Citylink Galway to Dublin: Coach or Train

Citylink and the train are the two usual ways between Galway and Dublin without a car. This guide cannot give a coach journey time, because the Citylink site would not open and no tourism page we could read states one. Here is what each one offers and what to check before you go.

Journey time for Citylink Galway to Dublin: coach vs train

The train takes about 2 hours 18 minutes to 2 hours 51 minutes, and the coach time is not one this guide can confirm. Irish Rail's timetables page lists the Dublin Heuston to Galway timetable, valid from 14 December 2025. Typical trips take about 2 hours 20 to 2 hours 40. The citylink.ie site returned an access error when checked on 25 October 2026. So this guide gives no Citylink journey time, because Discover Ireland and Visit Dublin publish none. Read it on the operator's page or ask by phone on +353 91 564164. Only the train is confirmed: about 2 hours 18 minutes to 2 hours 51 minutes. If you are comparing every way to move around the capital as well, see getting around Dublin.

Pro Tip The rail operator says its Autumn 2026 timetables are still being put online, so use its Journey Planner for the train on your day.

Frequency: how often Citylink and the train run

The train runs about 13 times a day from Monday to Saturday and about 7 times on Sunday. The first Monday to Saturday train leaves at 05:45, according to that timetable. Citylink's own timetable could not be opened, so the number of daily coaches is left out. Visit Dublin and Discover Ireland call the service "fast and frequent", but neither gives a number of departures, so none is stated here. For the exact count, call Citylink on +353 91 564164. Dublin Airport's bus routes page describes Citylink as an express bus service to Galway, which tells you the coach does not stop in every town.

Dublin end: Heuston station vs the coach

The train ends at Dublin Heuston, on the west side of the city, and Heuston is the only Dublin station Irish Rail lists for this route. The Citylink stops inside the city are not confirmed here, because the operator's page would not load. The one Dublin stop confirmed here is the airport. So the train wins on a confirmed timetable and a known city station, Citylink wins on the airport, and no page we could read says which costs less. If your hotel is near a particular stop, check Citylink's stop list before you book either one.

Key Takeaway The train is the one option with a confirmed timetable, about 13 trains a day Monday to Saturday, while Citylink is the one that serves Dublin Airport.

Airport: Citylink from Dublin Airport vs the train

Citylink runs express buses from Dublin Airport to Galway, and the train does not go to the airport. The airport's own page lists Citylink with express services to Cork, Galway, Ennis, Limerick, Castlebar and more. The coaches leave from bus zones 10 and 11, and the airport has a map for each terminal. The page also tells you to check with the bus company for the latest times, because routes can change at short notice. Coming from the airport by train means going into the city first and then out to Heuston.

The airport sells coach tickets through a partner, and Citylink sells them too. Fares are not shown on the pages this guide could read, so it states none. Galway Tourism lists the Citylink office on Forster Street too, but no official page we could read names the exact stop where the coach leaves, so check that on citylink.ie before you travel. Galway Tourism also puts an average coach trip at 2 hours 30 minutes and Citylink express fares from around €12.60 online. Discover Ireland lists only the Citylink office at 17 Forster Street, Galway, and says there are Galway to Dublin City and Airport express services and a multi-stop option to the airport. It lists no fares, but says some are discounted.

Booking and fares: coach vs train

Both can be booked ahead, but neither fare is confirmed here, so compare the two prices on the day you travel. The rail operator points to its Journey Planner and website for up-to-date times and tickets. Citylink sells its tickets on citylink.ie, which is the page that did not load. One honest limit of this guide is that it cannot tell you which of the two is cheaper.

A group or a family may find that the price of two or three seats changes the answer. Check both before you decide.

The best way between two cities is the one that fits your arrival and your bags.

Galway as the first leg to the Cliffs of Moher: bus vs day tour

Galway is the usual starting point for the Cliffs of Moher, and you can get there on your own by bus or by day tour. The Cliffs of Moher visitor site lists Bus Éireann route 350 from Galway to the Cliffs and Ennis, with up to ten services daily, and Local Link route 351, with four each way. Irish Rail says Galway Ceannt station is the start for route 350. That plan means getting to Galway first, either by Citylink or by train, and then taking a second bus. Read the full plan for Cliffs of Moher if the Cliffs are your real goal.

A day tour from Dublin skips the two-leg plan. In Things to Do in Dublin's count of GetYourGuide listings on 25 October 2026, 6 listings name Galway in their title, from €69 to €389 per person. The Cliffs of Moher, Burren and Galway day tour is run by Finn McCools Tours and lasts 13 hours. It costs from €78 per person, is rated 4.7 from 28,191 reviews and includes Cliffs of Moher entry. It does not include hotel pickup, so you meet at Charlemont House on Parnell Square North. It also leaves out food and drinks, and it is not suitable for people with mobility impairments. The page lists an air-conditioned bus, a guide, 2 hours at the Cliffs and time in Galway with a short walking tour. It does not list free cancellation.

If you want pickup, the Cliffs of Moher and Galway tour with Atlantic Edge is run by Wild Rover Tours and lasts 13 hours. The price is from €75 per person, it is rated 4.7 from 6,465 reviews and has free cancellation. The page lists a 2 hour stop in Galway and says pickup is included, with details after you check availability. It lists Cliffs of Moher access, walking tours and live Irish music in Galway, but no meeting point. It leaves out lunch and drinks, and it is not suitable for children under 3. The pages list no group size for any of the three. For the lowest price, the Galway and Cliffs of Moher day tour is run by Paddywagon Tours. The price is from €69 per person, it is rated 4.3 from 363 reviews and has free cancellation. It meets at Stephen's Green North, stop 791, with no hotel pickup. It leaves out food, drinks, tips and hotel transfers, and it is not suitable for wheelchair users. It includes entry fees and Wi-Fi.

Prices and ratings as shown on GetYourGuide on 25 October 2026.

Doing it yourself is enough if you just want to cross between Galway and Dublin. A tour helps if you want the Cliffs and Galway in one day without planning two buses. A tour is the wrong choice if you want to stay in Galway overnight, because all three return to Dublin the same day. For ideas on other trips out of the city, see day trips from Dublin.