Rick Steves' Eurail Passes: Ireland Railpasses

Ireland

Approximate point-to-point one-way 2nd class fares in $US by rail (solid line), bus (dashed line), and ferry (dotted line). Add up fares for your itinerary to see whether a rail and/or bus pass will save you money. (The only Northern Ireland destinations on this map are Derry and Belfast.) For 1st class rail fares, add 50%. Source: www.irishrail.ie.

Ireland's trains fan out from Dublin but neglect much of the countryside. Roundtrip fares can cost as little as 10% more than one-way. The bus system is far better and cheaper (e.g., $30 Dublin-Galway, $20 Dublin-Cork). Any of the various bus and rail combo passes offer a good value for longer stays in Ireland. Irish trains do not require reservations.

BritRail Pass + Ireland
Type of Pass	1st Class	Standard Class
5 days out of 1 month	$601	$407
10 days out of 1 month	$1059	$711
This pass covers the entire British Isles (England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and the Republic of Ireland). No longer covers ferries. Kids 5-15 pay half fare; under 5 free. No Family Pass, Party Pass, Eurail Discount, nor Off-Peak Special. Prices subject to change. Before buying the 10-day pass, consider the cost of separate BritRail and Ireland passes.
BritRail + Ireland

Ireland Pass
Type of Pass	2nd Class Adult	2nd Class Senior	2nd Class Youth
5 days out of 1 month	$220	$166	$187
Republic only, no Northern Ireland. Stena Line ferries to Britain and Irish Ferries to France are discounted 30% during the validity of the pass. Senior passes are for travelers age 60 and up. Youth passes are for travelers under 26 only. This Eurail-brand pass qualifies youths for an additional discount on BritRail passes. Kids 5-15 pay half adult fare; under 5 free. Prices subject to change.
Ireland Pass Ireland Pass Senior Ireland Pass Youth

Deals once you get to Ireland These local specials are sold at major train stations in Ireland. €1 = about US $1.45, £1 = about $2 .
Pass Name	Version	Area	Duration	Price
Emerald Card	Rail & Bus	Republic & North	Any 8 days in 15	€236 €406
Irish Explorer	Rail & Bus	Republic only	Any 8 days in 15	€210
Irish Rover	Bus only	Republic & North	Any 3 days in 8 Any 8 days in 15 Any 15 days in 30	€73 €165 €245
Open Road Pass	Bus only	Republic only	Any 3 days in 6 Any 4 days in 8 Any 5 days in 10 Any 6 days in 12 Any 7 days in 14 Any 8 days in 16 Any 9 days in 18 Any 10 days in 20 Any 11 days in 22 Any 12 days in 24 Any 13 days in 26 Any 14 days in 28 Any 15 days in 30	€47 €61 €74 €88 €101 €115 €128 €142 €155 €169 €182 €196 €209
Bus schedules available at www.buseireann.ie.

Sealink ferries and catamarans connecting Britain and Ireland
British port to...	Irish port	Crossings daily	Ferry/Cat. hrs	Ferry/Cat. cost
Holyhead	Dun Laoghaire*	3	3.5 / 1.5	$45 / $70
Fishguard	Rosslare	6	3.5 / 1.5	$45 / $70
Stranraer	Belfast	6	3.5 / 1.5	$45 / $70
See also www.seaview.co.uk for ferries. * Dun Laoghaire is a 30-minute bus or train ride from Dublin. ** Travelers from London to Dublin may find it worthwhile to catch a quick $80 shuttle flight (see www.cheapflights.com or www.ryanair.com). A London-Dublin train-boat-train combination booked as a single ticket costs only $60 (similar for other cities, see www.sailrail.co.uk or www.nationalrail.co.uk or tel. 08-450-755-755). National Express (Britain's Greyhound) offers London-Dublin bus+ferry tickets for $60 - $70 (restrictions apply).