Getting from Dublin to Galway (and return)
Galway is a hub for visitors of West Ireland, long known as “The City of the Tribes”. The city offers a vibrant nightlife and a very active pubs and cafes scene. Many travelers who visit Dublin , also plan to travel to Galway and explore this part of Ireland, as well. Thankfully, getting between the two cities is fast, cheap and easy.
Quick summary
When you plan to travel between Dublin and Galway, the means of transportation to consider are: train, bus or rental car . Buses are slightly cheaper than trains but take a bit longer. If you choose to drive, expect to get between the two cities in about 2 hours.
Flights from Dublin (airport code: DUB) to Galway
Although both cities are served by airports, there are no direct flights between Dublin and Galway. So, aside from spending 7 hours traveling, you’ll also pay almost €500 per person, round trip, to get between Dublin and Galway by plane.
>>read more about Flights to Dublin Airport
Trains from Dublin to Galway
The train service in Ireland is operated by Iarnród Éireann (Irish Rail) . There are six trains per day between the two cities, with the first departure at 7:30 a.m. They depart from Dublin Heuston Station. The travel time is 2 hours and 45 minutes. The web price for regular trains is €16 per adult, one way.
The faster trains, InterCity, are direct and take 2 hours and 38 minutes. The web price for the InterCity tickets is €26 for an adult, one way.
>>read more about Train Travel in Ireland
Buses from Dublin to Galway
The main bus operator is Bus Éireann , which also offers connections between Dublin and Galway. Buses run every hour and depart from Dublin Busaras. They also stop at Dublin Airport. The travel time is 3 hours and 25 minutes. The adult single web fare is €13.50 (and includes the 10% discount).
CityLink also offers connections from Dublin Heuston Station and Dublin Airport to Galway. The travel time is 3 hours and 5 minutes on express buses and 3 hours and 30 minutes on regular buses. There are departures almost hourly, between 7:05 a.m. and 10:05 p.m. On the express bus, the adult single web fare is €12.60. For the slower bus you cannot purchase web ticket and the adult single standard fare is €14.
GoBus also provides connections between Dublin and Galway, including a link to Dublin Airport. The travel time is 2 hours and 30 minutes and the adult fare is €10. There are departures every two hours, starting at 7:15 a.m. until 10:15 p.m.
>>read more about Bus Travel in Ireland
Driving from Dublin to Galway
It is very easy and pleasant to drive from Dublin to Galway. The two cities are linked by a a tolled motorway. The travel time is about two hours, depending on the traffic.