Ireland’s bus and rail network is a reasonably good public transport system covering practically the whole island from coast to coast.

The rail network serves many large towns and cities across the island including the ferryports of Belfast, Cork, Dublin, Dun Laoghaire, Larne and Rosslare.  Bus services link to the rail system as well as providing access to ferryports and airports.

Rail and bus fares offer good value for the traveller with various discount tickets available offering unlimited travel on bus and rail services. 

The Dublin Bus 3-day Freedom Pass offers visitors unlimited travel on tour buses, airport links and regular bus services. Please check for offers when booking.

 The Belfast Visitor Pass (BVP) includes unlimited travel on all scheduled Metro, NI Railways and Ulsterbus services operating within the Translink Belfast Visitor Pass Zone.  The BVP also discounts on attractions and tours plus includes many special offers for shopping and eating out.  www.gotobelfast.com/belfast_visitor_pass.aspx

REPUBLIC OF IRELAND

Irish Rail – Iarnód Éireann
Tel: +353 (0) 836 6222
Web: www.irishrail.ie

Irish Bus – Bus Éireann
Tel: +353 (0) 836 6111
Web: www.buseireann.ie

Dublin Bus – Bus Átha Cliath
Tel: +353 (0) 873 4222
Web: www.dublinbus.ie

The Dublin area is served by the DART – Rapid Transit Rail – from Howth to Malahide -  North of the city via Dun Laoghaire to Greystones on the south side and into County Wicklow.

The LUAS Light Rail Transit system connects Dublin city centre to its suburbs with high frequency /high speed service.  Visit www.luas.ie or when in Ireland Tel: 1800 300 604

Dublin bus/rail/luas travel tickets are available from most newsagents in the city centre and suburbs.  If you do not have a validated ticket users are required to give exact change and notes will not be accepted - visitors please keep this in mind.

The Dublin Bike Sharing Scheme, www.dublinbikes.ie is another good option for travelling around the city.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Translink (Northern Ireland Railways, Ulsterbus, Metro – Belfast’s bus service)
Tel: +44 (0) 28 9066 6630 
Web: www.translink.co.uk

Check for specially discounted fares when travelling by public transport.  For instance, the iLink card provides unlimited bus/train travel for 1 day, 1 week or 1 month.  The Enterprise is a fast, high quality rail network linking the cities of Dublin and Belfast and is a journey of two hours.  This is probably the most comfortable way to travel between the two cities.  Catch the Enterprise from Connolly Station in Dublin and Central Station in Belfast.

INLAND FERRIES AND ISLAND BOAT SERVICES

When visiting any of the offshore islands check out island boat services well in advance – and check again just before travelling, since changes in the weather may affect services.  Regular Island boat services operate to the Aran Islands off the Galway coast; Rathlin Island off the north Antrim coast; Aranmore Island off Donegal; Clare Island off the Mayo coast; and Sherkin and Cape Clear Island off the coast of west Cork.  There are also several inland ferry services that ease travelling around Ireland and make the journey more interesting, such as the Strangfod Lough ferry at Portaferry, County Down; the ferry across the Shannon estuary between Tarbert, County Kerry and Killimer, County Clare; and the ferry link between Greencastle, County Donegal and Magilligan Point, County Londonderry.