A weshterner living in Dublin for a number of years sans automobile I’ve tried pretty much every form of public transport between Dublin and Galway. If you haven’t decided how you’re getting to this year’s blog awards yet then this may be useful:
Train
Goes from Heuston, about 5/6 services per day. You can nab some nice €10 fares online in either direction but only on selected services. Otherwise it’s about €50 return for an adult. Journey takes about 2.5hrs on average.
Bus
Thanks to the opening of the motorway from Galway to Dublin late last year the bus journey between the cities has been made super comfortable and as fast as the train. It’s also more affordable than the train so all round win. Buses will drop you at Galway’s Coach Station which is a stone’s throw from Eyre Square and IBA2010 partytime.
GoBus
GoBus offer a non-stop service with 14 buses a day between the cities. Here’s the timetable, you can book online here and for those of you who need to escape Galway early there’s late night services at 01:45 and 03:45 from Galway. It’s €20 return to Dublin City, also serves the airport for an extra few quid. Pick-up is at the Ulster Bank HQ on the south quays in Dublin City Centre.
Citylink
Citylink offer both direct and in-direct services between the cities (take care when hopping on that you’re on the correct one!) and there’s heaps of times to choose from. Here’s the timetable (PDF sadly), you can book online at the website and like GoBus you can do a late nighter run back to Dublin at 01:15, 01:30, 03:30. Pick up is outside Bermingham’s camera shop on the south quays. They’re around the €20 return mark too. Some services run double-decker coaches on the service – awesome if you’re on top deck, not so awesome on lower deck.
Bus Eireann
It’s been about 8 years since I took a Bus Eireann bus to Galway, largely due to the half hour pitstop in the middle in Athlone that they used to do making the journey ridiculously long. I don’t know if they do direct services via the motorway – never seen them on it – but I’d avoid them anyway.
Fly
If you’re flush you can go by air via Aer Arann – it’s like getting a flying minibus but it’ll get you there super quick.
Lost?
You shouldn’t be coz Galway is real small and friendly but if you are feel free to tweet me @cloudsteph at any stage.
