The 15 Best Train Trips in Ireland

1.Dublin to Cork, Blarney Castle & Cóbh Heritage Centre by train

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 510 reviews · 12 hours (approx.) · from $195Our pick

Travel from Dublin Heuston to Cork by reserved train, then continue by coach to Blarney Castle and Cobh. You get castle gardens, the Blarney Stone, village free time, a Cork city drive, and the Queenstown Story Heritage Centre. Guides such as Norman, Paul, John, and Peter are praised for clear local stories.

“Quite the adventure! Train/bus across the south of Ireland. Got to Blarney Castle in time to meet a cruise ship, but still enjoyable! Peter and Paddy were great about keeping us all on the various modes of transportation and answered all questions!!!”

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2.Northern Ireland Including Giant’s Causeway Rail Tour from Dublin

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 325 reviews · 13 hours (approx.) · from $194

Travel from Dublin Connolly Station by train and coach to Northern Ireland, with a photo stop at Dunluce Castle and about two hours at Giant’s Causeway. Guides such as Ian, Joe Doyle, David, and Patrick add local stories, but the day can run 13 to 15 hours.

“So much fun! Sean, Patrick, and Rodney were absolute dreams to work with. Our train was delayed and Rodney was able to make up for it by stopping at some incredible sights along the way to meet up with our tour down the path. Be sure to walk all the paths and see all of the local draws!”

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3.Sustainable Ring of Kerry Rail Tour from Dublin

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 277 reviews · 15 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $194

Leave Dublin Heuston at 7am for a full day of rail travel and guided touring around the Ring of Kerry. A train host such as Paddy or John helps with connections, while your coach guide shares local stories near Carrantuohill, Sneem, Ladies View, and Killarney National Park.

“Excellent host on train and tour guide, but attractions along the way are additional charges, as is lunch.”

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4.3-Day Blarney Castle, Ring of Kerry, & Cliffs of Moher Rail tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 211 reviews · 3 days (approx.) · from $1,254

Travel from Dublin by reserved train and comfortable coach to Blarney Castle, Cobh, the Ring of Kerry, Bunratty Castle, the Cliffs of Moher, and Galway. Hosts such as John, Norman, Bryan, and Andy keep the packed schedule moving, with two nights in Killarney.

“Beware of the Bed and Breakfast you get put in! If you book through Viator instead of the company running this tour, you get put in a Bed and Breakfast in Killarney and ours was awful! The bed had broken springs sticking up and was lumpy, the pillows were awful, the toilet didn't flush, the walls were so thin that we heard the loud snoring of the man in the next room all night, and the room was tiny with no room to even put your luggage! We stayed one night because it was late when we arrived, then paid to stay in a hotel the second night. Those who…”

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5.Rail Tour: The Cliffs of Moher & Bunratty Castle Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 122 reviews · from $158

Start at Dublin Heuston Station and ride the InterCity train to Limerick before touring Bunratty Castle, the Cliffs of Moher, the Burren and Galway by coach. English-speaking guides such as Norman, John and David add local stories, while reserved train seats make the long return journey easier.

“Excellent trip, be prepared for a long day, with lots of travel. Trip between travel and site stops, very well balanced. Can't say enough about how Johnathan made it very interesting.”

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6.Rail Tour from Dublin: The Ring of Kerry

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 106 reviews · from $158

Travel from Dublin Heuston to Killarney by reserved InterCity train, then tour the Ring of Kerry by coach with an English-speaking guide. Expect mountain and sea views, Dingle Bay, Moll’s Gap, Ladies View, the Lakes of Killarney, and a very full day on the road.

“Our guide, John, got us to where we caught up with the tour bus and then joined a tour group already together. This was a second tour we did with John, and he's very knowledgeable and does a lot of little things that made then trip special (ie taking a picture of us together on the train ride, giving us a map of Ireland that we all signed). I felt awful for him because while he sat and waited for us to return from the bus trip, his wallet was stolen. But he still made sure we were all ok and helped us go to a store after the tour…”

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7.Cork and Blarney Castle Visit from Cobh by Train

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 106 reviews · 6 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $122

Start at Cobh Railway Station, ride along the River Lee to Cork, then continue by coach to Blarney Castle and Gardens. Andrew, Arthur, Richie, or another local host may lead the day, with time for the castle, gardens, Cork’s English Market, and St Colman’s Cathedral.

“Our driver, Michael, was courteous and VERY skilled at driving a big, comfortable, well equipped bus. Our guide, Richie, was very knowledgeable, patient, and friendly. It would have been helpful to know that the garden/grounds around Blarney Castle was very large. Our group of seniors would have done less exploring, and more bench sitting. The train ride was fun.Funbt”

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8.Oakfield Park Day Pass and Train Ride

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 104 reviews · from $16Best value

Spend about three hours exploring Oakfield Park at your own pace, then ride its 4.5km miniature railway through meadows, woodlands, willow tunnels, lakes, and gardens. The mobile ticket combines park admission and the train ride, with visits available Wednesday to Sunday from April 15 to September 27, 2025.

“Buffers restaurant was delightful. The park itself is a very peaceful place and well manicured.”

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9.Aran Islands Scenic Flight and Galway Rail Tour from Dublin

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 102 reviews · 14 hours (approx.) · from $247

Travel from Dublin to Galway by reserved-seat train, fly over Galway Bay to Inis Mór, tour the island by minibus, visit Dun Aonghasa and the Seven Churches, then enjoy free time in Galway before returning. Expect a 14-hour day with several carefully timed connections.

“A wonderful day all around and the highlight of our trip to Ireland! Everything went well.. smooth connections between all points Dublin to Galway by train, a van to the airport outside of Galway, the flight to the Aran Island and a tour all over the island. With all of this we had time for a hike up to the ancient fort, shopping and lunch on the island and dinner in Galway. Everything was taken care of! A jam backed fun day blessed by incredible weather!! We'll never forget it!”

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10.Sustainable Connemara and Galway Bay Rail Tour from Dublin

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 54 reviews · 14 hours (approx.) · from $193

Travel from Dublin Heuston to Galway by reserved train, then join a guided coach through Connemara, with stops near Kylemore Abbey, Clifden, Roundstone, and Galway Bay. Expect Irish history, Gaeltacht villages, coastal views, and a very full 14-hour day.

“Oh probably my favourite of all places and I have to go back some day. Abbey is beautiful and so much to do but time is extremely limited. I would suggest going on your own that way you can really appreciate this wonderful place. The food in the restaurant is not good buy make sure and buy the strawberry jam it is heavenly. The giftshop is the cheapest for a tourist destination.”

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11.4-Day Cork, Ring of Kerry, Dingle, Cliffs of Moher and Galway Bay Rail Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 48 reviews · 4 days (approx.) · from $1,743

Travel from Dublin to Ireland’s southwest and west coast by hosted train and coach. Visit Blarney Castle, Cobh, the Ring of Kerry, Dingle, Bunratty, the Cliffs of Moher, the Burren, and Galway Bay, with three Killarney nights and Irish breakfasts.

“A wonderful tour of Ireland! And if are lucky enough to have Tim Tim as your guild, all the better for you!!!! He made the journey for us. This trip gives you a wonderful taste of the country--and we cannot wait to return to see more.”

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12.6-day All Ireland & Northern Ireland Rail Tour from Dublin

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 37 reviews · 6 days (approx.) · from $2,662

Travel from Dublin through Cork, Killarney, Clare, Galway, the Aran Islands, and Belfast with reserved rail seats, coach tours, five breakfasts, hotels, and a tour host. Expect long days, a large group of up to 53, and standout stops such as Blarney Castle, the Cliffs of Moher, Kylemore Abbey, and Titanic Belfast.

“Covered a great deal of Ireland with knowledgeable guides. The bus drivers and tour guides were very good as a whole. Railtours Ireland is run by a number of well meaning 70 and 80 year old retired gentleman who need to retire themselves or bring in some younger and female guides. They need to watch their hopefully unintentional sexist and racist comments. This is not a first class tour company as their motto says. As opposed to first class rail and bus tours we were continually shepherded onto buses with 50 or 60 people who were on other tours. The majority of travel is on large buses not trains. The…”

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13.2-Day Cliffs of Moher, Connemara and Galway Bay Rail Tour from Dublin

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 30 reviews · 2 days (approx.) · from $610

Travel from Dublin to Ireland’s west coast by reserved train and guided coach. Visit Bunratty Castle, the Cliffs of Moher, the Burren, Galway Bay, Killary Harbour, Spiddal, and Kylemore Abbey, with one night in central Galway. Guides such as Seamus and Bob bring Irish stories to the road.

“Cliffs of Moher is great but the travel time from Dublin is quite long. Don't want to make it a day trip so choose to stay at Galway and go Connemara the next day. Arrangement of Railtour is seamless and Galway is a lovely city, But Connemara isn't really impressive.”

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14.2-Day ‘Game of Thrones’ Rail Tour from Dublin Incl. Belfast and Giant’s Causeway

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 26 reviews · 2 days (approx.) · from $625

Travel by first-class train from Dublin to Belfast, explore the city by hop-on hop-off bus, visit Titanic Belfast, then follow a guide to Game of Thrones filming sites, the Dark Hedges, and Giant’s Causeway. An overnight 4-star hotel stay and breakfast are included.

“yeah, it is all that my children expected. The guide was absolutely fantastic, very funny and knowledgeable. Great history of Ireland and the Troubles. Northern Ireland and Belfast: what change! Really nice. We were struck by how nice everyone is on this island. The hotel was great. The Titanic tour was great. It definitely is worth doing this tour. In general, all the tours were highly professional and every one outdid themselves to help us and make sure we were comfortable. Very nice. We will be back.”

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15.2-Day Northern Ireland Rail Tour: Belfast, Antrim Coast, and Giant’s Causeway

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 23 reviews · 2 days (approx.) · from $506

Travel from Dublin to Belfast by rail, stay overnight near Great Victoria Street, then tour the Antrim Coast by coach with a local guide. You’ll see Giant’s Causeway, Dunluce Castle, and Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge. Guides such as Sean, Patrick, Paul, and John have been praised for clear help and lively commentary.

“My friend and I had a great experience on this tour. Everyone we worked with was very helpful and friendly. Our bus driver Patrick was totally great, and the folks at the Railtours were also great! We did this tour upon arriving in Ireland and I was nice to know we didn't have to plan or do much more than just show up on time. Hotel accommodations were great as well. I would recommend this tour hands down!”

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