How to Get to Galway from Dublin

If you've already seen all that Dublin has to offer and have a few days to spare, one of the best things to do is to visit Galway. Although it is a small city, with less than 100,000 inhabitants, Galway is the third most populated city in Ireland and a very interesting destination.

Thanks to its two universities, the city has a very attractive multicultural atmosphere and it is also surrounded by beautiful natural landscapes. What makes it one of the most attractive excursions to do from Dublin is that both cities are very well connected. Below I share with you all the information about the price, journey, advantages and disadvantages of each of the means of transport that connect Dublin and Galway.

Galway is a small city that can be easily explored in one day. That's why a day trip from Dublin and back is a good option. In addition to transport and an accredited guide, the Galway tour usually includes stops outside the city itself, such as a visit to the Cliffs of Moher and Kilmacduagh Abbey.

• Price: from 84 euros.
• Duration and distance: The trip takes 3 hours one way and 3 hours return. In total the tour takes 12 hours from the time you leave Dublin to the time you return.
• What's included: Return transport, accredited guide, tour of Galway, Cliffs of Moher and Kilmacduagh Abbey.
• Recommended if: You want to visit Galway in one day with everything organised.

What to see in Galway on an organised tour

Located 200 kilometres from Dublin, Galway is the third most populous city in the country and one of the most attractive. This coastal city combines a beautiful historic city centre with beautiful scenery in the surrounding area.

It is a perfect destination for a day trip, so we'll take a look at some of the main sights that are included in the itineraries of organised tours:

• Eyre Square
• Sho Street, a street full of pubs and street performers that give visitors a very welcoming atmosphere.
• The Latin Quarter, Galway's liveliest quarter, combining colourful, medieval architecture with a wide range of pubs and restaurants.
• The Spanish Arch, which was part of the old harbour wall and is named after the Spanish ships that came to Galway to trade.
• Galway Museum, the perfect place to learn about the history of the city through the ages.
• The Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption and St Nicholas is located on an island surrounded by greenery and is notable for its stone exterior, dome and beautiful stained glass windows.

If you're planning to travel to Galway for a day or more, the train is the first option to consider. It is just as fast as a car journey, covering the 209 kilometres from Dublin to Galway in about 2 hours and 20 minutes.

The great advantage of the train, apart from its speed and comfort, is the wide range of timetables it offers. There are at least 10 journeys a day from 7:00 in the morning until 19:30 when the last train leaves Dublin for Galway.

There are two companies offering this journey. The first, with a frequency of every 2 hours, is CIE. Irish Rail is the other option although this company only has two trains, one early in the morning and one late in the evening.

• Price: From €17 (online) to €25 (at the ticket office).

• Station location: Depart from Heuston station in the west of the city, near the Guinness factory, and Connolly station. In Galway they arrive at Ceannt station in the city centre.

• Duration and distance: Between 2.20 and 2.5 hours.

• Recommended if: you are looking for the best means of transport for comfort and duration.

If you're looking for the cheapest way to get from Dublin to Galway then the bus is your best choice. It is slightly slower than the train, but it will always be the cheapest option.

Buses in Dublin have the particularity that they depart from the centre of the capital and also from the airport. The routes and companies that operate are the same both from the airport and from the centre of Dublin and depart with a frequency of 1 hour. However, journeys from the airport are half an hour longer and slightly more expensive.

Citylink, GoBus and Aircoach are the three companies currently operating between Dublin and Galway.

• Price: Between 12 and 20 euros. It will always be cheaper to buy a ticket online rather than directly from the bus.

• Duration and distance: 208 kilometres and between 2.5 and 3.5 hours.

• Recommended if: You are looking for the cheapest transport alternative.

Renting a car is always a very interesting option as it gives us a lot of freedom of movement and allows us to see some highly recommended places near Galway, such as the Cliffs of Moher, just over 1 hour from the city.

If you prefer this option, you should know that the journey by motorway from Dublin to Galway is very comfortable and fast. It's just over 200 kilometres and can be covered in approximately 2 hours and 10 minutes, travelling along the M4 motorway from Dublin which links up with the M6 to your destination.

The cost of fuel and the price of car hire depends on your choice, what is certain is that you will have to pay a toll if you take this route, although the price is low. If you want to cut costs, you can always use carpooling companies such as Blabacar.

• Duration and distance: 209 kilometres and 2 hours and 10 minutes.

• Recommended if: you want more freedom of movement.

To make the journey between Dublin and Galway it is advisable to take a few things into account. Here are some tips and information that you may find useful:

• Always try to buy your bus and train tickets online, as they are always cheaper than buying them at the ticket office.
• Also take into account the journey to the train station. It is located in the west of the city and the best way to get there is to take the red line tram which takes about 10 minutes from the city centre or the 145 bus which also leaves from Dublin city centre.
• If you are driving you should know that in Ireland you drive on the left hand side of the road.