Travelling from Dublin to Killarney, Co. Kerry

tempnam

There’s a group of us heading away for a stag do in Killarney in a couple of months. I’m just looking into transport options. We’ll be travelling down on a Friday and returning on the Sunday.

Car
Driving will take about 3 hours, multiple cars, and a loooonnnggg drive home for the drivers after a weekend on the p*ss….

Train
This will take 3.5 hours, and will cost about €60 per person. Train station will leave us in the middle of town.

Bus
This will cost about €50 with Bus Eireann but would take about 5 hours

Plane
Aer Lingus are advertising return flights for about €80 per person. The flight is 55 mins down and 1 hour back. The airport is about a 15-20 min drive outside Killarney – I’m sure there is a bus / taxi option into town from the airport.

Helicopter
For the craic I contacted a couple of companies who hire out helicopters – but they cost WAY too much… the return journey would come to about €5K for the amount of us travelling (about 14) – which would work out at more than €350 per person.

I think the lads are all leaning towards getting the train because:
1) It’s cheaper than flying
2) They can drink cans on board!!!

My preference is to fly (by plane) because:
1) It’s less time consuming and I reckon saving 2.5 hours travel time is worth an extra €20 that you would save by getting the train
2) You will be guaranteed a seat – last trip on a train everyone was left standing
3) If you’re that bothered about drinking you can have a pint in the airport – and you’ll be at the other end in an hour so can go straight to the pub when you get there!

Just wondering if there are any pros & cons I’m missing – and if not, how would you ‘sell’ the flying option to a group of lads?!

Thanks!

highlydebased

30 min by bus from Farranfore (airport) to Killarney http://www.buseireann.ie/pdf/1424705961-014.pdf. At least flying might bring a novelty factor to it!

veryangryman

Drive. Cheaper if fuel costs are divided. Plus if ye do decide to explore Kerry, you have the easy option of hopping into own car.

3 hours driving isn't that bad, especially if you have multiple drivers.

The_Wanderer

How many in your group?

Group rates are available on irish rail and can offer good discounts. PM me for further info if you wish?

The Wanderer.

Big Nasty

Time saved flying will be negated by having to arrive at the airport 1.5 - 2 hrs before the flight. There's also parking to be considered.

I'd get the train tbh.

n97 mini

Have the stag in Kilkenny instead.

L1011

Big Nasty wrote: »

Time saved flying will be negated by having to arrive at the airport 1.5 - 2 hrs before the flight. There's also parking to be considered..

You don't need to arrive that far in advance for a domestic flight with hand baggage. You get fast-track security by virtue of it being a domestic flight, for starters.

The flights leave at 11 and 7pm which are not peak times for the airport at all.

Way back the airport is tiny.

currins_02

What about a private hire minibus or am I missing something? Loads of 14, 16, 19 seaters etc available. I would suggest some or all of the following should be going for it:
- Should be very competitive with any of the above on cost
- Door to door service
- Take approx 3 1/2 - 4 hours including a brief comfort stop
- everyone guaranteed a seat
- Less restrictive on luggage, no toiletries restrictions etc
- May also allow a few cans
- More flexible than a timetabled service
etc

tempnam

currins_02 wrote: »

What about a private hire minibus or am I missing something? Loads of 14, 16, 19 seaters etc available. I would suggest some or all of the following should be going for it:
- Should be very competitive with any of the above on cost
- Door to door service
- Take approx 3 1/2 - 4 hours including a brief comfort stop
- everyone guaranteed a seat
- Less restrictive on luggage, no toiletries restrictions etc
- May also allow a few cans
- More flexible than a timetabled service
etc

Any idea of ballpark figures for that? - about 15 people, travelling down on a Friday & return on a Sunday.

schemingbohemia

Discount code for Irish Rail posted on bargain alerts
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=94624033&postcount=207

I'd get the train if I were you.

tempnam

schemingbohemia wrote: »

Discount code for Irish Rail posted on bargain alerts
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=94624033&postcount=207

I'd get the train if I were you.

Why would you go with the train?

currins_02

tempnam wrote: »

Any idea of ballpark figures for that? - about 15 people, travelling down on a Friday & return on a Sunday.

I would imagine €700 - €900 all in return (purely an educated guess based on other similar runs in other parts of country I am familiar with).

Try people like Bonanza Bus, Budget Bus, bookabus, Dublin mini coaches or dublinminibushire.com etc (all just from a Google of Dublin mini bus hire).

lottpaul

Train is excellent - quick as far as Mallow, a bit slower after that but still very good, esp on a Friday when you have to think of traffic on the M7 as far as Naas and then in Adare etc (or M8 if you go that way) and good value when booked in advance. Small disadvantage is changing trains in Mallow, trying to keep a group together etc but there are a few direct services back on Sunday (just one down on Friday I think)

schemingbohemia

tempnam wrote: »

Why would you go with the train?

Comfortable and has Toilets. If you live in Swords or Malahide then the plane might make sense but otherwise I think the train will be easier for most.

It means no-one has to drive with a hangover or still drunk and can be a nice sociable way to start the weekend, few drinks on the way down, sitting in 4 seaters having the chats.

Hilly Bill

As a group you would get it cheaper than €60. You would also get it cheaper than that if you booked online in advance.

Ring and ask for a quote for a group booking. The normal fare is €80:65 open return. At a guess you might get it at between €30 and €40 a head.

Thargor

Annoying that you can get to Cork for about 12-15 quid if you shop around but I cant see a way to get to Kilarney for less than 50-60...

veryangryman

Thargor wrote: »

Annoying that you can get to Cork for about 12-15 quid if you shop around but I cant see a way to get to Kilarney for less than 50-60...

Ticket to Cork, get off at Mallow and get a ticket to Killarney from there. Job done

tempnam

Just as an update to this - majority opted for the train and a small group of us went for the flight.

We live close to the airport and have a lift sorted to drop us there.

Flight departs Dublin at 11:10..... what time should we aim to be in the airport for? - is 10am time enough?

Domestic flight and only hand luggage...

LXFlyer

That should be fine.

embraer170

All domestic passengers used to be able to use fast track. Not sure if that's still the case?

tempnam

Update:

Flight was definitely the better option. The cost of the flight (including taxi to/from the airport in Killarney) was €40 more expensive than the train.... but well worth it in my opinion. In Dublin, we didn't have to check in too far in advance, had a pint in the airport while waiting, and the travel time was only about 1 hour 20 mins from stepping on to the plane to stepping off.

By the time the lads on the train had arrived we had already checked into the hotel, had a bite to eat in the bar, went for a stroll around the town, and sussed out a couple of decent spots for pints!

Flight home was even better. We departed 15 mins early since everyone had checked in early so there was nobody to wait for. Must have caught a good tailwind cos the travel time was only about 50 mins from stepping on to the plane to stepping off in Dublin.

Would definitely look at this option again in future if needing to travel and not needing my car.