Best way

I’ll be in Ireland in less than 2 months with stops in Dublin, Cork, Galway, LondonDerry, Belfast. I’m looking for suggestions on how to get from stop to stop. Is a rail pass best or should I take a bus? The Galway to London Derry leg of trip is the one that I’m having concerns with.

Hi Babette, 

Thanks for reaching out. 

You can use a combination of rail and bus, as it might make more practical sense. I would recommend using Rome2Rio and Transport for Ireland Journey Planner as resource tools for planning your journey. You can enter your location and destination for each stage of your trip and it will provide you with the different options for travel, as well as times and pricing. In the case of Galway to Derry, there is a bus option - get the 64 bus from Galway Bus Station (stop 555041) to Ulsterbus Depot. The bus runs five times a day, you can find out more here.

Let me know if you have any other questions and I would be glad to help. 

Cathaoir

Hey Babette, 

Delighted to hear that you are planning a visit to us in the coming months. 

Unfortunatley, there are no rail links between Galway and Derry - unless you head back to Dublin & via Belfast; which isn't ideal. 

In the Republic of Ireland, the rail services are provided by Iarnród Éireann who do offer Tourist Tickets that may be a cheaper option for yourself; however would only cover you for travel in the Republic. 

To travel from Galway to Derry - Bus is the best option, and the Bus Éireann Expressway Service No. 64 will take you directly from A-B. This bus also stops at Sligo & Donegal Town should you wish to explore these areas en route. 

For travel between Derry & Belfast, you can go direct by either train or bus with Translink. Translink do offer an iLink Zone 4 Travel Card. You can purchase this card for a day or a week, depending on how long you are anticipating spending in Northern Ireland - but will cover you for travel on all Translink operated Trains & Buses across Northern Ireland which can be good value for money. 

I am unsure however if either of these passes would be valid for the train journey from Belfast to Dublin as it is a cross border service - it may be best to contact each travel company directly for advice. 

I hope this helps you plan your visit and we look forward to welcoming you soon. 

Kind Regards 

The Visit Derry Team