Travelling Ireland by Train: Routes and Scenic Journeys

Ireland's rail network is small but rewarding: here is where it goes, what the scenery is like, and where to base yourself for each stretch.

How the network actually fits together

Irish rail travel runs on two hubs. From Dublin Connolly and Heuston you can reach most of the country; from Cork, Limerick Junction and Galway the regional lines fan out. The intercity network is compact enough that no journey between major cities takes much more than three hours, so day-tripping is realistic. Trains are comfortable and generally punctual, with quiet carriages on Intercity services. Booking online in advance usually beats the fare you pay at the station, and seats are reserved on most long-distance routes, which matters in July and August when the Cork and Galway services fill up.

The key lines are Dublin to Cork (about two and a half hours), Dublin to Galway (about two hours twenty), Dublin to Belfast on the Enterprise, Dublin to Waterford, and the western line from Dublin through Athlone to Galway and on to Westport and Ballina. Commuter services around Dublin, Cork and Limerick are separate from Intercity but use the same tickets in some cases. If you are planning more than three or four long journeys, a multi-day rail pass is worth pricing against single tickets before you commit.

The scenic stretches worth planning around

The standout run is the Dublin to Westport line, which leaves the midlands at Athlone and then swings through Roscommon and Castlebar before the final approach past Croagh Patrick into Westport, County Mayo. Sit on the left leaving Dublin for the best views. The last forty minutes along the Moy and past the mountain are the reason to take the train rather than drive. Westport itself is a good two-night base for Achill Island and the Great Western Greenway, and the town's pubs and harbour reward an evening on foot after a long day of travel.

The Dublin to Rosslare line via Wicklow is the other quiet classic: the track hugs the coast south of Greystones, running between the sea and the Wicklow Mountains through Rathdrum and Arklow. It is slow, and that is the point. Further south, the Cork to Cobh and Midleton commuter lines are short hops useful for day trips rather than scenery. The Enterprise to Belfast crosses the Boyne viaduct at Drogheda, a fine piece of Victorian engineering, and the northern approach into Belfast Lough is genuinely pretty in clear weather.

Basing yourself for rail trips

For a first trip, I would book two nights in Dublin near Connolly or Heuston depending on which line you use first, then two in Galway, then two in Cork, using each as a hub rather than moving every night. Galway's Ceannt Station sits at the edge of Eyre Square, so a hotel within five minutes of the square puts you at the platform, the coach station and the Latin Quarter without a taxi. Cork's Kent Station is a fifteen-minute walk from the city centre over the river; hotels around MacCurtain Street and the Victorian Quarter are the practical choice there.

Kilkenny and Waterford work as short breaks: Kilkenny's station is a ten-minute walk from the medieval centre, and Waterford's Plunkett Station is across the bridge from the Viking Triangle. For Westport, anything in the town centre is within fifteen minutes of the station, which makes late arrivals easy. If you are using points, Dublin and Cork have the widest choice at every price band, from hostels to four-star; Westport and Kilkenny run tight in summer, so book those first and work the cities around them.

Practical timing and what to skip

May, June and September are the sweet spot: long evenings, thinner crowds and seats that are easier to reserve at short notice. July and August are busy on the Galway and Cork corridors, and the Friday afternoon trains out of Heuston sell out. Sundays are the quietest long-distance day. Allow a full day for the Westport run if you are doing it as a day trip, and check whether your route connects at Limerick Junction, where the Cork to Limerick and Dublin to Cork lines cross; the connection is a short walk on the same platform.

Skip the idea of touring the west by rail alone. Sligo and Westport are served, but Donegal, Connemara and the Dingle Peninsula have no trains, so you will need buses or a car for the last stretch; Bus Éireann and Local Link fill many of those gaps. Also skip the temptation to day-trip Dublin to Galway and back for a single afternoon: it can be done, but you will spend over four hours on the train. Two nights is the honest minimum for anywhere west of the Shannon.

Questions, answered

Do I need to book Irish trains in advance?

Reserve seats online for Intercity journeys, especially Dublin to Cork, Galway and Westport in summer. Fares are usually cheaper booked ahead, and popular Friday and Sunday services can sell out. Commuter routes around Dublin, Cork and Limerick need no reservation.

Which route has the best scenery?

The Dublin to Westport line for mountains and the final approach past Croagh Patrick, and the Dublin to Rosslare line south of Greystones for coast and the Wicklow hills. Both are slow, comfortable runs where a window seat is worth choosing when you book.

Can I see the west of Ireland without a car?

Partly. Rail reaches Galway, Westport, Ballina and Sligo, with buses onward to Connemara, Achill and Donegal. Base yourself in Galway or Westport for two nights and use Local Link and Bus Éireann for the last stretch, but expect longer travel days.

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