Ireland Travel Resources: Transport, Heritage, Golf, Fishing and much more

This page collects the official sites you actually need for planning a trip around Ireland: Transport for Ireland (TFI) and Translink for getting around by train, bus, tram and ferry; Heritage Ireland (OPW), the Irish Heritage Trust and the Heritage Council for historic sites and monuments; Golf Ireland for the country’s golf courses and clubs; and Mountaineering Ireland and the National Waymarked Ways for hiking and walking trails. Everything below is organised by category, Northern Ireland Resources can be found at this link. Of course you can also read all the information on this site from someone who lives here.

I’ve travelled the length and breadth of Ireland every county in both the Republic and Northern Ireland and one thing that trips people up every time is that this is really two transport networks stitched together, not one. This page collects the official sites, apps and booking tools for both sides, so you’re not left guessing which company actually runs the bus you’re waiting for.

You can find many articles on this site for Accessible Travel in Ireland, Renting a car in Ireland, Hiring a Private Driver in Ireland and several itineraries.

Ireland Travel Resources

Trains

• Irish Rail (Iarnród Éireann) Intercity, commuter and DART rail services across the Republic, including Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick, Waterford and Belfast (via the Enterprise service). Book online, check live departures, and download the Irish Rail app for real-time alerts.
• Translink NI Railways Northern Ireland’s train network, connecting Belfast, Derry~Londonderry, and the towns along the Causeway Coast and Bangor lines.
• Enterprise (Dublin–Belfast) The cross-border express service between Dublin Connolly and Belfast Lanyon Place, run jointly by Irish Rail and Translink around two hours, up to eight services daily.

A TFI Leap Card gets you discounted fares on DART and commuter rail within the Republic, but not on Translink services in the North those run on their own smart ticketing instead (see the Translink app).

Buses and Coaches

• Bus Éireann The Republic’s national bus operator over 250 routes, including Expressway intercity coaches and local town-to-town services covering areas trains don’t reach.
• Dublin Bus The main bus network within Greater Dublin, around 130+ routes, most running roughly 6am–11.30pm.
• Go-Ahead Ireland Operates a portion of Dublin’s bus routes alongside Dublin Bus, as part of the same TFI network and fares.
• TFI Local Link Rural and regional bus services filling the gaps between towns and villages that the main operators don’t cover genuinely useful if you’re basing yourself outside a city.
• Irish Citylink Intercity coach operator (now including the former GoBus network) connecting Dublin, Galway, Cork, Limerick and more with frequent direct services.
• Aircoach Premium coach services from Dublin Airport into the city centre and beyond, plus routes to Belfast and Cork.
• Translink Ulsterbus & Goldline Northern Ireland’s bus network Ulsterbus for local and town services, Goldline for express coaches between NI’s main towns and cities, including cross-border routes to Dublin.

Getting Around Dublin

• TFI Journey Planner The single best tool for door-to-door routes in the Republic combines bus, train, tram, ferry and taxi options into one plan, with live departure times.
• Luas Dublin’s tram network Red Line and Green Line a fast way to cross the city centre and reach the suburbs without a car.
• TFI Leap Card Ireland’s reusable prepaid travel card, valid on Dublin Bus, Luas, DART, commuter rail and Bus Éireann up to 30% cheaper than paying cash, with automatic daily/weekly fare capping. Student and Young Adult (19–25) versions are available at a further discount.
• TFI GO App TFI’s official app for buying tickets, planning journeys and checking live departures on your phone, without needing a physical Leap Card.

Taxis and Ride Apps

• TFI Driver Check A free app that verifies any taxi in the Republic is properly licensed before you get in worth using, especially late at night or straight off a flight.
• FreeNow The most widely used taxi-hailing app in Irish cities, covering Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick and Belfast.
• Value Cabs One of Northern Ireland’s largest taxi operators, based in Belfast.

Ferries

• Irish Ferries Sailings from Holyhead (Wales) to Dublin, Pembroke to Rosslare, and Roscoff/Cherbourg (France) to Dublin passenger and car ferries.
• Stena Line Routes from Holyhead to Dublin, Fishguard to Rosslare, Liverpool to Belfast, and Cairnryan (Scotland) to Belfast.
• P&O Ferries Liverpool to Dublin crossings.
• Brittany Ferries Direct sailings from Roscoff and Cherbourg in France to Cork and Rosslare, useful if you’re combining Ireland with a French road trip.

Airports and Flights

• Dublin Airport Ireland’s largest airport, around 11km north of the city centre, with the widest range of transatlantic and European connections.
• Cork Airport Serves the south of Ireland with UK and European routes, about 8km south of Cork city.
• Shannon Airport Serves the west of Ireland, near Limerick historically the first transatlantic airport, with direct US routes and US pre-clearance.
• Ireland West Airport (Knock) Serves the northwest along the Wild Atlantic Way, with UK and seasonal European routes.
• Aer Lingus Ireland’s national carrier.
• Ryanair Europe’s largest low-cost carrier, headquartered in Dublin, with the widest network of budget routes in and out of Ireland.

Driving and Car Hire

Ireland and Northern Ireland both drive on the left, and road signage switches from kilometres in the Republic to miles once you cross into the North worth knowing if you’re navigating by eye rather than sat nav. Motorways in the Republic are tolled on several routes (the M50 Dublin ring road, the M1, M3, M4, M6, M7, M8 and the Limerick Tunnel), and most operate barrier-free tolling, so check the toll operator’s site in advance if you’re driving a hire car.

• eFlow (M50 tolling) Pay Dublin’s M50 toll online there’s no barrier or cash option at the toll point itself, so this has to be done in advance or within the payment window.
• Transport Infrastructure Ireland Tolling Details on all tolled routes across the Republic.

For car hire, all the major international companies (Hertz, Sixt, Enterprise, Avis, Europcar) operate at every main airport; smaller, often cheaper local operators are worth comparing too, especially outside Dublin. Read my Guide to hiring a car in the Republic and the North.

Cycling

• TFI Bike Share Schemes Covers Dublin’s docked bike-share scheme and similar schemes in Cork, Galway and Limerick short-term rentals for getting around city centres.

Heritage Groups and Historic Sites

• Heritage Ireland (OPW) The Office of Public Works’ visitor site for the 780+ state-owned heritage properties it manages, including Newgrange, the Rock of Cashel, Skellig Michael, Kilkenny Castle and Dublin Castle. The Heritage Card gives unlimited access to all of them for a year, and there’s free admission on the first Wednesday of every month, plus free entry for visitors with disabilities and their carers.
• The Heritage Council Ireland’s statutory heritage body, covering built, natural and cultural heritage policy, county heritage plans, and National Heritage Week each August.
• Irish Heritage Trust An independent charity caring for historic properties (including Fota House in Cork) on a not-for-profit basis, separate from the state-run OPW sites.
• An Taisce Ireland’s National Trust an independent charity working on conservation and environmental protection, running properties like the Tailors’ Hall in Dublin.

Golfing in Ireland

• Golf Ireland The national governing body for golf across the island of Ireland (Republic and Northern Ireland together, under one organisation) club finder, handicap system, and the go-to for anything official.
• Golf on Ireland.com (Tourism Ireland) Tourism Ireland’s dedicated golf pages course guides, links golf features, and coverage of major tournaments hosted here, including the Irish Open and the Ryder Cup’s return to Adare Manor in 2027.
• Golfing Union links courses Golf Ireland’s club and course finder useful for locating everything from championship links courses along the coast to smaller parkland clubs inland.

Hiking and Walking Trails

• Mountaineering Ireland The national governing body for hillwalking, trail walking and climbing across the island over 190 affiliated clubs, most of which welcome beginners to join a walk or two before signing up.
• Irish Trails (Sport Ireland Outdoors) The official register of Ireland’s National Waymarked Ways over 30 long-distance trails covering more than 1,800km, from canal towpaths to mountain circuits, rated by difficulty with route maps for each.
• Wild Atlantic Way The signposted 2,600km coastal touring route along Ireland’s west coast, with dedicated walking and cycling trail information built into the same route. You can read more in my Guide to Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way.
• The Hidden Heartlands Fáilte Ireland’s touring route through the quiet midlands, following the River Shannon and its lakes, canals and boglands, with walking, cycling, boating and small towns far from the busier coastal routes.. You can read more in my Guide to Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands.
• Ireland’s Ancient East Tourism Ireland’s themed route covering historic and heritage walking trails across the east, midlands and south of the country. You can read more in my Guide to Ireland’s Ancient East.
• Coillte Outdoors Ireland’s forestry service trail maps and walking/cycling routes through state forests, including some of the country’s best-known looped walks.

For mountain and hillwalking safety specifically, Mountain Rescue Ireland coordinates the country’s volunteer mountain rescue teams and is worth knowing about before heading into more remote terrain.

Irish publications and travel reading

• The Irish Times – Travel One of the best ongoing sources for Irish travel journalism, with destination features, travel advice, transport issues, hotels and ideas for exploring Ireland.
• Irish Independent – Travel Travel features covering Ireland and overseas destinations, including ideas for short breaks, road trips, hotels and attractions.
• Irish Examiner – Travel Useful for discovering Irish destinations, food, hotels and travel stories, with particularly good coverage of Cork and the south of Ireland.
• IMAGE Magazine An Irish lifestyle publication rather than a conventional travel guide, but useful for food, culture, hotels, restaurants and places with a distinctly Irish perspective. IMAGE publishes both print and digital editions.
• Wanderlust – Ireland International travel magazine with Ireland destination features, including ideas for going beyond the most obvious tourist attractions.
• National Geographic – Ireland Good for photography, history, landscapes, culture and inspiration rather than practical trip planning.
• Good Food Ireland Particularly useful for travellers interested in Irish food. It features restaurants, producers, food experiences, accommodation, cookery and local food culture.

Quick reference: who runs what

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there one ticket that works on trains and buses in Ireland?

Within the Republic, the TFI Leap Card works across Dublin Bus, Luas, DART, commuter rail and Bus Éireann, with fares automatically capped daily and weekly. It doesn’t work on Northern Ireland’s Translink network, which uses its own smart ticketing and the mLink app instead. You can read more in my Guide to Public Transport in Ireland.

How do you get from Dublin to Belfast without a car?

The Enterprise train, run jointly by Irish Rail and Translink, connects Dublin Connolly and Belfast Lanyon Place directly in around two hours, with up to eight services a day. Translink’s Goldline coaches also run the route by road.

Do Ireland and Northern Ireland use the same currency for transport?

No the Republic uses euro, and Northern Ireland uses pound sterling, since it’s part of the UK. Ticketing, apps and fare cards are separate on each side of the border too. Read more in Travelling in Ireland.

Is it easy to get around Ireland without a car?

Yes for the main cities and towns, which are well served by Irish Rail, Bus Éireann, Citylink and Local Link services. It gets harder in more rural and coastal areas the Wild Atlantic Way in particular where a car (or a tour bus) genuinely opens up far more than public transport can reach.

Which side of the road does Ireland drive on?

The left, same as the UK including Northern Ireland. Road distances switch from kilometres in the Republic to miles once you cross the border. Read more in my guide to Driving in Ireland and Driving in Ireland over 60.

How do I check if a taxi in Ireland is licensed?

Use the free TFI Driver Check app in the Republic, which verifies any taxi’s licence before you get in. It’s a genuinely useful habit late at night or straight off a flight.

Who manages Ireland’s heritage sites?

The Office of Public Works (OPW) manages over 780 state heritage sites in the Republic through Heritage Ireland, including Newgrange and the Rock of Cashel. In Northern Ireland, historic and scheduled sites fall under the National Trust or the Historic Environment Division instead.

Is there one governing body for golf across all of Ireland?

Yes Golf Ireland covers the whole island, Republic and Northern Ireland together, rather than being split at the border the way transport and heritage bodies are. Read more about the best golf courses in both.

How many waymarked walking trails does Ireland have?

Over 30 National Waymarked Ways, covering more than 1,800km, registered and maintained through Sport Ireland Outdoors (Irish Trails). Most stay below 300m altitude and don’t require technical climbing skills.

Join 7,500 Ireland travellers in my Ireland Uncovered Facebook Group and 1,897 on my XYUandBEYOND PAGE

Exploring the fascinating regions of Ireland

 Exploring Northern Ireland

Ireland’s Ancient East

Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands

Ireland’s The Wild Atlantic Way

Discovering Dublin