tour into the
countryside.
The range of tours includes kissing the
Blarney Stone at Blarney Castle, driving around the Ring of Kerry, or to
see the Giant's Causeway, or to Bunratty Castle and the Cliffs of
Moher, and more... There's stops for lunch & photographs;
In the early evening the coach takes you back to the station and puts you on
a fast intercity train back to Dublin, arriving (depending on the
tour) 8:00-10:15 pm.
Prices are pretty good, for example the 1 day tour to Cork, the Blarney
Stone & the Queenstown Story at Cobh costs 109 euros (£87)
including the train ride from Dublin, and
the 1 day tour to Belfast and the Giant's Causeway, or the Ring of
Kerry are the same price. As well as these day trips, they also run 2-6 day tours.
They've been operating for 10 years now, and get great reports.
You can book online at
www.railtoursireland.com, or by phone. Please mention seat61.com when
booking.
Top tip: There's a full cooked breakfast available in the
restaurant car of some of the Irish Rail intercity trains they use out
of Dublin, costing around 15 euros (£12). It's as good a cooked
breakfast as you'll have on any regular scheduled train, so treat
yourself!
All short breaks to Ireland have to involve flights, right? Not
any more! In 2008 Railtours Ireland (www.railtoursireland.com)
introduced short breaks to Dublin using eco-friendly train &
ferry, with the option to add kissing the Blarney Stone, the Ring of
Kerry, or visiting the Giant's causeway. No airport hassles, no ugly
motorways. They are the only tour company (as far as I know) to
offer the rail & sail alternative
to flying.
Tours leave London every weekday from March to October, on the
09:10 Virgin Trains departure direct from Euston station to
Holyhead via the scenic North Wales coastline. At Holyhead
you board the Irish Ferries cruise ferry 'Ulysses' and sail across the Irish
Sea to Dublin Ferryport, arriving around 5.30pm. It's the scenic & painless way to reach Ireland!
See the account of this journey & photos
above.
The price includes 2 nights three-star hotel accommodation in Dublin
(with the option of extra nights)
The cost is 289 euros (£229) per person for London-Dublin
return train+ferry travel plus the 2 nights hotel.
You can then mix-and-match the London-Dublin tour with one or more
1-day tours from Dublin, see the day trips section above.
To book from the UK, call free on 0800 328 2899. To book
from outside the UK, call+353 1 856 0045
To
get the most from your visit, you should take a good guidebook.
For the independent traveller, I think this means either the Lonely Planet or the Rough Guide. Both
series are excellent.
Lonely Planet Dublin -
Lonely
Planet Ireland -
Rough Guide Ireland.
Also consider Ecoescapes Ireland, which lists eco-friendly places to
stay.
Hotels in
Dublin, Cork, Galway or anywhere else in
Ireland...
It's
easy to book hotels online to go with your train+ferry tickets,
just use the form below. This links to
www.hotelscombined.com, a free search tool
which checks all the main hotel booking sites for you
(including Expedia, Travelocity, LateRooms, Opodo, Venere and many
others) to find the cheapest hotel rates. Set
up in 2005, it's an amazing system and probably the best place
to start for booking any hotel online in any country,
worldwide. It saves me hours going round in circles on
umpteen different hotel sites!
www.laterooms.com
negotiates discounts for rooms booked within
3 months of travel, which makes it ideal for train travellers booking
tickets within the normal 12 week advance booking period. The
discounted prices will be shown in orange. Click on the
dates to sort results by price.
www.mrandmrssmith.com (no relation!) is the place to start
if you want something special for an anniversary, honeymoon,
romantic break or other special occasion. It lists
a number of hand-picked boutique hotels in Dublin.
www.tripadvisor.com
is the best place to browse for
independent travellers' reviews of the main hotels, and it has
the low-down on Dublin attractions too.
Backpacker hostels...
If you're on a tight budget,
don't forget the hostels. For a dorm bed or an
ultra-cheap private room in backpacker hostels in most
European cities use
www.hostelbookers.com.
London to Dublin
only £29 each way... 
.
Also consider Ecoescapes Ireland, which lists eco-friendly places to
stay.
