By Bus in Southwest Ireland with Cork and Killarney

By Bus

Bus Éireann operates express services from Dublin to Limerick City, Cork City, and Tralee. Most towns in the region are served by the provincial Bus Éireann network. The main bus terminals in the region are at Cork, Limerick, and Tralee. The U.K. bus company National Express jointly with Bus Eireann run services from most U.K. cities to most Irish cities. The journey from London to Cork via Rosslare is by bus and ferry, and, at about 14 hours, arduous.

Fares & Schedules

The provincial bus service, cheaper and more flexible than the train, covers all the region's main centers. Express services are available between Cork City and Limerick City (seven times a day); Cork, Killarney, and Tralee (seven times a day); and Killarney, Tralee, Limerick, and Shannon.

If you plan to travel extensively by bus, a copy of the Bus Éireann timetable (EUR 1.50 from bus terminals) is essential. It's possible to tour the region by bus, but you need careful timing. Buses tend to stop running in the early evening, which is fine if you want to stay overnight and leave the next morning, but rules out many day trips -- unless you want to spend most of the day on the bus. As a general rule, the smaller the town, and the more remote, the less frequent its bus service. For example, Kinsale, a well-developed resort 29 km (18 mi) from Cork, is served by at least seven buses a day, both arriving and departing, while some of the smaller villages on the remote Corca Dhuibne (Dingle Peninsula) have bus service only one day a week in winter. Bus Éireann runs a regular bus service around the Ring of Kerry between mid-June and mid-September, but there are only two buses a day, leaving Killarney at 8:45 AM or 1:45 PM. The trip takes more than four hours. Consult with hotel concierges, tourist board staffers, or the bus line Web site for the full scoop on bus schedules.

Bus Information

Bus Éireann (01/836-6111 in Dublin; 061/313-333 in Limerick; 021/450-8188 in Cork; 066/712-3566 in Tralee. www.buseireann.ie). Cork Bus Station (Parnell Pl. 021/450-8188). Limerick Bus Station (Colbert Station. 061/313-333). National Express (London, U.K. 087/058-08080 drop the initial zero and add prefix 00-44 if dialing from Ireland). Tralee Bus Station (Casement Station. 066/712-3566).