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Cheap SailRail tickets between Britain & Ireland...  Watch the video!

Fed up with flying?  Discover a well-kept secret:  Cheap SailRail tickets between any rail station in Britain & any rail station in Ireland, covering train travel to the port, ferry to Ireland & onward trains in Ireland, all on one ticket.  Swap a stressful flight or cramped bus on an eyesore motorway for a relaxed train ride along the beautiful Welsh coast, then by cruise ferry across the Irish Sea.  Watch the video or see the journey in pictures below.  It reduces your CO2 emission by up to 73%.  Sit back with a good book & enjoy the ride... 

All-weather reliability:  I've known flights cancelled due to fog, snow and other bad weather, but Irish Ferries say their rock-steady 50,000 ton ship Ulysses has yet to miss a sailing due to weather.

A guide to train & ferry travel between Britain & Ireland...

  Route map - choose the most suitable train+ferry route to Ireland.

  Recommended journey from London to Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Galway, Sligo

  Recommended journey from Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Galway, Sligo to London

  Video guide - A journey from London to Dublin on video...

  Complete timetable for London-Dublin by train+ferry via Irish Ferries or Stena.

  How much does it cost?  SailRail fares, any British station to any Irish station.

  How to buy tickets online, by phone or in person, wherever you live.

  FAQ:  Luggage, bikes, pets, stopovers

  First class travel from London to Dublin - the deluxe option from £165...

  London, Bristol, Cardiff to Rosslare, Wexford & Waterford via Fishguard.

  Train travel in Ireland  - An introduction to Irish Rail train travel.

  Hotels in Dublin & Ireland    Send your luggage in advance

  Dublin City Tours by Open Top Bus - hop on, hop off.

  Day trips from Dublin to the Blarney Stone, Ring of Kerry, Giant's Causeway

  Short breaks to Ireland without flying - Ireland Railtours' London to Ireland tour.

  Useful country information for visiting Ireland.

Which train & ferry route to Ireland?

The route via Holyhead is the traditional route from London to Dublin & most of Ireland including Cork, Limerick, Galway.  The Fishguard-Rosslare route is good for Wexford & Waterford, but not well linked to Cork or Limerick.  For London to Belfast use either Holyhead, Liverpool or Cairnryan, see the Northern Ireland page.  If you use www.virgintrains.co.uk it'll work out the most logical route for your journey.  Click for detailed map.

Sponsored links...

 Useful country information

London to Ireland, recommended option...

	London to Dublin in pictures... Watch the video...
	Leave London on Virgin Trains 9.10am Irish Mail to Holyhead (08:15 on Sundays).
	The modern 125 mph Voyager train is air-conditioned, superior to any plane or coach, with T-Mobile WiFi, power sockets for laptops & mobiles and a buffet car serving drinks & snacks. The journey takes 3h40, time to get some work done or catch up on your reading...
	After glimpsing Conwy's pretty fishing harbour, the train snakes around the imposing walls of historic Conwy Castle...
	...and along the North Wales coast a stone's throw from the sea. Yes, this was taken from the train!
	...then crosses the Menai Strait to Anglesey on Stephenson's historic Britannia Bridge.  Above, you can see Telford's famous suspension bridge from the train.
	At Holyhead, the ferry terminal is right next to the station.  You check in for your chosen ferry operator, either Stena Line or Irish Ferries.  Compared to flying, it's quick & painless.
	After checking in, a courtesy bus transfers you to the luxurious 50,000 ton Irish Ferries superferry Ulysses for the Irish Sea crossing to Dublin...
	...the Ulysses is perhaps the most luxurious ferry on the Irish Sea.  The sea crossing takes 3hours 15 mins, arriving Dublin Ferryport at 17:25.
	With the Welsh hills in the background, Stena Line's Stena Adventurer sails for Dublin 20 minutes ahead of the Ulysses, but I think the Ulysses is by far the more glamorous ship!  Even on this broodingly grey November day, the huge Ulysses is rock steady...
	A big step up from the budget airline experience...  On the Ulysses, you can upgrade to club class in the Martello Lounge on 11 deck for £16 (€18), with complimentary red & white wine, tea & coffee, cheese & crackers, olives, smoked salmon canapιs, muffins & fruit juice.  The lounge is above the ship's bridge, giving a superb forward view of the Irish coast approaching...
	Welcome to Dublin!  You've arrived the traditional way, by train & ferry...
	Book online  here   London   to Dublin   401or £45   Any day, any date...  If you need a hotel...  I recommend the excellent hotel  price comparison site hotelscombined.com.

London ► Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Galway, Belfast

• The recommended option:  This is the specific departure I'd recommend for travel from London & the Southeast to Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Galway, Sligo & most other Irish destinations.  It's the cheapest option, with all-weather rock-steady reliability and it's a classic journey with lots to see on the way.  There are other departures including overnight & afternoon ones, see the complete London-Dublin timetable.

• Summary:  You leave London Euston at 09:10 on Mondays-Saturdays or 08:15 on Sundays by train to Holyhead, connecting with the afternoon ferry to Dublin arriving at Dublin Ferryport at 17:25.  This whole London-Dublin trip can be done with one £40 or £45 SailRail ticket (£61.50 to Cork, Galway, Limerick and so on) booked online at www.virgintrains.co.uk.  See full details of SailRail fares here.

• Step 1, travel from London to Holyhead with Virgin Trains, leaving London's Euston station at 09:10 on Mondays-Saturdays on a air-conditioned 125mph Voyager train direct to Holyhead arriving 12:50.  On Sundays, leave London at 08:15, change trains at Crewe and arrive Holyhead at 12:43.

• The train is a modern air-conditioned 125 mph Super Voyager with an on board shop selling refreshments.  For the best views between London & Holyhead, choose a seat on the right-hand side of the train, ignoring your reserved seats if they are on the wrong side.  The Voyager train tilts into the curves at high speed, although you'll only notice it if you look closely!

• The train sweeps through the Buckinghamshire & Northamptonshire countryside, with glimpses of narrow boats on the Grand Union Canal alongside the railway on the right.  Two hours out of London the train calls at Crewe, Britain's archetypal railway junction.  Look out for Crewe Heritage Centre on the right as your train leaves, with several old trains on display outside, including a prototype APT.  Later it calls at the city of Chester, and you'll see part of Chester's historic city walls on the right just after leaving.

• The train then runs along the scenic north Wales coastline, often a stone's throw from the sea.  Look out for the 1956 steam turbine-powered ferry Duke of Lancaster, originally moored as a floating nightclub and now rusting gently.  Now for the highlight of the trip:  After calling at Llandudno Junction, the train enters the pretty town of Conwy, passes through a tubular bridge then passes right under the towering walls of the imposing Conwy Castle.  Have your camera ready!

• After leaving Bangor, look through the trees on the right and you'll catch a glimpse of Telford's suspension bridge carrying the old London-Holyhead coach road (now the A5) from the mainland onto the Isle of Anglesey, and shortly afterwards your train crosses the Menai Strait to Anglesey over the equally historic Britannia Bridge, built by Robert Stephenson in 1850.  Originally just a rail bridge, it was rebuilt after a fire in 1970.  Only the piers are original and it now carries a road above the railway.  As the train crosses the bridge, you'll see Telford's beautiful suspension bridge a little way along the river to your right.

• You're now on Anglesey, and your train swishes non-stop through a little local station with the longest name in Britain, a visitor attraction in its own right.  It's called Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch, in case you were wondering, but normally features in railway fares manuals as 'Llanfair PG'...  You'll see the mountains of Snowdonia in the distance to your left, and a bit later Hawk jet trainers on the tarmac at RAF Valley before arriving in the port of Holyhead, the traditional embarkation point for Ireland.

• When you arrive at Holyhead, the ferry terminal for both Stena Line and Irish Ferries is inside the station at the end of platform 2.  So walk straight off the train into the ferry terminal and check in for the ferry at the relevant ferry operator desk.  There's a 30 minute check-in for Irish Ferries, 40 minutes for Stena Line.  After getting your boarding pass there's a brief and painless X-ray security check, and you then check in your bags so you don't have to carry them round with you on the ferry.  Both Stena Line & Irish Ferries ships now berth a little way from the terminal building at Holyhead, so after check-in passengers are shuttled out to the ferry on a free courtesy bus.

• Step 2, sail from Holyhead to Dublin by luxury superferry, leaving Holyhead at 14:10 daily on Irish Ferries cruise ferry Ulysses across the Irish Sea, arriving Dublin Ferryport at 17:25. 

• Alternatively, Stena Line's competing Stena Adventurer sails at 13:50 arriving at Dublin Ferryport at 17:05.  Both line's ships are good, but in my opinion the superb, huge & rock-steady 50,000 ton Ulysses is the most glamorous & comfortable ship.

• Whichever ship you choose, the ferry has free WiFi, bars, cafes, lounges, a restaurant, cinema, children's play area, fast food outlets & shop.

• Upgrade to the Martello Club Lounge:  For a small extra charge (€18) paid on board at the entrance, you can access the Ulysses' Martello Club Lounge on deck 11 above the bridge with complimentary red & white wine, tea, coffee, smoked salmon, cheese and biscuits.  The lounge gives a superb forward view of the coast of Ireland approaching.  There's a similar lounge on Stena Line called Stena Plus.  If you want privacy or a nap, you can pay a small charge for a private day cabin with shower & toilet, too, just ask at the ferry's reception desk.

• Head up on deck for some fresh sea air.  You'll sea the town of Holyhead give way to rocky Welsh coastline which then disappears astern as the ferry heads for Ireland.  A couple of hours later you enter the wide Bay of Dublin with the church spires and yacht-filled harbour of Dun Laoghaire to your left, with the dark purple Wicklow Mountains in the distance behind it, and the town of Howth on your right. 

• This is the best way to see Ireland for the first time, not from inside an airport!  Map of Dublin showing ferry terminals & city centre.

• Step 3, transfer to Dublin city centre by bus or taxi, 2 miles from Dublin Ferryport.  If you arrive on Irish Ferries' Ulysses at 17:25, you'll find a double-decker Dublin bus waiting right outside the terminal building to take you into the city centre.  It leaves when the foot passengers have left the ship at around 17:35, arriving at the Busaras (Dublin's central bus station) in the city centre at 17:50 and Dublin Heuston station at 18:10, traffic permitting.  The fare is €3 to the Busaras or €4 to Heuston station, children aged 4-15 half price, under 4 free, please have exact fare.  If you'd prefer to take a taxi, this costs about €15 to Connolly Station or any central Dublin hotel or €17 to Dublin's Heuston station.  Dublin Connolly station (for trains to Belfast, Sligo, Wicklow) is 2 minutes walk round the corner from the Busaras.  If you arrive on the Stena Adventurer, a shuttle bus takes you to central Dublin at Connolly Station by 17:30 for €2.50 and Heuston around 18:00 for €4.  A painless and scenic trip from central London, three countries in one day, England, Wales & Ireland!

• Step 4, if you're heading for Cork, Limerick, Galway, Sligo or Belfast, use the transfer bus from Dublin Ferryport to either Dublin Connolly station or Heuston station.  Then hop on an Irish Rail inter-city train as follows - You can check these train times at the Irish Railways website www.irishrail.ie...

  For Belfast, take the daily 19:00 Enterprise from Dublin Connolly arriving at Belfast Central 21:15.

  For Sligo, take the daily 19:05 train from Dublin Connolly station arriving Sligo at 22:05.

  For Cork, take the daily 19:00 train from Dublin Heuston station arriving Cork at 21:58.

  For Limerick, a train leaves Dublin Heuston station on Mondays-Saturdays at 19:00, change at Limerick Junction, arriving Limerick at 21:28.  On Sundays, leave Heuston at 19:05, change at Limerick Junction and arrive Limerick at 21:23.

  For Galway, leave Dublin Heuston station on Mondays-Saturdays at 19:15 arriving Galway at 21:50.  On Sundays, leave Heuston at 18:45 arriving Galway at 21:25.

  For any other destination in Ireland, use the journey planner at www.irishrail.ie to check train times from Dublin.  Make sure you allow enough time to interchange in Dublin.  If it's not possible to complete your journey the same day (for example, the last train to Tralee leaves Dublin before you get there), SailRail tickets allow you to stay in Dublin overnight and take a train next day.  Map of Dublin showing railway stations & city centre.

• How much does it cost? 

  London to Dublin costs £40 if you book by 18:00 the day before travel or £45 if you buy your ticket on the day or when the £40 rate sells out or is otherwise not available.

  London to Cork, Limerick, Galway, Sligo, Tralee or Killarney costs £56.50 each way if booked by 18:00 the day before travel or £61.50 if bought on the day or when the £56.50 rate has sold out.  London to Belfast costs £50 each way if booked by 18:00 the day before travel, £55 on the day. 

  Children under 16 half price, under 5 free.  Full details of SailRail fares.  First class fares.  FAQ:  Pets, bikes, luggage.

• How to buy tickets:  Book online at www.virgintrains.co.uk which can sell one-way or return tickets from London or anywhere in Britain to Dublin or anywhere in Ireland.   Click here for full details of how to buy SailRail tickets online, by phone or in person.

• From anywhere else in Britain to Dublin:  You don't have to start in London, of course!  Simply use the journey planner at www.virgintrains.co.uk to check times & prices & buy SailRail tickets from Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, Edinburgh, Cambridge, or any railway station in Britain to or from Dublin Port (Irish Ferries) or Dublin Port (Stena).

Dublin, Belfast, Cork, Limerick, Galway ► London  

• This is the cheapest, most comfortable and all-weather reliable service from Dublin to London.  It leaves Dublin port at 08:05 every day, arriving London Euston at 16:38 Mondays-Saturdays, 16:44 Sundays.

• Step 1, transfer from Dublin city centre to Dublin Ferryport by bus or taxi:  An Irish Ferries transfer bus leaves Dublin Heuston station at 07:00 and the Busaras (Dublin's main bus station, near Connolly station) at 07:15, arriving at Dublin Ferryport at 07:30, fare €4 from Heuston or €3 from the Busaras, children aged 4-15 half price, under 4 free, please have exact fare.  Alternatively, take a taxi from central Dublin to Dublin Ferryport, this costs around €15 from any central Dublin hotel to the ferry port & takes about 25 minutes.  Map of Dublin showing ferry terminals & city centre.

• Step 2, sail from Dublin to Holyhead on Irish Ferries luxury superferry Ulysses, leaving Dublin Ferryport terminal 1 daily at 08:05 and arriving Holyhead at 11:30.  The Ulysses is the world's largest car ferry, with excellent on board accommodation including bars, restaurant, cinema, children's play area, free WiFi and even private cabin for an extra charge.  At Holyhead, a courtesy bus transfers you to the ferry passenger terminal at the station.

• Alternatively, there's a competing Stena Line ship, the Stena Adventurer, leaving Dublin Ferryport terminal 2 at 08:20, arriving Holyhead at 11:25, you can book this at www.virgintrains.co.uk by entering 'Dublin Port (Stena)' instead of Dublin Port (Irish Ferries).  The Stena ship has a bus connection from Dublin city centre, leaving at 07:15 from the Morton's bus stop (colour red & white) on Westmoreland Street, outside O'Brien's Sandwich Bar opposite the Westin Hotel, fare €2.50 adult, €1.25 child 4-15.  At Holyhead, a courtesy bus transfers you to the passenger terminal at the station.

• Step 3, travel from Holyhead to London by train.  On Mondays-Fridays, you leave Holyhead at 12:52 on a direct train to London Euston arriving at 16:39.  On Saturdays, you leave Holyhead at 12:38, change in Chester (arrive 14:14, depart 14:35) and arrive London Euston at 16:38.  On Sundays you leave Holyhead at 12:50 on a direct train to London, arriving London Euston at 16:44.  Always use www.nationalrail.co.uk to check train times for your specific date of travel.

• ...or travel to anywhere else in Britain:  Simply use the journey planner at www.virgintrains.co.uk to find ferry & train times from Dublin Ferryport (Irish Ferries) or Dublin Ferryport (Stena) to your chosen British destination via Holyhead.

• How much does it cost?  The fare from Dublin to London is £40 if bought in Britain, assuming you buy it before 18:00 the day before travel, it is £45 at short notice or when the £40 rate sells out.  Bought in Ireland, it's €50.  Children under 16 half price, under 5s free.  The fare to anywhere else in Britain is £40 or less 'advance', £45 or less standard single.  Yes, you can even travel from Dublin to Inverness for £40!  First class fares.  Full details of SailRail fares.

• How to buy tickets:  

  You can buy one-way or round trip tickets in either direction using the normal journey planner at www.virgintrains.co.uk, with no booking fees and no card fees.

  Tickets can be collected at any British station including London Euston free of charge.

  Tickets can be sent to any UK address for £1.

  Tickets can be sent to any address worldwide for £7.50

  Booking tip:  If you only see the 08:45 Swift fast ferry from Dublin to Britain and want the recommended all-weather-reliable 08:05 ship Ulysses, look underneath the search results for Click here to check if slower routes with cheaper fares are available.  On the next page, click to check the cheapest fare, then use the 'earlier' link to find the 08:05.  By all means take the faster 08:45 Swift if you like, but remember that the Ulysses is £5 cheaper, has more facilities and has all-weather rock-steady reliability.  The Swift is faster but can be cancelled if the weather is poor, perhaps 5% of occasions in winter.  Full details of fares & how to buy tickets.

• Buy tickets online in Ireland:  Alternatively, you can buy tickets starting in Ireland from Irish Ferries at www.irishferries.com/ie-en/offers/sail-rail.  Select Dublin Ferryport to London (all stations) or any other British station you like, with an 08:00 departure time.  Tickets can be collected at the Irish Ferries desk at Dublin Ferryport or sent to any address in Ireland or worldwide by normal post at your own risk.  You can add access to the Martello Lounge or a private day cabin to your booking this way, too.  The Irish Ferries website books your ferry and gives an open ticket for the rail part, you can use any suitable train and sit where you like.  Full details of prices & how to buy tickets starting in Ireland.

• You can also buy tickets in Ireland in person or by phone.  Tickets bought in Ireland are all of the walk up type, a reservation is needed and included on the ferry, but no reservation is required on British trains, you can take any suitable connecting train once in Britain.

• If you're starting your journey in Belfast, Cork, Limerick, Galway, Sligo or anywhere else in Ireland, travel up to Dublin by any evening train and stay the night.  Find hostel or hotel in Dublin.  If your train arrives at Heuston station, take the LUAS tram to Connolly station, this runs every 5-10 minutes and takes 15 minutes, fare €1.50 (not included in through tickets).  The tram leaves from right outside the front of the station.  Alternatively, take bus 90.  Map of Dublin showing city centre, railway stations & ferry terminals. 

• Alternatively, a same-day journey is possible from most of Ireland to London if you leave on a morning train to Dublin to connect with the 14:30 Swift from Dublin Ferryport to Holyhead, arriving in London in the evening.  Simply use the journey planner at www.virgintrains.co.uk to find train and ferry times and buy tickets.

Video guide...

Watch the video:  London to Dublin in 5 minutes...

Oh go on then, 6 minutes.  The video shows how easy the London to Dublin train & ferry journey is, and what there is to see on the way.  As you enter Euston Station, pay your respects to the statue of Robert Stephenson, the engineer who built the railway to Holyhead including the Britannia Bridge, it's been the civilised way to Dublin since 1850.  Also see this Irish Ferries video & virtual tour of the Ulysses.

Which ferry to choose?

Take a train to Holyhead, then two different ferry operators sail from Holyhead to Dublin, Irish Ferries & Stena Line.  Both are great companies, both operate conventional ships and Irish Ferries also offer a SeaCat fast ferry called the Swift.  Fares via each company's ships are virtually identical, but if you want to use Irish Ferries Swift fast ferry the fare is £5 more.  Simply book to Dublin Port Stena if you want Stena Line or to Dublin Port (Irish Ferries) if you want Irish Ferries.  Through tickets to Galway, Cork, Limerick and so on are usually routed via Stena Line by default, but you can change this to Irish Ferries when using www.virgintrains.co.uk by clicking More options, selecting Go via then entering Dublin Port (Irish Ferries).

Fast ferry or conventional ship?  The ships are all-weather reliable, rock steady and have a full range of bars, restaurants, lounges, cinema.  The Ulysses has never yet missed a sailing due to weather.  The smaller & lighter Swift fast ferry offers a faster crossing, but it has fewer facilities and is cancelled if wave height exceeds 1 metre, which affects perhaps 5% of sailings, mostly in winter.  If the Swift is cancelled, you'll be transferred onto the next sailing of the Ulysses - or an earlier sailing, if for example you were booked on the 08:45 Swift from Dublin and turned up in time for the 08:05 sailing of the all-weather reliable Ulysses.

Stena Line or Irish Ferries?   Irish Ferries' luxurious cruise ferry Ulysses and Stena Line's Stena Adventurer sail to a very similar schedule, both are great ships with great facilities and all-weather reliability.  The Stena Adventurer will get you to Dublin 20 minutes earlier than the Ulysses off the same 09:10 train connection from London, but in my opinion the Irish Ferries Ulysses is the more glamorous ship, with a genuine cruise ship feel.  Until recently she was the largest car ferry in the world at over 50,000 tons.  Disembarkation in Dublin is quicker & easier with the Ulysses as you simply walk down a passenger gangplank into the terminal, whereas passengers on the Stena Adventurer have to wait to be bussed off the car deck from the ship to the terminal, an operation which erodes much of that 20 minute earlier arrival in Dublin.  The Ulysses is therefore my own preferred option, indeed she is one of my favourite ships serving the UK, but other people prefer the Stena Adventurer.  Why not try one ship out, the other back and make up your own mind?

	OR		OR
1. Irish Ferries ship Ulysses...  A comfortable cruise ferry from Holyhead to Dublin port taking 3h15, reliable in all weathers.  Free WiFi, bars, restaurants, cinema, optional private cabins. Access to the club lounge costs an extra £16 or €18. Take a virtual tour.		2. Irish Ferries fast ferry Swift...  A fast SeaCat from Holyhead to Dublin port, taking 1h50.  Reclining seats & refreshments are available on board.  It can be cancelled if the weather is bad, affecting perhaps 5% of sailings in winter with passengers transferred to the all-weather Ulysses. Take a virtual tour.		3. Stena Line ship from Holyhead to Dublin port.  The Stena Adventurer sails to a similar schedule as Ulysses with second ship Stena Superfast X now also on the route.  Free WiFi.  Access to the Stena Plus Lounge costs an extra £18, paid on board.  Take a virtual tour

* = On Saturday mornings you leave Holyhead 04:25, change Chester, arrive London 09:29.  Or take the direct train leaving Holyhead 06:52, London 10:38.

• Always check times at www.nationalrail.co.uk or www.virgintrains.co.uk, especially at weekends as times can vary due to engineering work.

• You can check ferry times at www.stenaline.co.uk or www.irishferries.com.

• Direct = This train is a direct 125mph Virgin Trains Voyager or Pendolino train between London & Holyhead.

• Crewe = You must change trains at Crewe.    Birmingham = You must change trains at Birmingham New Street.

• ----   = there is no train connection available for this ferry.

• At Holyhead the ferry terminal for both Stena Line & Irish Ferries is right next to the station at the end of platform 2.  After checking in, passengers for the Ulysses and Stena Adventurer are transferred by free courtesy bus across the port area to the ferry, as the ships berth a little way from the terminal.  There is a 30 minute check-in for Irish Ferries or 40 minutes for Stena Line, and your bags are checked in for the crossing.  A left luggage office is available at Holyhead, and the town centre is just 5 minutes walk across a footbridge if you have time for a wander.

• Dublin Ferryport is 2 miles from Dublin city centre.  Transfer buses meet all Irish Ferries arrivals and take passengers to the Busaras (main bus station) in Dublin city centre and Dublin Heuston station, for trains to Cork, Limerick, Galway, Waterford (although the bus meeting the evening Swift arrival doesn't go to Heuston, only to the Busaras).  The Busaras is 2 minutes walk from Dublin's Connolly station for trains to Belfast, Wicklow & Sligo.  The transfer bus costs €3 to the Busaras, €4 to Heuston, children half price, you simply pay the driver on the bus, but please have the exact fare.  Buses also operate from Heuston and the Busaras to meet Irish Ferries departures, you'll find the bus times at www.irishferries.com.  There are also buses connecting with Stena Line arrivals and departures, charging similar prices.  A taxi from Dublin port to central Dublin will cost €15 to most central area hotels or Dublin Connolly station, about €17 to Dublin Heuston station, journey time about 25 minutes.

• Map of Dublin showing ferry terminals, railway stations & city centre.

About these SailRail fares...

• What do SailRail fares cover?  SailRail fares cover the train to Holyhead and the ferry to Ireland, all on one ticket for one inclusive price.  Tickets to Irish destinations beyond Dublin also cover the Irish train.

• Making a return journey?  There are no return fares, only one-way fares, so a return journey = two one-way fares.  If you're not sure when you will return, I recommend only buying your outward ticket, then buying a ticket back from Dublin online at www.irishferries.com/ie-en/offers/sail-rail/ when you know the date, collecting this ticket at Dublin Ferryport.

• Children:  Children under 5 go free, children under 16 go for half the prices shown above.  No railcard discounts.  Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.  Unaccompanied children 16-17 years old must have written authority to travel from their parent or guardian.  Children under 5 go free, but they need a reservation for the ferry.

• Does the price vary?  Can tickets sell out?  Booking opens between 9 & 12 weeks in advance.  There are two price levels, SailRail Advance (London-Dublin £40 by train & ship, £45 by train & fast ferry) and SailRail Single (London-Dublin £45 by train & ship, £50 by train & fast ferry).  The Single price is always available even on the day of travel (assuming the quota of ferry places placed on the rail industry reservation system hasn't run out), the SailRail Advance price is usually available if you book in advance, although it's sometimes sold out or unavailable so only the SailRail Single price appears.  Note that in practice the rail industry reservation system has a limited quota of ferry places allocated to it, which can sell out at busy times such as around Christmas or Easter, even at the SailRail Single fare, so advance booking is a good idea.  Cost of SailRail tickets if bought in euros in Ireland.

• Railcard discounts:  As they are so cheap anyway, there is no Railcard discount on SailRail fares.

• Stopovers:  Stopovers at stations in Britain are not allowed using any SailRail ticket, other than to make connections.  If you want to stop off anywhere, you'll need to buy separate tickets.

• Buses to Dublin city centre:  The transfer bus from Dublin Ferryport costs €3 to the Busaras in the City Centre (for Connolly station) or €4 to Heuston station, children aged 4-15 half price, under 4 free, which you simply pay on board the bus.

• Better value than flying:  When comparing with the cost of a flight, remember that it will cost around £19 one-way or £32 return just for the train ride from central London to or from Heathrow, Luton, Stansted or Gatwick airports, in addition to the air fare.  And remember the airline baggage fees, check-in fees, and so on...  And these SailRail fares are available at short notice and peak times, too, when flights are expensive!

• First class travel...  There are no first class SailRail fares, but if you want first class comfort on your journey to Ireland it's easy to buy an advance-purchase train ticket between London & Holyhead and a separate ferry ticket to Dublin, see the London to Dublin first class section below.

• You can check fares to Dublin & Ireland using the journey planner at www.virgintrains.co.uk.

• Other Irish destinations:  Ireland's rail stations are zoned 1-3, with Cork, Limerick, Galway and Sligo all in zone 3, at the prices shown above.  Fares to (say) Wicklow or Athlone will be more than to Dublin, less than to Cork.

FAQ:  Luggage, bikes, pets...

• Are there any baggage limits or baggage fees?  Do I check my bags in?  Are there left luggage lockers?  There are no baggage weight limits or baggage fees to worry about, as long as you don't take the Mickey.  You simply take your bags with you on the train, placing them on the luggage racks above your head or at the end of the coach.  You check bags in at the ferry terminal so you're free to use the ferry's facilities without being encumbered with luggage, then you collect your bags again from the carousel at the ferry terminal on the other side of the water.  There are left luggage lockers at London Euston (see here for details), at Holyhead and at Dublin Heuston station, but not at Dublin Connolly.

• Is the ferry affected by bad weather?  Can it get rough?  I have always found the huge 50,000 ton Ulysses to be rock steady under most conditions, even in the depths of winter.  And in ten years of service she hasn't missed a single sailing due to weather - or for that matter, volcanic ash, which is more than can be said for the planes.  The Ulysses always gets through!  If you use the smaller, faster Swift SeaCat, this can be cancelled if the weather is poor, especially in winter, when perhaps 5% of sailings are cancelled.  If it's cancelled you'll simply be transferred to the next sailing of the Ulysses (if you turn up early for the 08:45 Swift, then if you find it's cancelled, you may get onto the 08:05 sailing of the all-weather Ulysses).

• Can I take my bike?  Yes.  Bicycles go for £9 each way on Irish Ferries, £10 on Stena Line.  Pre-booking is recommended for Irish Ferries, email them at info@irishferries.com for details.  Bikes are carried free on trains to Holyhead, but a bike reservation is compulsory on Virgin Trains as there's a 3-bike limit and recommended for Arriva Trains Wales who have a 2-bike limit.

• Can I take my dog or cat?  Dogs go free on British & Irish trains.  For the ferry part of the journey, Stena Line & Irish Ferries allow foot passengers to take small dogs or cats if they're in a container which you can carry onto the ferry.  The dogs or cats must travel in their container on the car deck or in the kennel area, see www.irishferries.com/pets or www.stenaline.co.uk/ferry/faqs/travelling-with-pets/can-i-take-my-pet-to-ireland-or-britain-with-me for details.  On Stena Line, you can also bring a larger dog not in a container, placing your dog in a kennel on the car deck - this is free on the Holyhead-Dublin route, but best to call Stena to check there's a kennel free first.  Guide dogs can be taken into the passengers areas, other dogs cannot.

• Can I stop off?  You aren't allowed to break your journey (in other words, stop off) with a SailRail ticket, other than to make connections between trains or train and ferry.  So if you want to stop off at 'X', you'll need to buy buy a regular ticket from London to 'X' using (say) www.virgintrains.co.uk, then a SailRail ticket from 'X' to Dublin using either www.virgintrains.co.uk or the booking form above.

How to buy SailRail tickets

  How to buy SailRail tickets in Britain:  www.virgintrains.co.uk.

• Buy SailRail tickets online at www.virgintrains.co.uk:  You can buy tickets from London or any station in Britain to Dublin or any rail station in Ireland, one-way or round trip in either direction.  Just use the regular journey planner.

• Which 'Dublin' to use?  Enter 'Dublin Port (Irish Ferries)' as your destination for journeys to Dublin using Irish Ferries ship Ulysses or their Swift fast ferry.  Enter 'Dublin Port (Stena)' for journeys to Dublin using a Stena Line ship.  Or enter the name of any Irish rail station as destination, including Cork, Galway, Limerick, Sligo, Killarney or Tralee.

• You can now choose an exact seat on Virgin Trains between London & Holyhead if you book at virgintrains.co.uk, after the payment stage.  For the best views, choose a seat on the right hand side going to Dublin, or the left hand side going to London.

• Ticket delivery:  Tickets can be collected at any British station including London Euston free of charge.

  Tickets can be sent to any UK address for £1.

  Tickets can be sent to any address worldwide for around £7.50

  They cannot be collected at any station or port in Ireland.

• Booking tip for booking the recommended 08:05 departure from Dublin back to Britain:  If you only see the 08:45 Swift fast ferry from Dublin to Britain and want the recommended all-weather-reliable 08:05 ship Ulysses, look underneath the search results for Click here to check if slower routes with cheaper fares are available.  On the next page, click to check the cheapest fare, then use the 'earlier' link to find the 08:05.  By all means take the faster 08:45 Swift if you like, but remember that the Ulysses is £5 cheaper, has more facilities and has all-weather rock-steady reliability.  The Swift is faster but can be cancelled if the weather is poor, perhaps 5% of occasions in winter.  Alternatively, you can book the 08:05 from Dublin to London as a one-way journey at www.irishferries.com/ie-en/offers/sail-rail/ and select the option to collect tickets at Dublin Ferryport.

• Booking tips when travelling to Cork, Limerick, Galway and so on:  Tip 1, the system normally routes you via Stena Line by default.  To travel via Irish Ferries superb ship Ulysses instead, click More options, select Go via and enter Dublin Port (Irish Ferries).  It'll now route you via Irish Ferries.  Tip 2, there are times when it's better to split the booking, for example if you want an overnight stop in Dublin.  You can book a SailRail ticket between London & Dublin using the booking form above, then add a separate ticket between Dublin and Cork, Limerick, Galway and so on using www.irishrail.ie.  Indeed, with advance-purchase web fares from just €10, this can actually be slightly cheaper, although less flexible, and in the westbound direction a missed train means you'd have to buy another ticket.

• Alternatively, book online at www.loco2.com: If the Virgin Trains system doesn't suit you, try www.loco2.com as it's a really pleasant website to use which can also sell tickets between any station in Britain and any station in Ireland.  Tickets can be collected at any station in Britain with a ticket machine although tickets cannot be posted or collected in Ireland. 

• Or try www.stenaline.co.uk:  You can buy tickets to Dublin from London, Birmingham, Manchester or Liverpool online at the Stena Line website www.stenaline.co.uk.  However, Stena Line can only send tickets to UK addresses, they can't be collected at stations or sent to Ireland, and only a few cities are covered, not any station in Britain.

• Buy SailRail tickets by phone:  You can buy tickets by phone from the SailRail booking line, 08709 000 773 (UK callers only).  Lines are open 08:00-20:00 Mondays-Fridays, 09:00-17:00 Saturdays & Sundays. Remember to ask for tickets routed either Stena Line or Irish Ferries depending on which service you want in which direction.  You can also buy tickets via Stena Line from Stena themselves, 08445 762 762.

• Buy SailRail tickets in person:  You can buy these train+ferry SailRail tickets at most main British railway stations, even on the day of travel.  This includes London Euston.  But allow plenty of time to buy your ticket, and be aware that small stations (ones without the capability to do seat reservations) may not sell these tickets.  It's better to buy tickets a day or two before if you can.

  How to buy SailRail tickets in Ireland:  Book online at www.irishferries.com. 

• Buy SailRail tickets online at www.irishferries.com/ie-en/offers/sail-rail/:  Irish Ferries have launched online booking for one-way or return SailRail tickets starting in Ireland, from any rail station in Ireland to any rail station in Britain via Holyhead (but read the paragraph below first!).  Tickets can be collected at the Irish Ferries desk at Dublin Ferryport (useful if you're from overseas) or can be sent by registered post to Irish addresses or by normal post (at your own risk) to any address worldwide.

• Tips for using www.irishferries.com/ie-en/offers/sail-rail/:  The SailRail online booking form is top left.  For travel to London, select 'London (all stations)'.  The departure & arrival times it gives you are for the ferry between Dublin & Holyhead, not for your whole journey, as the system is not programmed with any train times, just the ferry times.  So you'll need to look up train times separately, either by looking at the Dublin-London timetables on this page, or by looking up Irish trains at www.irishrail.ie and British trains at www.nationalrail.co.uk. Tickets are valid on any suitable connecting train without restriction.  Remember to allow at least 40 minutes check-in for the ferry at Dublin Ferryport outward and at Holyhead on the return, plus plenty of time for transfers between Dublin Ferryport and Dublin's Connolly or Heuston stations.  Obviously, this system will only book SailRail via Irish Ferries to Holyhead, not journeys via Stena Line.  Top tip:  It's well worth the extra €18 to upgrade to Club Class with a special lounge, complimentary tea, coffee, red & white wine and canapιs!  You can do this online when you book, or pay the extra on board the ferry.

• Alternatively, buy from Virgin Trains:  You can buy tickets online at the UK prices at the Virgin Trains website www.virgintrains.co.uk, with tickets sent to any UK address for £1 or to any address worldwide including Ireland, the USA, Australia and so on for around £7.50.

• Buy SailRail tickets in person at Dublin Connolly station at the main ticket window, which sells SailRail tickets 09:45-12:30 & 14:30-16:30 Mon-Sat, 11:30-15:30 Sundays & holidays (see photo on the right) or at these Irish Rail stations:  Athlone, Ballina, Claremorris, Dublin Connolly, Dundalk, Drogheda, Ennis, Galway, Longford, Mallow, Cork, Tralee, Killarney, Waterford, Limerick, Limerick Junction, Sligo, Thurles, Tullamore, Westport.  They can sell train & ferry SailRail tickets from any Irish station to any British station.  SailRail tickets now cost €6 more if bought on the day of travel.

• Buy SailRail tickets by phone:  Call Irish Railways on 1850  366222 (lines open 09:00-17:00 Monday-Friday) (from outside Ireland call 00 353 1850 366222) or call Irish Ferries on 0818 300 400 (lines open 09:00-19:00 Mondays-Fridays, 09:00-16:00 Saturdays, if calling from Northern Ireland or anywhere outside the Republic of Ireland, dial +353 818 300 400) or call Stena Line on (01) 204 7777.

• Buy ticket by e-mail:  to Irish Rail via sailrail@irishrail.ie or to Irish Ferries at sailrail@irishferries.com.

• Cost of SailRail tickets bought in Ireland:  Bought at least one day before travel, Dublin to London costs €50 (ship) or €56 (Swift fast ferry), Dublin to Birmingham or Leeds costs €45 (ship) or €51 (Swift fast ferry), Dublin to Liverpool or Manchester costs €44 (ship) or €50 (Swift fast ferry).  Cork, Limerick or Galway to London costs €70 by ship or €76 by Swift fast ferry.  Tickets bought on the day of travel will cost €6 more.  Fares in euros for tickets bought in Ireland can be found using the journey planner at www.irishferries.com.   Note that tickets bought in Ireland are all of the walk up type, a reservation is needed (and included) on the ferry, but no seat reservation is required on British trains, you can take any suitable connecting train you like once in Britain, although no stopovers are allowed.

       How to buy SailRail tickets if you live overseas...

• If your journey starts in Britain, simply buy a one-way or return ticket from London or any rail station in Britain to Dublin or any rail station in Ireland at www.virgintrains.co.uk.  Overseas credit cards are accepted.  They'll send tickets overseas for £7.50 but it's cheaper to collect tickets from the self-service ticket machines located at most major British stations, including London Euston, but not in Dublin, which is of course not a British station (do I have to spell it out?!).  If you have any problems buying tickets online, you can simply wait till you get to the UK and buy your ticket at the station.  Remember, SailRail fares are fixed-price so there's no need to book way ahead to get the cheap fare, although there's a finite allocation of ferry places held on the rail industry reservation system which can in theory run out, so it's better to book them in advance, at least a day or two beforehand, not five minutes before the train leaves!

• If your journey starts in Ireland, you can buy tickets at www.virgintrains.co.uk and have them sent to you for around £7.50,  Alternatively, you can buy tickets online at www.irishferries.com (but it's a good idea to read the booking tips here first!).  Tickets can be collected at the Irish Ferries desk at Dublin Ferryport, or posted (by normal unregistered post, at your own risk) to any address worldwide.  Alternatively, you can wait till you get to Ireland and simply buy a SailRail ticket from Dublin to London at the ticket office at Dublin's Connolly station, see the photo above.  SailRail fares are fixed-price so there's no need to book way ahead to get the best fare, it's the same price even bought on the day of departure.  However, there's a finite allocation of ferry places loaded onto the rail industry reservation system which can in theory run out, so it's better to book tickets in advance, or at least a day or two beforehand, not five minutes before the train leaves!

Introducing Irish Ferries' Ulysses:    Take the virtual tour...

Irish Ferries' huge 50,000 ton Ulysses was once the largest car ferry in the world (a title now with Stena Line's new 63,000 ton Stena Hollandica and Stena Britannica on the Harwich-Hoek van Holland route), and she's perhaps the most luxurious ferry on the Irish Sea.  She's all-weather (and all-volcanic ash!) reliable, as in ten years of service she hasn't missed a single sailing due to weather.  More than can be said for the planes!  She's rock stead under most conditions, and a pleasure to travel on.  Since 2012 she also features free WiFi...

Irish Ferries' superb cruise ferry Ulysses from Holyhead to Dublin...		A private cabin aboard the Ulysses.		The luxurious 50,000-ton Ulysses is the world's biggest car ferry...

You too could be on board the Ulysses, travelling from Dublin to London by luxurious superferry & inter-city train in a relaxed way, no airports or flights, for just £36 or €50!

London to Dublin in first class...

	A first class table for two on a Virgin Trains Pendolino.  Book a first class ticket to Holyhead on the 09:10 at www.virgintrains.co.uk. A cooked breakfast is served at your seat on weekdays, included in the fare...
	Complimentary wine & canapιs, tea & coffee in the Martello Club lounge on the cruise ferry Ulysses as the coast of Ireland approaches...  Book the 14:10 ferry from Holyhead to Dublin with Club lounge included at www.irishferries.com.

First class from £165...   "Ryanair eat my shorts..."

London to Dublin starts at around £165 one-way in first class comfort, with a complimentary cooked breakfast served at your seat on the morning Virgin Trains departure to Holyhead and a seat in the Martello Club lounge on the cruise ferry Ulysses with complimentary red or white wine and canapιs, with great views of the coast or Ireland slowly approaching.  You can't buy first class SailRail fares, but you can easily book a first class journey from London to Dublin using separate train and ferry tickets bought direct from Virgin Trains and Irish ferries...

London ► Dublin, first class...   

• Step 1, travel first class on Virgin Trains from London to Holyhead, leaving London Euston at 09:10 Monday-Saturday, arriving Holyhead 12:50.  This is a modern air-conditioned 125 mph Virgin Voyager train.

• In first class you can select an intimate table for two with two armchairs facing each other across a table with table lamp.  Or choose a solo seat or table for four.  In first class it's quiet, civilised and relaxed - Whenever I've travelled, the first class on this train has been virtually empty, you may have it to yourselves!

• On weekdays a complimentary cooked breakfast is served at your seat by the steward or stewardess, perhaps egg, bacon and sausage or scrambled egg and smoked salmon.  There's cereal or even porridge, and toast.

• Step 2, sail from Holyhead to Dublin by luxury superferry, leaving Holyhead at 14:10 daily on Irish Ferries cruise ferry Ulysses across the Irish Sea, arriving Dublin Ferryport at 17:25.

• In the ferry's quiet and relaxed Martello Club lounge located over the ship's bridge, you get a fantastic forward view of the coast of Ireland approaching, while you enjoy complimentary red or white wine, tea, coffee, juice, and canapιs of smoke salmon or cheese and biscuits.  There's also free WiFi.  Or you can book a private cabin with beds, shower and toilet.

• Transfer from Dublin Ferryport to your Dublin hotel by taxi, this costs around €15.

Dublin ► London, first class...  

• Transfer from your hotel to Dublin Ferryport Terminal 1 by taxi, this costs around €15.  Remember to allow for the check-in for the ferry.

• Sail from Dublin Ferryport to Holyhead on Irish Ferries luxurious superferry Ulysses, leaving Dublin Ferryport terminal 1 daily at 08:05 and arriving Holyhead at 11:30.  The Ulysses is the world's largest car ferry.

• In the quiet and relaxed Martello Club lounge located over the top of the ship's bridge, you get a fantastic forward view of the Welsh coast approaching, while you enjoy the complimentary red or white wine, tea, coffee, juice, and canapιs of smoke salmon or cheese and biscuits.  There's also free WiFi.  Or you can book a private cabin with beds, shower and toilet.  At Holyhead, a courtesy bus transfers you to the passenger terminal and station.

• Travel by train from Holyhead to London.  Complimentary snacks and wine are served in Virgin Trains first class.  On Mondays-Fridays, a direct train leaves Holyhead at 13:58 arriving London Euston at 17:38 (there's in fact an earlier connection, but with a change).  On Saturdays, you leave Holyhead at 12:38, change in Chester (arrive 14:14, depart 14:35) and arrive London Euston at 16:38.  On Sundays you leave Holyhead at 12:50 on a direct train to London, arriving London Euston at 16:44.

How much does it cost?

• London to Holyhead first class in theory starts at just £58 if you book in advance.  However, in reality the cheapest first class Advance fare I have yet found for the 09:10 departure connecting with the ferry is £120, so in fairness I'm taking that as my 'from' price.  At weekends it's often cheaper to buy a standard class off-peak ticket from London to Holyhead for £85 at www.virgintrains.co.uk, then upgrade to first class for £15, paid to the staff on board.

• Holyhead to Dublin by Irish Ferries ship Ulysses costs £29 plus £16 supplement for access to the Martello Club lounge.

How to buy tickets...

• Simply book the 09:10 Mondays-Saturdays train from London Euston to Holyhead online at www.virgintrains.co.uk, looking for a first class Advance fare.  Booking normally opens 12 weeks ahead, book early for the best fares.  If you only see the £237 Anytime full-price fare, it's possible that reservations haven't opened yet (as the Anytime fare isn't tied to a reservation, but Advance fares are).

• Then book the daily 14:10 ferry from Holyhead to Dublin and/or the 08:05 ferry from Dublin to Holyhead at www.irishferries.com.  Make sure you add a seat in the Martello Club lounge or indeed a private cabin to your booking when prompted.

• Feedback if you travel this way is always appreciated!

A few tips...

• Travel on Mondays-Fridays:  First class on a direct Virgin Trains service between London and Holyhead includes complimentary meals, snacks & drinks on Mondays-Fridays, according to time of day.  At weekends there is no cooked food, only a pre-packed breakfast box and complimentary tea & coffee, so make sure you travel on a weekday for the full benefit of first class.

• Take a direct London-Holyhead train:  The direct trains between London and Holyhead are operated by Virgin Trains so have first class complimentary at-seat food and drink service for the whole journey.  If you travel between London & Holyhead with a change of trains at (say) Crewe, the train between London and Crewe will be Virgin Trains with complimentary food & drink, but the train between Crewe and Holyhead will be Arriva Trains Wales who do not provide complimentary food or drink.  So take a direct London-Holyhead or Holyhead-London train to get the full benefit of first class.  Which is why I don't mention Sundays from London to Holyhead & Dublin in this section, even though you can travel on Sundays.

There is a regular fully-integrated train & ferry service from London, Bristol & Cardiff to Rosslare in Southern Ireland via Fishguard.  Rosslare is handy for Wexford & Waterford.  Special train & ferry SailRail tickets are sold from any British railway station to Rosslare Harbour or any Irish station via this route, just use the regular journey planner at www.virgintrains.co.uk to buy a ticket to Rosslare Harbour or any Irish station (it can help to click 'advanced options' and put 'Fishguard Harbour' in the 'via' box).  If you're heading for Cork, Limerick and so on, you're better off travelling via Holyhead & Dublin, see here.  London-Dublin journeys are best made via Holyhead, see here.

You usually need to change trains to reach Fishguard, either at Cardiff or Swansea.  The online system will tell you where to change, as it varies.

* = by bus, not train.  SailRail tickets not valid, separate ticket needed for the bus.

** = There was an 18:35 Rosslare to Dublin, then it was 17:55 so missed the ferry connection. Irish rail keep changing their minds, check yourself at www.irishrail.ie.

No service on 25 & 26 December.  Always check UK train times for your date of travel at www.nationalrail.co.uk, as engineering work can affect train times especially at weekends.

Rosslare Europort is linked by train to Wexford, Wicklow & Dublin.  They've rather stupidly moved the platform away from the ferry terminal, and it's now a 5 minute walk from the terminal building.  Check Irish train times at www.irishrail.ie.  Rosslare to Wexford & Dublin buses are operated by Bus Ιireann, check times & fares at www.buseireann.ie.

The Waterford connection:  Sadly, the Rosslare-Waterford railway was closed in September 2010, and is now the missing link in the Irish rail network.  You unfortunately now need to travel by bus.  Arriving at Rosslare Europort on the afternoon ferry, a bus leaves from outside Rosslare ferry terminal doors at 19:00 daily, arriving Waterford 20:20.  Arriving at Rosslare on the overnight ferry, a bus leaves from outside Rosslare ferry terminal doors at 07:00 on Mondays-Saturdays or 07:15 on Sundays, arriving at Waterford bus station at 08:45.  In the other direction, a bus leaves Waterford bus station at 07:00 daily, arriving Rosslare Europort ferry terminal at 08:25, in time for the 09:00 ferry.  In the evening, a bus leaves Waterford bus station at 17:30 Mondays-Saturdays arriving Rosslare Europort ferry terminal at 19:10, or 16:30 on Sundays, change at Wexford, arriving Rosslare 18:20, in good time for the 21:00 ferry.  Please check these bus times at www.buseireann.ie.

Check the fare from any British station to Rosslare using the journey planner at www.virgintrains.co.uk.

Advance fare =  Sail Rail Advance = the fare you would normally want to buy.  Tickets must be booked by 18:00 the day before you travel.  The fares shown above are not 'starting at...' prices, but are fixed prices that are almost always available at the price shown, even the day before departure.  The ticket includes a reservation on the ferry and on any British trains on which seat reservation is possible.  You can only travel on the specific train or trains which have been reserved for you, not on alternative trains or routes, unless a delayed ferry means you miss a scheduled connection.  No stopovers allowed.  On trains on which seat reservation is not possible, meaning local or suburban trains, you can take any suitable train.  Tickets are non-refundable, but changes to date or time can be made for a fee (about £10) in person at British railway stations but not in Ireland or by phone.

Single fare = Sail Rail Single = the fare you pay if you buy a ticket on the day of travel.  Also known as Standby.  A reservation is required on the ferry, but seat reservation on trains is optional and you can use any train and any permitted rail route to and from the ferry port.  However, no stopovers are allowed except as necessary to make connections.  You can buy a Single fare in advance if you like, but the only reason you'd want one is if you wanted the flexibility to take alternative trains or routes on the way to or from the ferry port from those that the system offers you.  Refunds allowed less a £15-£20 admin fee.

About these SailRail fares..

• The fare includes the train to Fishguard and the ferry to Rosslare, all on one ticket for one inclusive price.

• If you book through to Wexford or Dublin or any other Irish station, it also includes the Irish train.  SailRail tickets do not cover buses, so if you want to use a bus, for example the Rosslare-Waterford bus, book a SailRail ticket as far as Rosslare and buy a separate ticket for the bus when you get to Rosslare.

• The fares are fixed price, it's the same price whether you buy 90 days in advance or just one day ahead, summer or winter, mid-week or Fridays.  These fares are not a limited availability offer, they are always available.  However, the Single fare now applies if you buy a ticket on the day of travel.  Just remember that in practice the rail industry reservation system has a quota of ferry places allocated to it, which can in theory sell out at busy times, so advance booking is a good idea.

• Return journey = two one-way fares.

• Stopovers are not allowed.

• Railcard holders:  There's no further discount for railcard holders, as they're so cheap anyway.

• Children 5 to 15 travel at 50% off these fares, under 5s free.

• Travelling beyond Rosslare?  SailRail tickets to Irish stations beyond Rosslare were stopped, but were reinstated in 2013.  So you can now book through from any British station via Rosslare to any Irish station.  However, check your connection by train is possible, for example there's no train service between Rosslare and Waterford, only buses, and SailRail tickets aren't valid on buses.

• Taking a bicycle?  Bikes go for £10 each way on Stena Line, no reservation required.  Bikes are carried free on trains to Fishguard, but reservations are recommended as there's a 2 bike limit on Arriva Trains Wales and a 6 bike limit on First Great Western.  Call First Great Western to book your bike on the train.

How to buy tickets in Britain...

• Buy online, using the regular journey planner at www.virgintrains.co.uk.  Simply book from any British starting station you like to 'Rosslare Harbour'.  This will book combined train & ferry tickets from London or any other station in Britain to Rosslare harbour, no booking fees, no card fees.  Onward tickets from Rosslare to Wexford, Waterford etc. should be bought on board the bus or train when you get to Rosslare.

• Buy in person at most UK railway stations.

• Buy tickets by phone, calling the SailRail booking line 0870 9 000 773 (+44 870 9 000 773 from outside the UK).  Lines are open 08:00-20:00 Mondays-Fridays, 09:00-17:00 Saturdays & Sundays.  You can also book by calling Stena Line on 08445 762 762.  Lines are open 08:30-20:00 Mondays-Fridays, 09:00-18:00 Saturdays & 09:00-17:00 on Sundays.

• Onward tickets from Rosslare to Wexford, Waterford, Wicklow or Dublin can be bought when you arrive at Rosslare.  Rosslare station has no ticket office, so you can buy on board the train.

How to buy tickets in Ireland...

If you're in Ireland, you can buy train+ferry tickets by calling (01) 703 1884 (lines open 09:00-17:00 Monday-Friday) or by visiting a major Irish Rail station.

The civilised way to Ireland:  London to Rosslare for only £40...

Take a 125mph high-speed train from London Paddington station to Cardiff.  There's a buffet-bar on board.  You'll pass the Uffington White Horse and travel through Isambard Kingdom Brunel's Severn Railway Tunnel into South Wales.				...Transfer to a local train for the last leg to Fishguard Harbour.  A refreshment trolley is available.

At Fishguard, the little 2-car train arrives right alongside the Stena Line ferry Stena Europe for Rosslare.  It couldn't be simpler.  The ferry has bars, restaurants, lounges & family areas, also private cabins.		Top tip:  For £18 extra paid on board, relax in the Stena Plus VIP lounge with complimentary red & white wine, tea, coffee, snacks, free newspapers & WiFi...
See the video:  Crossing from Fishguard to Rosslare aboard the Stena Europe

Where does Ireland's rail network go?

Trains are a pleasant and relaxing way to get around Ireland.  As you'd expect, most rail lines radiate out of Dublin, see Irish Rail's map of the Irish rail network, the route map above or you can buy a Britain & Ireland rail map.  New air-conditioned intercity trains are being introduced as part of a massive investment programme, and frequencies are being increased.  Dublin to Cork and Limerick will soon become hourly throughout the day, and trains will run every 2 hours on routes to Galway, Sligo, Waterford, Wexford.

• Trains run from Dublin Heuston Station to Limerick (2 hour 45 min), Cork (2 hours 50 min, change at Cork for Cobh), Killarney, Tralee, Galway (2 hours 45 min), Kilkenny, Waterford.

• Trains run from Dublin Connolly Station to Belfast (2 hours), Sligo (3 hours), Dun Laoghaire, Bray, Wicklow, Wexford and Rosslare.

How to check Irish train times & fares, and how to buy tickets:  www.irishrail.ie

To check Irish train times & fares, see the Irish Railways website, www.irishrail.ie.  It's easy enough to buy tickets at the station as seat reservations are never compulsory, but to save a few euros you can buy cheap tickets in advance online at www.irishrail.ie, collecting them at the self-service ticket machine at all main stations.  You can Irish rail enquiries are on (within Ireland) 01 836 6222 or (calling from outside Ireland) 00 353 1 836 6222.

What are the trains like?  Dublin to Cork InterCity trains... These smart modern trains operate the Dublin-Cork route.  The full Irish breakfast on morning trains from Dublin is as good a breakfast as you'll have on any train  anywhere!  Free WiFi:  Most Dublin-Cork trains now have free WiFi.
InterCity to Cork:  An InterCity express train to Cork waits to leave Dublin's Heuston station...		Dublin-Cork 1st class:  First class seats on a modern air-conditioned train from Dublin to Cork...

Dublin-Cork 2nd class:  2nd class seats on an air-conditioned Dublin to Cork train.  Better than any bus!		Ticket machines:  You can buy cheap tickets at www.irishrail.ie & collect them from these machines.

InterCity railcars from Dublin to Galway, Waterford, Sligo, Wexford, Limerick, Rosslare...

These smart modern air-conditioned railcars are the new face of Irish Railways.  They were introduced in 2008 onto all intercity routes from Dublin, other than the Dublin-Belfast and Dublin-Cork routes.

Which station in Dublin? Heuston station is the station serving Cork, Limerick, Galway, Kilkenny, Waterford, Tralee, Westport & Ballina.  Connolly station is the one for Belfast, Sligo, Wicklow, Wexford, Dun Laoghaire & Rosslare...
Dublin's Heuston station, showing the new LUAS tram (www.luas.ie) which links it to the city centre & to Dublin's other main station, Dublin Connolly.		Inside Dublin Heuston station, looking towards the tracks.

Dublin to Belfast on the Enterprise...   Watch the video Modern air-conditioned Enterprise trains link Dublin & Belfast approximately every 2 hours or better, journey time around 2 hours, see the video guide here.  You can buy cheap tickets from around €14.99 each way if you book online in advance, you should buy one-way or return tickets starting in Dublin at www.irishrail.ie and one-way or return tickets starting in Belfast at www.translink.co.uk.  For travel between Belfast and Britain via Liverpool or Cairnryan, see the Northern Ireland page. Travel tip 1:  Belfast's Great Victoria Street station is often more convenient than Belfast Central, as it's next to the main bus station and the excellent Europa Hotel, and just across the road from the equally excellent National Trust-owned Crown Bar.  If you hold a ticket for the Enterprise between Belfast Central & Dublin, you are entitled to a free transfer by regular local train between Belfast Central and Belfast Great Victoria Street. Travel tip 2:  On board the Enterprise, I recommend a seat on the left hand side going south to Dublin, right hand side going north to Belfast, for the sea views north of Dublin.
An Enterprise train from Dublin to Belfast...		Standard class seating on the Enterprise...

First class seating on the Enterprise...		Buffet car on the Enterprise...

Dublin City Tours by Open Top Bus

Buy a ticket for the Dublin hop-on, hop-off Open Top Bus...

City Sightseeing's red-and-yellow open top tour buses are now a familiar site in 100 major cities on 6 continents, and they do a good hop-on, hop-off tour bus ticket for Dublin.  I find the bus tour a good way to orientate myself in a city, returning to explore in more depth later.  It's also less wearing on the feet, especially with kids!

Buy your tour tickets online before you go, redeemable on any day you like within 3 months of buying it, see www.city-sightseeing.com.

	Railtours Ireland:  Intercity train from Dublin to Limerick, Cork, Galway or Belfast, then motorcoach to the sights...
	The Cliffs of Moher, western Ireland...
	Kissing the Blarney Stone, on the upper battlements at Blarney Castle, southern Ireland, supposedly giving you the gift of eloquence...

If you want to kiss the Blarney Stone, drive the Ring of Kerry or walk on the Giant's Causeway as a stress-free day trip from Dublin, Railtours Ireland (www.railtoursireland.com) deserves a special mention.  They run daily tours from Dublin using a unique concept that makes the famous sights & scenery of remote western & northern Ireland accessible as a day trip.  Working closely with Iarnrod Eireann (Irish Railways),

• you are whisked from central Dublin to Limerick, Galway, Cork or Belfast by comfortable air-conditioned intercity train, leaving around 7:00-7:30 am...

• A motorcoach meets the train and takes you on a guided tour into the countryside.

• The range of tours includes kissing the Blarney Stone at Blarney Castle, driving around the Ring of Kerry, or to see the Giant's Causeway, or to Bunratty Castle and the Cliffs of Moher, and more...  There's stops for lunch & photographs;

• In the early evening the coach takes you back to the station and puts you on a fast intercity train back to Dublin, arriving (depending on the tour) 8:00-10:15 pm.

Prices are pretty good, for example the 1 day tour to Cork, the Blarney Stone & the Queenstown Story at Cobh costs €109 (£87) including the train ride from Dublin, and the 1 day tour to Belfast and the Giant's Causeway, or the Ring of Kerry are the same price.  As well as these day trips, they also run 2-6 day tours.  They've been operating for 10 years now, and get great reports. 

You can book online at www.railtoursireland.com, or by phone.  Please mention seat61.com when booking.

Top tip:  There's a full cooked breakfast available in the restaurant car of some of the Irish Rail intercity trains they use out of Dublin, costing around €16 (£13).  It's as good a cooked breakfast as you'll have on any regular scheduled train, so treat yourself!

Short breaks to Ireland without flying

London to Dublin tour, by train & ferry...

All short breaks from the UK to Ireland involve flights, don't they?  No they don't!  In 2008 Railtours Ireland  started running short breaks to Ireland using eco-friendly train & ferry to Dublin, with the option to add one-day tours to kiss the Blarney Stone, the Ring of Kerry, or visiting the Giant's causeway out of your Dublin base.  No airport hassles, no ugly motorways.  They've now been joined by train holiday specialist Railbookers who have also started offering short breaks to Dublin by train & ferry.  Both companies come highly recommended.

• Railbookers (www.railbookers.co.uk) can tailor-make a 2-night or 3-night short break from anywhere in Britain to Dublin for you, starting on virtually any day or date you like, with train and ferry travel from anywhere in Britain to Dublin then 2 or 3 nights in the 4-star Ashling Hotel in Dublin.  See www.railbookers.co.uk or call 020 3327 0761.

• Railtours Ireland (www.railtoursireland.com) run a tour leave London every weekday from March to October, using the 09:10 Virgin Trains departure direct from London Euston station to Holyhead via the scenic North Wales coastline. At Holyhead you board the Irish Ferries cruise ferry 'Ulysses' and sail across the Irish Sea to Dublin Ferryport, arriving at 5.25pm, just as I recommend above.  It's the scenic & painless way to reach Ireland!  See the account of this journey & photos.

• The cost is €299 (£237) per person for London-Dublin return train+ferry travel plus 2 nights three-star hotel accommodation in Dublin (with the option of extra nights).  You can then mix-&-match the London-Dublin tour with one or more 1-day tours from Dublin, see the day trips section above.

• To book from the UK, call Railtours Ireland free on 0800 328 2899.  To book from outside the UK, call +353 1 856 0045.

Or make your own short break to Dublin...

• Book a SailRail ticket to Dublin as shown above. 

• Add a hotel in Dublin using the hotel search system below.

To get the most from your visit, you should take a good guidebook.  For the independent traveller, I think this means either the Lonely Planet or the Rough Guide.  Both series are excellent.  Lonely Planet Dublin - Lonely Planet Ireland - Rough Guide Ireland.  Also consider Ecoescapes Ireland, which lists eco-friendly places to stay.

Click the images to buy at Amazon.co.uk...

Hotels & accommodation in Dublin & Ireland

Hotels in Dublin, Cork, Galway or anywhere else in Ireland...

The Gresham Hotel, Dublin...   Recommended, click here to book...

Perfectly located on Upper O'Connell Street in the heart of central Dublin, 10 minutes walk from Connolly Station, The Gresham is an iconic hotel, a Dublin landmark since 1817.  The impressive facade is matched by a marble-floored foyer and bar, and comfortable carpeted lounges.  Yet you can find rates from £90 for a double room, 4-star comfort at a remarkably good price.  To check room rates & availability click here.

Other hotel sites worth trying...

• www.tripadvisor.com is the best place to browse for independent travellers' reviews of the main hotels, and it has the low-down on Dublin attractions too.

• www.booking.com is my own preferred hotel booking system (Hotels Combined being a search/comparison system).  It has a simple interface, a good selection in most countries worldwide, useful online customer reviews of each hotel, and decent prices, usually shown inclusive of unavoidable extras such as taxes (a pet hate of mine is systems that show one price, then charge you another!).

Backpacker hostels: www.hostelbookers.com...

• If you're on a tight budget, don't forget the hostels.  For a dorm bed or an ultra-cheap private room in backpacker hostels in most European cities use www.hostelbookers.com.

Send your luggage in advance

Enjoy your journey without heavy luggage... 

Let www.carrymyluggage.com deliver your bags door to door.

If you'd like to enjoy your train journey free of heavy luggage, making it easy to get on and off trains with nothing more than a lightweight daypack or handbag, www.carrymyluggage.com will collect your luggage at your home address a few days before you leave, and will deliver it to addresses all over the EU, so it will be waiting at your hotel when you arrive.  It's not cheap, you can reckon on around £78 per case each way, but this is door to door, covering collection from your home in the UK or other EU country and delivery to an address in another EU country.  I've also arranged a 10% discount if you use the Promo code 'seat61' when booking your bags online.  www.carrymyluggage.com are a reliable company, they also work with companies such as Great Rail Journeys, Virgin Trains, First Great Western, Hull Trains, and South West Trains.

Travel insurance & health card

Take out decent travel insurance, it's essential...

Never travel without proper travel insurance from a reliable insurer with at least £1m or preferably £5m medical cover.  It should also cover loss of cash & belongings (up to a limit), and trip cancellation.  An annual multi-trip policy is usually cheapest even for just 2 or 3 trips a year - I have an annual policy myself.  However, don't expect travel insurance to bail you out of every missed connection, see the advice on missed connections here.  Here are some suggested insurers, Seat61 gets a little commission if you buy through these links, and feedback from using insurance for rail & ferry travel is always welcome.

In the UK, use www.confused.com to compare prices & policy features across major insurance companies.

If you have a pre-existing medical condition or are over 65, see www.JustTravelCover.com - 10% discount with code seat61.

        If you live in Australia, New Zealand, Ireland or the EU, try Columbus Direct's other websites.

  If you live in the USA try Travel Guard USA.

Get an EU health card, it's free...

If you're a UK citizen travelling in Europe, you should apply for a free European Health Insurance Card, which entitles you to free or reduced rate health care if you become ill or get injured in many European countries, under a reciprocal arrangement with the NHS.  This replaced the old E111 forms as from January 2006.  The EHIC card is available from www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/Healthcareabroad/EHIC/Pages/about-the-ehic.aspx.  It doesn't remove the need for travel insurance, though.

Carry a spare credit card, designed for travel with no currency exchange loading & low/no ATM fees

Taking out an extra credit card costs nothing, but if you keep it in a different part of your luggage you won't be left stranded if your wallet gets stolen.  In addition, some credit cards are better for overseas travel than others.  Martin Lewis's www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/cheap-travel-money explains which UK credit cards have the lowest currency exchange commission loadings when you buy something overseas, and the lowest cash withdrawal fees when you use an ATM abroad.

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