London to Ireland

Coach from London to Ireland & Northern Ireland basic info

Coach from London to Ireland BOOK TICKET NOW

The UK and Ireland are not far from one another and therefore coach travel is much more common than flying between these two countries. Travelling by coach from Britain to many big towns and cities in Ireland isn’t complicated and compared to planes or trains, coach services are usually cheaper. Travel time varies depending on the distance of your destination. The majority of the route is on motorways and the coach journey from London takes approximately 12 hours to Dublin and Waterford, 14 hours to Belfast and 16 hours to Cork, Galway, Sligo or Balina. There isn’t a direct connection from London, which reaches out to all cities in Ireland. There are several separate routes from London and each of these connections comes to a different region in Ireland. Several of the coach services are direct routes, and some aren’t, it means that you have to move to another coach. Before the coach terminates, it also stops in a few other big towns and cities in Ireland. Most coach services to Ireland depart from London in the afternoon and arrive to Ireland in the next day. Some of them also stop at Luton, Milton Keynes and Birmingham. In peak summer season you will find more connections, naturally the exact timetable is subject to change – just check the current information directly on the Eurolines website

There are up to 2 pairs of coaches per day from London to Dublin and from London to Belfast. Some connections are operated by the British Eurolines company and the others are operated by the Irish or Northern Irish Eurolines member (fares and booking are the same for all coaches).

Every day you can travel by Eurolines coach from London to Dublin and from London to Belfast. Most coaches run overnight. Departure is from London Victoria Coach Station (you should arrive one hour earlier for check-in). The coach in the UK also stops in other places, details of the timetable below. Part of the journey takes ferry ride through the Irish Sea, this gives travellers the possibility of a stopover, you can eat or do a little shopping. Eurolines coaches are high-class vehicles, equipped with toilet, air conditioning, reclining seats, radio and TV. The modern coaches not only offer significant comfort - for example, modern equipment, comfortable seats, but free Wi-Fi is available to customers on the routes from London to Dublin and from London to Belfast. Coach is the cheapest kind of transport from London to Ireland and Northern Ireland.

Eurolines runs a daily coach connection from Dublin to London and from Belfast to London. Most coaches run overnight. Departure is from Dublin’s Bus Eireann Busaras, and derparture in Belfast take place from Ulsterbus, Europa Buscentre. Passengers should arrive at both coach station at least 30 minutes earlier for check-in. Part of the journey takes ferry ride through the Irish Sea, you can board and enjoy a meal or buy some trifle. Upon arrival to the UK coach also stops in Birmingham, Milton Keynes, Luton, details of the timetable below. Eurolines coaches are high-class tourist vehicles, equipped with toilets, air conditioning, reclining seats, radio and TV. The modern coaches not only offer significant comfort - for example, modern equipment, comfortable seats, but free Wi-Fi is available to customers on the routes from Dublin to London and from Belfast to London. Eurolines coach is the cheapest kind of transport from Ireland and Northern Ireland to London.

Eurolines coaches take you directly from city centre to city centre. The coach travel takes about 12 hours from London to Dublin and costs about £52 one-way (there are various discounts and promotions and you can get as low as £30 one-way).
If you’re travelling from outside London, National Express & Eurolines have a special rate connection fare on National Express services for just £15 single or return from any National Express departure point.

If you live in Ireland or Northern Ireland and intend to travel to the UK, now you can also purchase tickets through our website.

Go to Eurolines website to see current timetables and fares and book a ticket for an international journey

Discover Ireland

In Ireland you can meet with spectacular scenery, fascinating sights that can not be missed. Here are some of them:

• Cliffs of Moher, these are the cliffs of the Atlantic coast in the west part of Ireland (County Clare), south of Galway. The Cliffs of Moher are 8 km long, reaching to the highest point of 203 meters. At the top there is a stone tower, dating from the nineteenth century - O'Brien's Tower. It is both a tourist attraction and point of view.
• Newgrande, the most famous of all prehistoric sites in Ireland. This is one of the largest tombs built by man. Newgrange is over 600 years older than the Pyramids of Giza and over 1,000 years than Stonehange.
• Aran Islands, considered the most romantic place in Ireland.
• Phoenix Park in Dublin, one of the largest parks in the world.

Useful guides: Lonely Planet Publications

Useful links to coach timetables & fares

• London to Dublin & connections beyond Dublin
• London to Belfast & connections beyond Belfast
• London to Rosslare, Waterford, Limerick and Cork & connections beyond these locations
• London to Rosslare by Megabus & Irish Ferries

How to buy tickets & some helpful information

• How to buy coach tickets online from the UK to Ireland & Northern Ireland?
• Online tickets from Ireland & Northern Ireland to Britain
• A special coach ticket for those living outside London
• How is the journey to Ireland by Eurolines?
• Are you looking for a budget hotel or hostel in Europe?
• Get a travel insurance for the journey to Ireland
• Currency Exchange online
• Car rental in Ireland
• Book your Theme Park Tickets with the UK market leader! - AttractionTix

The Eurolines coach network is an inexpensive way to travel through Europe. Eurolines coaches have different categories, from Standard class to Business class and they go everywhere. You can reserve seats in advance on the internet.

Eurolines operators

Eurolines is a coalition of independant bus and coach companies that operate under one brand name. They serve the majority of European countries, reaching hundreds of destinations across Europe from Ireland to Russia and from Norway to Portugal. Some also serve Turkey and Morocco. Eurolines coaches are comfortable and upscale.
You can reserve a seat online, If your journey begins from the UK, you just go on the Eurolines UK web page, a complete list of operators affiliated in the Eurolines group is available under www.eurolines.com. The Eurolines offices are usually located inside the long distance bus stations, but it can also be a travel agent in the city.

Eurolines & National Express in one booking

National Express has teamed up with Eurolines to bring Europe that little bit closer to you. And you can get there in one easy booking. Just enter the name of the place from which you start the journey, in the box defining the place of departure. Book your international travel through the National Express website.

To Ireland & Northern Ireland by coach, see current international timetables & fares

London to Dublin

A = Daily (Eurolines Plus)
a = Arrives 15 minutes earlier on Saturday and Sundays and bank holidays.

Tickets "On the day travel":

Amendable but Non-Refundable. Available on the day of travel.

Flexible fares:

Amendable and Refundable. Available up to the day before departure.

Advance fares:

Non-Amendable, Non-Refundable but Upgradable. Available up to 10 days before travel. Open Returns aren't available.

Best Value Advance fares:

Available for travel on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. Non-Amendable, Non-Refundable but Upgradable. Available up to 10 days before travel. Open Returns aren't available.

Connectional tickets from Dublin:

These fares are added to the relevant fare from the UK

Important:

During peak times (15th December 2011 - 2nd January 2012 & 9-13 February 2012) all passengers travelling to Ireland must pay a supplement on top of the normal ticket prices of £5 (single) or £8 (return).

Age categories: Children: 0-12 years, Youth: 13-25 years, Seniors: 60+ years.

London to Belfast & Larne

A = Daily (Eurolines Plus)
B = Saturdays from London and Sundays from Belfast (Eurolines Plus)
C = Daily exc Saturdays (Eurolines Plus)
D = Daily between 16th December - 9th January (Eurolines Plus)
E = Daily between 15th December - 8th January (Eurolines Plus)
F = Daily exc Sundays (Eurolines Plus)
q = Passengers need to change coach in Carlisle. Arrives Milton Keynes and London 15 minutes later on Fridays.
(^) = Arrives 30 minutes earlier on Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays
(*) = Arrives 15 min later on Fridays.

Tickets "On the day travel":

Amendable but Non-Refundable. Available on the day of travel.

Flexible fares:

Amendable and Refundable. Available up to the day before departure.

Advance fares:

Non-Amendable, Non-Refundable but Upgradable. Available up to 10 days before travel. Open Returns aren't available.

Best Value Advance fares:

Available for travel on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. Non-Amendable, Non-Refundable but Upgradable. Available up to 10 days before travel. Open Returns aren't available.

Connectional tickets from Belfast:

These fares are added to the relevant fare from the UK

Important:

During peak times (15th December 2011 - 2nd January 2012 & 9-13 February 2012) all passengers travelling to Northern Ireland must pay a supplement on top of the normal ticket prices of £5 (single) or £8 (return).

Age categories: Children: 0-12 years, Youth: 13-25 years, Seniors: 60+ years.

London to Rosslare, Waterford, Limerick and Cork

A = Daily (Eurolines Plus)
© = You'll need to change coach in Cork
(*) = One hour later on Sundays

Tickets "On the day travel":

Amendable but Non-Refundable. Available on the day of travel.

Flexible fares:

Amendable and Refundable. Available up to the day before departure.

Advance fares:

Non-Amendable, Non-Refundable but Upgradable. Available up to 10 days before travel. Open Returns aren't available.

Best Value Advance fares:

Available for travel on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. Non-Amendable, Non-Refundable but Upgradable. Available up to 10 days before travel. Open Returns aren't available.

Connectional tickets from Rosslare, Waterford, Limerick and Cork:

These fares are added to the relevant fare from the UK

Important:

During peak times (15th December 2011 - 2nd January 2012 & 9-13 February 2012) all passengers travelling to Ireland must pay a supplement on top of the normal ticket prices of £5 (single) or £8 (return).

Age categories: Children: 0-12 years, Youth: 13-25 years, Seniors: 60+ years.

How to buy tickets online for travel from Britain to Ireland?

To purchase tickets online you can do it directly at the Europebus’s home page using a journey planner provided. You can also do it on the Eurolines or National Express’ websites. Using the same journey planners you can purchase tickets to travel from Ireland to the UK. Simply fill out all fields in the journey planner and follow the instructions to buy a ticket. For example one-way „On the day” travel ticket from London to Dublin costs about £52, Discounted tickets are also available for youths, children and seniors. If you book early and your travel dates and times are flexible, you may get discount ticket as low as £30 one-way. Early booking is highly recommended, because the Eurolines’s route between London and Paris is very popular and the coaches are fully booked on some days.
Passengers with open date return tickets, must confirm/reserve their return journey with a local Eurolines office at least 4 days before the date they wish to travel. Simply phone Eurolines office in Dublin: (01) 8366 111 or in Belfast for Northern Ireland: (028) 90337002 / 3

• Detailed information on purchasing tickets
• Buy a ticket online now
• Eurolines in Ireland and Bus Eireann national Irish coach/bus carrier
• Ulsterbus in Northern Ireland (Eurolines member)

Travelling to Ireland from outside London

National Express together with Eurolines offer nationwide connections to London for a simple add-on price of £15 single or return. Just enter the name of the place from which you start the journey, in the box defining the place of departure. London will automatically be treated as a transfer point. Unfortunately, this option is only available for certain Eurolines connections, so if you won’t be able to purchase a ticket with this option, you'll have to buy two separate tickets. One ticket for access into London by National Express, the second ticket for the international Eurolines route from London. 
It's easy. Buy a ticket online now

The journey from London to Ireland and Northern Ireland by Eurolines

Ireland and Northern Ireland are connected with the UK by coach like no other European country - Eurolines provides frequent service between these countries. The Eurolines coach is built to make your journey as comfortable as possible. Each coach has on-board toilets, reclining seats and air-conditioning as standard.
In addition to standard Eurolines coaches, London to Belfast and Dublin operate Eurolines Plus coaches. These are the same as standard Eurolines except you can enjoy extra leg room, free Wi-Fi and watch DVDs.
Sometimes the coach that picks you up from your departure point has only the final destination displayed in the front windscreen. This is because the majority of Eurolines routes include multiple stops and it would be impractical to display every stop in the front windscreen. Also, you may have booked a journey which requires a change of coach. In both examples, please ask the driver to confirm that his/her coach is going to the destination stated on your ticket.
Eurolines put the safety and comfort of passengers in the first place, so the vehicles are equipped with a large number of safeguards. The operators are using modern vehicles with large panoramic windows and increased legroom. Buy a ticket online
Eurolines coach services to Ireland and Northern Ireland depart from Victoria Coach Station in London which is located close to Victoria Underground and bus stations. Eurolines coaches arrive mostly at the Irish main bus stations. Buy a ticket online now

• Before leaving home for your Eurolines service, check you have packed all documents and items needed for your journey, especially your ticket, passport (sometimes it is enough to travel with ID card) and if your journey requires a special visa to enter or transit.
• Arrive at the Victoria Coach Station in London at least one hour before the departure time, as check-in proceedings are quite lengthy. Customers need to check-in at the Eurolines check-in office located adjacent to Gate 19. Check-in commences one hour before departure and closes 15 minutes before to enable all customers to board and to ensure a prompt departure.
• Your luggage should be marked tags bearing name, address and telephone. Please weigh your luggage at home.
• Never accept other persons luggage for transport! Should you notice any luggage left unattended, never touch it! Report the fact to the station’s service staff immediately. Never leave your luggage unattended!
• When approaching the check-in desk, have your passport and ticket ready. This will streamline the procedure.
• Border control & customs: When going through security check, place all metal items such as keys, watches, belts with large buckles, mobile phones, walkmans, small change etc in the boxes, and place them on the conveyor belt of the X-ray machine together with your hand luggage & suitcases. It is advisable to place your overcoats in the boxes. This will streamline and facilitate security control.
• If needed, remember to take your doctor’s certificates.

Check-in at London Victoria Coach Station

You need to check-in at the Eurolines check-in office located adjacent to Gate 19. Check in commences one hour before departure and closes 15 minutes before to enable all customers to board and to ensure a prompt departure. You should have your passports and other travel documents ready for inspection at check-in. A boarding card for each customer and luggage labels will be issued and customers will be advised from which gate their coach will leave. Check in time at other UKs’ departure points is 30 minutes before departure. If the office for check-in is already closed, check-in takes place directly on the coach. Buy a ticket online now

Check-in in Ireland and Northern Ireland

In Dublin and Belfast it's 30-60 minutes before departure at the counters. If there is a Eurolines office that is open close to your departure point you can check-in at the counter - otherwise directly with the driver. From all other Irish departure points you check-in with the driver of the coach. Services returning to London arrive in Victoria Coach Station’s Arrivals terminal, customers making onward coach connections will need to cross the street to the Departures terminal Buy a ticket online now

Sea crossings

Sea crossings are made by ship, to the south of Ireland with Irish Ferries and to Northern Ireland with Stena Line or P&O Ferries, check timetables for specific information. On arrival at your ferry port, passengers are normally required to disembark from the coach and pass through border control and show photo identification. Normally customers are not required to be accompanied by their luggage, however occasionally Border Control officials do require customers to take their own luggage with them.

Refreshment stops

Refreshment stops are taken periodically throughout the journey providing the opportunity for refreshment and shipping services used by Eurolines provide a range of shops, restaurants and other facilities.

Carriage of luggage

All Eurolines customers must label their luggage which will be loaded into the hold of the coach and will normally remain there until arrival at the destination or interchange point. The Coach driver will load and unload customers’ luggage but customers are responsible for seeing their own luggage onto and off the coach on which they are travelling.
Each customer has a free luggage allowance of two medium sized suitcases, weighing no more than 20 kilograms each and 1 piece of hand luggage, which must be located on the shelf above your head or under the passenger seat. Buy a ticket online now

Ireland by Megabus & Irish Ferries

Megabus has got some amazing offer for you to travel to Rosslare in Ireland with Megabus and Irish Ferries - fares from only £1+50p one-way.

Megabus, in cooperation with Irish Ferries, provides a coach service between London Victoria Coach Station and Pembroke Dock, with stops at Bristol, Cardiff, Swansea and Carmarthan, before catching a connecting ferry service with Irish Ferries to Rosslare Europort.
This is not a direct route to Ireland, such as pre-existing connections provided by Eurolines. The Megabus coaches will run from London to Pembroke Dock only, then passengers must transfer to the ferry.

Timetable and fares

Travel with megabus.com and Irish Ferries on one easy ticket, all the way from London City Centre to Rosslare, Ireland and back again! Daily Journey Times London to Ireland 18.30 from London Victoria arriving at Rosslare Europort at 06.46 (via ferry connection at Pembroke Dock) Ireland to London 20.45 from Rosslare Europort arriving at London Victoria at (via ferry connection at Pembroke Dock) (Check in by 20.15). Ticket prices from just £1 plus 50p booking fee for one-way and include both ferry and coach travel. Please note, all travellers must check in at the Irish Ferries passenger terminal in both directions.
Irish Ferries recommend all passengers bring a passport with them. Non-EU nationals should check with the British or Irish embassy before travelling as they may also need a visa. Passengers who turn up at the ports without valid documentation may not be allowed to enter either Ireland or Britain.

Buy tickets online for the Megabus service

Are you looking for a budget hotel or hostel in Europe?

On our Accommodation page you can book a hotel room or place in a hostel. This is the online hotel reservation system, easy to use. With this tool you can choose from thousands of hotel offered all over the world. You also save time and money because you do not pay intermediaries.

Travel insurance

The best way to protect against unexpected accidents is to buy travel insurance. In my opinion, so that the journey is stress-free, you should never travel without travel insurance. You can insure only for travel, it’s possible directly on the Eurolines website, during ticket purchase. You can also insure individually with another insurer. This will be the insurance that will apply during the journey and while in a foreign country. The insurance should cover: loss of cash and goods, cancellation of travel and medical treatment abroad. If you travel several times a year and want to save money, you may want to buy an annual insurance policy. Click here to buy insurance.

Currency

The official currency in Ireland is the Euro. Do you want to exchange currency? Currency Exchange online

If you're going on holiday, a prepaid currency card is a great item to have in your wallet. Here, we take a closer look at prepaid card option from My Travel Cash. There are a lots of great reasons why using a one of MyTravelCashs’ currency cards. They've found that different types of travellers use their products for different reasons, so, they've created special tailored products, for exapmle: Euro Currency Card, US Dollar Currency Card and Multi-Currency Card.
However, if you think that the traditional exchange of currency is a better option for you, then use the home delivery service offered by Post Office Travel Money. It’s a convenient and fantastic value option.
Post Office Travel Money has been awarded Best Foreign Exchange Provider for the last 3 years running by the British Travel Awards.  You can order online and get currency or Travellers’ Cheques delivered to your front door or pick up from one of 12,000 local Post Office branches.

Visit My Travel Cash and Post Office Travel Money websites and choose most convenient option.

Car Rental

If you need a car abroad, please use the information provided on Rent a car page. There you can rent a car online with proven rental agency located throughout Europe. You'll save money because you don't have to pay commission to the agent. Car hire online