Cliffs of Moher connection

Nomis21

The only morning departure by Bus Eireann from Galway to the Cliffs of Moher leaves 10 minutes before the first train from Dublin arrives in Galway, making it impossible for travelers from Dublin or the Midlands to make a day trip there by public transport. It would be possible if the bus stopped at Oranmore station but there is no bus stop there! Why is there such a lack of coordination between bus and train?

LXFlyer

It is possible to get there from Dublin & Portlaoise by train - do it the other way around.

Take the first train from to Dublin to Ennis (Depart Heuston at 07:00 - change at Limerick Junction), arrive Ennis 09:57).

Bus 350 departs Ennis 10:30 and arrives Cliffs of Mother 11:20.

As for other public transport into Galway, Citylink, Gobus and Bus Éireann all have services arriving before 10:00 from Dublin that would connect into the 10:00 350 departure.

howiya

An alternative suggestion is the cliffs of moher shuttle that leaves Dublin every day at 10am. Departs from College Green. €39 a head.

I think there are other tours as well that take in the Burren or Galway City that have different price points and departure times.

Myself and the missus wanted to go recently during the BE strike so it was the only option.

KD345

Try this daily tour...

http://www.darbyogilltours.ie/ireland-day-tours/cliffs-of-moher/?gclid=CMu7r9Pb3dMCFYKc7QodcCkDbQ

Nomis21

I should have said that I live in Tullamore, none of those options work for me

LXFlyer

Nomis21 wrote: »

I should have said that I live in Tullamore, none of those options work for me

Did you bother trying to look on the Irish Rail website?

It is perfectly possible.

Tullamore depart 0651
Portarlington arrive 0709

Portarlington depart 0715
Portlaoise arrive 0725

Portlaoise depart 0742
Limerick Junction arrive 0834

Limerick Junction depart 0838
Ennis arrive 0957

Ennis depart 1030
Cliffs of Mother arrive 1120

Chivito550

lxflyer wrote: »

Did you bother trying to look on the Irish Rail website?

It is perfectly possible.

Tullamore depart 0651
Portarlington arrive 0709

Portarlington depart 0715
Portlaoise arrive 0725

Portlaoise depart 0742
Limerick Junction arrive 0834

Limerick Junction depart 0838
Ennis arrive 0957

Ennis depart 1030
Cliffs of Mother arrive 1120

That is some grind of a journey. You may aswell stick around for longer to take in the Burren, Doolin and the Aran Islands if putting yourself through that many changes.

LXFlyer

Chivito550 wrote: »

That is some grind of a journey. You may aswell stick around for longer to take in the Burren, Doolin and the Aran Islands if putting yourself through that many changes.

Well don't knock it - all of the trains connect perfectly.

n97 mini

lxflyer wrote: »

Well don't knock it - all of the trains connect perfectly.

Last train back is at 15.00. The only bus that makes that is the 12.15 ex the cliffs (which makes the 14.58 train ex Ennis).

Around 10 hours travelling for 1 hour at the cliffs?

Losty Dublin

Nomis21 wrote: »

The only morning departure by Bus Eireann from Galway to the Cliffs of Moher leaves 10 minutes before the first train from Dublin arrives in Galway, making it impossible for travelers from Dublin or the Midlands to make a day trip there by public transport. It would be possible if the bus stopped at Oranmore station but there is no bus stop there! Why is there such a lack of coordination between bus and train?

http://buseireann.ie/timetables/1477574876-350.pdf

Any use to you? It's a summer schedule on the route.

Nomis21

Thanks for that Losty

I didn't realise there was a Summer schedule!

We can go via Ennis and return via Galway, gives 2 hours at the Cliffs. Perfect.


Last time we had to hitch-hike there (Actually quicker than the bus)

LXFlyer

n97 mini wrote: »

lxflyer wrote: »

Well don't knock it - all of the trains connect perfectly.

Last train back is at 15.00. The only bus that makes that is the 12.15 ex the cliffs (which makes the 14.58 train ex Ennis).

Around 10 hours travelling for 1 hour at the cliffs?

Nonsense - they can come back via Galway and have a lovely day out.

Last train from Galway is much later.

OP you could grab breakfast on the train between Portlaoise and Limerick Junction.

As above there is a summer timetable in effect on the 350 which makes a day out perfectly possible.

n97 mini

lxflyer wrote: »

Nonsense - they can come back via Galway and have a lovely day out..

You mean they have no choice. And it'll cost more.

bobbyss

lxflyer wrote:

Did you bother trying to look on the Irish Rail website?

lxflyer wrote:

It is perfectly possible.

lxflyer wrote:

Tullamore depart 0651 Portarlington arrive 0709

lxflyer wrote:

Portarlington depart 0715 Portlaoise arrive 0725

lxflyer wrote:

Limerick Junction depart 0838 Ennis arrive 0957

lxflyer wrote:

Ennis depart 1030 Cliffs of Mother arrive 1120

Jesuz, it'd be easier to get to Timbuktu!

Nomis21

And probably cheaper too. Just the one way train part of the journey is 47 euro and 6 minutes at port Arlington to Change trains on a different platform is cutting it a bit fine anyway.

n97 mini

Ah shur you can have a "lovely day out" (2 hours) for a bit less than 100 quid each and around 8 hours on trains and buses. Bargain! Don't forget the overpriced breakfast.

Chivito550

n97 mini wrote: »

Ah shur you can have a "lovely day out" (2 hours) for a bit less than 100 quid each and around 8 hours on trains and buses. Bargain! Don't forget the overpriced breakfast.

I'd be an advocate of public transport usage over a car where possible, but even I couldn't put even my worst enemy through a trip like that!

Nomis21

n97 mini wrote: »

Ah shur you can have a "lovely day out" (2 hours) for a bit less than 100 quid each and around 8 hours on trains and buses. Bargain! Don't forget the overpriced breakfast.

Actually 60 Euro for the whole trip for my companion, but she also gets an hour in Athenry, Ennis and Galway included in the price. I have an ftp so what do I care

Isambard

don't forget that you get to see the countryside on the train (and the bus to an extent) which counts towards the day out. It's not just the hour or two at the Cliffs. Oh and it's a bargain for those of us with free travel.

Chivito550

Isambard wrote: »

don't forget that you get to see the countryside on the train (and the bus to an extent) which counts towards the day out. It's not just the hour or two at the Cliffs. Oh and it's a bargain for those of us with free travel.

Ah here, the views of the midlands are nothing special, particularly from a train. I'd rather more time at the cliffs. Only the most gifted travel agent could package 5 train and bus connections to and from, and 10 hours of travel as part of the "experience".

LXFlyer

With respect, some of the criticism here is over the top.

The connecting trains from Tullamore to Portlaoise are only for less than 20 minutes and 10 minutes respectively and as such feed into the longer distance train - the fact that there are connections is frankly something that should be welcomed rather than criticised. But no, of course - people have to start moaning about it. Many people would take a combination of two modes of transport of similar journey times within Dublin to get to Heuston Station - what's different about this?

The 350 trip through county Clare is very scenic and definitely would be an enjoyable experience. It goes along the coast past Blackhead lighthouse and through Ballyvaughan.

The OP could decide to spend four hours at the Cliffs if they so wish rather than two, and still have two hours in Galway, or indeed spend two hours there, two hours along the route, and two hours in Galway. There are a number of options.

Of course, ideally the OP would be spending more time there, but they asked about whether a day trip was possible, and it is.

But of course it's Ireland and people have to moan about it.

n97 mini

If you buy a day return in the station from Tullamore to Ennis, presumably you can go either route? Online the route via Limerick is considerably more expensive.

LXFlyer

n97 mini wrote: »

If you buy a day return in the station from Tullamore to Ennis, presumably you can go either route? Online the route via Limerick is considerably more expensive.

Correct.

Nomis21

Today 3 of us made the journey from Tullamore via Athenry, Ennis and Galway. IN Ennis the driver will issue a one way ticket to Galway which allows a 2 hour stop at the Cliffs. Bad news is that when we got off the bus at the cliffs in the coach park, there was a man in a yellow coat telling us that we had to pay 4 euros each if we wanted to use the toilets! We refused of course so he called his manager and we again refused and she gave in and said next time we have to pay! Like the great Tommy Cooper once said "It's not the principal, it's the money!"

Losty Dublin

Nomis21 wrote: »

Today 3 of us made the journey from Tullamore via Athenry, Ennis and Galway. IN Ennis the driver will issue a one way ticket to Galway which allows a 2 hour stop at the Cliffs. Bad news is that when we got off the bus at the cliffs in the coach park, there was a man in a yellow coat telling us that we had to pay 4 euros each if we wanted to use the toilets! We refused of course so he called his manager and we again refused and she gave in and said next time we have to pay! Like the great Tommy Cooper once said "It's not the principal, it's the money!"

That's the legendary "entry fee" for the Cliffs. Have to pay for the sedimentary rock folds somehow; they don't come cheap.