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Train routes in Ireland

  • April 7, 2026
  • 6 replies
  • 80 views
L

Hello, I'm planning a trip to Ireland for me and my sister, and I had two questions. 

On the railway map I saw that almost all routes go via Dublin and are not really connected in between, which is difficult if you want to make a ‘circle’ and not visit the same place twice. I was wondering if anyone had experience with the busses in Ireland and if these are any good to travel between cities. 

Secondly, I was wondering whether some train stations or routes do not appear in the app. For example, I cannot fiend the city ‘Londonderry’ in the app, and it doesn't show any trainroutes to Ballina for example. 

Thanks in advance! It is the second time I'm planning a trip and my first time in Ireland, so I don't have much experience with these things yet :) 

Best answer by Al_G

Yes, bus as well as train is a good idea in Ireland, to avoid a lot of doubling back and getting to places not served by rail.

Northern Ireland is simpler to plan as one company, Translink, runs almost all internal public transport. Something to keep in mind is that a day ticket (issued on a locally available smartcard) is £19 for all train and bus in NI so may be a better option than interrail.

https://www.translink.co.uk/

Here is a bus and train map, be aware that many routes are very low frequency.

https://trn-prd-cdn-01.azureedge.net/mediacontainer/medialibraries/translink/route-maps/ulsterbus/ulsterbus-route-map.pdf

ROI is a little more disjointed as buses are run by multiple companies and there is no single ticketing system.

Map here, again frequency varies widely. Another thing to consider is traffic, do not rely on buses being punctual.

https://www.transportforireland.ie/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Regional-Public-Transport-Map-2025-August02.pdf

The TFI journey planner is useable for point to point planning. https://www.transportforireland.ie/plan-a-journey/

Some scenic highlights worth mentioning:

Derry - Coleraine railway.

Belfast - Larne railway is also quite scenic but Larne isn’t somewhere worth any time itself.

Coleraine - Ballycastle “Causeway coaster” 172 bus, runs every 30 minutes.

Summer only (July and August) 252 bus Larne - Ballycastle, very scenic route along Antrim coast, only runs 2 times a day.

 

The most scenic line in ROI is Dublin - Wexford - Rosslare, to avoid doubling back there are bus routes towards Waterford, also Waterford - Cork.

There are numerous scenic routes, mostly off the railway network.

Connecting the ends of Rail lines in the west is not a problem, Galway to Ballina , Westport, Sligo and inbetween these is very possible, also as said Sligo to Derry via Co Donegal.

Co Donegal itself has spectacular scenery but is very rural and no railways, possible by bus but would take some time and good planning.

6 replies

R
Railmaster
Forum|alt.badge.img+10
  • rvdborgt
  • Railmaster
  • April 7, 2026

Some trains are just missing in the Rail Planner app, such as all trains in Northern Ireland. You'll have to add them manually.

Ballina is in the app though, but it doesn't seem to be capable of proposing journeys with a change at Manulla Junction, e.g. from Ballina to Dublin. If you look for the trains separately, then you'll find them. ​@Eurail Community Moderator is this a known issue?

In any case, use www.irishrail.ie (republic) and www.translink.co.uk (Northern Ireland) for timetables.

Buses in Ireland are good to use. There's e.g. a bus from Sligo to (London)Derry.

Please ask questions in the community and not via a private message. That's the quickest way to get a response. I don't work for Eurail/Interrail.
    A
    Full steam ahead
    Forum|alt.badge.img+6
    • Al_G
    • Full steam ahead
    • Answer
    • April 7, 2026

    Yes, bus as well as train is a good idea in Ireland, to avoid a lot of doubling back and getting to places not served by rail.

    Northern Ireland is simpler to plan as one company, Translink, runs almost all internal public transport. Something to keep in mind is that a day ticket (issued on a locally available smartcard) is £19 for all train and bus in NI so may be a better option than interrail.

    https://www.translink.co.uk/

    Here is a bus and train map, be aware that many routes are very low frequency.

    https://trn-prd-cdn-01.azureedge.net/mediacontainer/medialibraries/translink/route-maps/ulsterbus/ulsterbus-route-map.pdf

    ROI is a little more disjointed as buses are run by multiple companies and there is no single ticketing system.

    Map here, again frequency varies widely. Another thing to consider is traffic, do not rely on buses being punctual.

    https://www.transportforireland.ie/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Regional-Public-Transport-Map-2025-August02.pdf

    The TFI journey planner is useable for point to point planning. https://www.transportforireland.ie/plan-a-journey/

    Some scenic highlights worth mentioning:

    Derry - Coleraine railway.

    Belfast - Larne railway is also quite scenic but Larne isn’t somewhere worth any time itself.

    Coleraine - Ballycastle “Causeway coaster” 172 bus, runs every 30 minutes.

    Summer only (July and August) 252 bus Larne - Ballycastle, very scenic route along Antrim coast, only runs 2 times a day.

     

    The most scenic line in ROI is Dublin - Wexford - Rosslare, to avoid doubling back there are bus routes towards Waterford, also Waterford - Cork.

    There are numerous scenic routes, mostly off the railway network.

    Connecting the ends of Rail lines in the west is not a problem, Galway to Ballina , Westport, Sligo and inbetween these is very possible, also as said Sligo to Derry via Co Donegal.

    Co Donegal itself has spectacular scenery but is very rural and no railways, possible by bus but would take some time and good planning.

      S
      • Sandra KCommunity Manager
      • Community Moderator
      • April 13, 2026

      Hey ​@Linde De Vooys,

      When adding stations manually to the app you can rely on the station names here. Also, check out Tips and tricks to learn how some stations should be entered.

      Hope this helps!

      ---------------------------------------

      Regarding the route from Ballina to Dublin, ​@rvdborgt, I’m afraid our timetables can only reflect the information shared with us by the carriers themselves. The way to take the route is manually adding  Ballina to Dublin Heuston.

      I hope this answers your question.

      Please note that I can't reply to any of my private messages at the moment. Thanks for your understanding.
        R
        Railmaster
        Forum|alt.badge.img+10
        • rvdborgt
        • Railmaster
        • April 13, 2026

        Regarding the route from Ballina to Dublin, ​@rvdborgt, I’m afraid our timetables can only reflect the information shared with us by the carriers themselves. The way to take the route is manually adding  Ballina to Dublin Heuston.

        ​@Sandra K Please check the Rail Planner app carefully before jumping to conclusions.

        As I already wrote, both trains are in the Rail Planner app, it's just that the app doesn't show journeys from Ballina to Dublin with a change in Manulla Junction. In addition, adding Ballina to Dublin manually as 1 train would be incorrect because they're 2 trains.

        Ballina to Manulla Junction:

        Manulla Junction to Dublin:

         Ballina to Dublin:

        To be complete, the 2-minute connection is a legitimate one (from irishrail.ie):

         

        Please ask questions in the community and not via a private message. That's the quickest way to get a response. I don't work for Eurail/Interrail.
        Z
        Engin-ius
        Forum|alt.badge.img+9
        • zagmund
        • Engin-ius
        • April 13, 2026

        And, for further context . . . Manulla Junction only exists as a connection point.  There is nothing there other than another set of tracks.  Anyone arriving there by train from Ballina will be leaving by train towards Dublin (or possibly Westport).

        https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manulla_Junction_railway_station

          L

          Thanks so much! ​@rvdborgt, ​@Sandra K, ​@Al_G 

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