Navigating public transportation in a new city can initially feel overwhelming. As someone who has never owned a car in Dublin, Ireland since moving here in 2019, I can say that it is very feasible to explore Ireland without a car. I have curated a list of seven best day trips from Dublin by train. I have also added a comprehensive guide on using public transportation in Ireland to help you get around stress-free. There are trains to all the major cities in Ireland. However, this guide will focus on journeys that are less than two hours from Dublin City Centre that are easy day trips.

To be honest, while you are in Dublin, I would highly recommend NOT renting a car. The tram (called the LUAS) and the buses can get you around much faster. You also won’t have to worry about finding and paying the steep parking fees. Public transportation is easy to use, affordable, and accessible.

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(listed from shortest to longest distance from Dublin City Centre)

1. Howth

2. Malahide

3. Skerries

4. Blackrock & Dún Laoghaire

5. Dalkey & Killiney

6. Bray & Greystones

7. Kilkenny

You can purchase individual tickets at ticket machines located at all train stations and tram stops. However, if you plan on travelling around by public transportation a lot during your stay, it is cheaper and easier to purchase a visitor transit card, called a Leap Card. This is a prepaid card that gives you unlimited travel on all buses, trains and trams. The best part is that you can purchase the card online before you travel. It will be delivered to you, so it’s one less thing to worry about when you arrive. If you decide to order online, make sure that you purchase the card well in advance of your trip. Estimated delivery is 7 working days for the UK, 10 working for Europe, and 14 working days for the rest of the world.

Alternatively, you can purchase a leap card in the airport upon arrival or in various locations in Dublin City Centre (See the website for locations). You can choose the length of usage you want for the leap card: 1 day (24 hours) which costs €8, 3 days (72 hours) which costs €16, or 7 days (168 hours) which costs €32. You can add additional time to your cards if needed. The time period starts the first time you use the card for a journey.

Every train station has ticket machines where you can purchase individual tickets. These machines take Visa and Mastercard, but do not take cash or American Express (most places in Ireland do not accept American Express). If you are wanting to pay in cash, you can purchase a ticket at a booking office in the train station.

If you are using a Leap Card to get around, simply tap on the marked location at the turnstile to validate the journey. When you arrive at your destination, you will need to tap again to end the journey. Occasionally, there are ticket inspectors aboard the train to verify tickets. All you need to do is hand them your purchased ticket or leap card to confirm the journey fare. You have to pay a fine for unpaid fares. 

Learn more about what to expect when travelling to Ireland HERE.

Any map app on your phone is a great way to get around, see necessary bus routes for your journey, and is fairly accurate on timetables. I have noticed that Google Maps is more accurate than other map phone apps. There is also a specific Ireland public transportation app called TFI Live App, that gives you live times and journey planning information. 

I also like using Omio when I’m travelling to figure out public transportation, especially train routes. I feel like the site does a great job of giving accurate, up to date information and also includes regional and local routes that might not be visible on other apps. 

Distance from Dublin City Centre (Connolly Station): About 30 minutes

Trains run every 15 minutes with the earliest departure at around 7 am and the last departure back to Dublin is at around 11:30pm | Cost €3-€6

Howth is a small fishing village on a peninsula in North County Dublin. I always recommend Howth as a day trip for friends visiting, because it has everything you want: great seafood, scenic cliff walk, cute buildings, and beautiful views. My favourite spots to eat are Beshoff Bros for classic fish and chips, The Brass Monkey or Beshoffs Sea Grill if you’re looking for a sit-down restaurant, and Amore Gelato at the Howth Market for dessert.

If you are wanting to hike the Howth cliff walk (which I highly recommend), the start is about a 20 minute walk from the town centre. On the hike you have beautiful views of the Irish sea, Dublin bay and Bailey lighthouse. There are great beaches at Howth, like Hidden beach or Balscadden Bay Beach. Enjoy Howth Market, which is open everyday from about 7am-5pm.

You can visit Howth Castle and its estate, which stayed with the same family for 800 years before its sale. Renovation works are ongoing, but the castle still offers guided tours worth exploring. Tours are not available daily, so check their website for specific dates. You can also explore the grounds and the rhododendron gardens without booking a tour. The castle has a cookery school that offers a variety of cooking and baking classes. Booking in advance is highly recommended.

Another fun thing to do in Howth are boat tours! I really enjoyed the boat tour to Ireland’s Eye, which is a small, uninhabited island off the coast. It is a sanctuary for many sea-birds, including a few puffins which you can see from April to June. You can either take a boat tour that goes all around the island, which takes about an hour. Alternatively, you can take a 15 minute boat ride with Howth Cliff Cruisers to be dropped off on the island. You can only go on the island between mid-March to September.

Distance from Dublin City Centre (Connolly Station): About 30 minutes

Trains run every 10 -15 minutes with the earliest departure at around 6 am and the last departure back to Dublin is at around 11:30pm | Cost €3-€6

Malahide is a cute, coastal town in North County Dublin adorned with small boutiques, art galleries, and great restaurants. My favourite restaurants are Beshoff Bros for classic fish and chips, or Sale e Pepe.

The highlight of this town is the Malahide castle, which is one place that you won’t want to miss. The castle was built by the Talbot family in 1176 and was the home to the family until it was sold to the Irish State in 1975. Over the centuries, the castle underwent several renovations which can be seen in the diverse architecture of the castle. You can only access the inside via guided tour, which is definitely worth your time. I would recommend booking your tour ahead of time, especially during the busy summer months. You can explore the castle grounds and the majority of the estate for free. However, if you want to visit the gardens and butterfly house, you need to purchase a ticket. The gardens are beautiful all year round, but especially in the spring and early summer.

If you have kids with you, the fairy trail at Malahide castle is not to be missed. It is a trail of fun sculptures and fairy houses that your kids will love. There is an interactive booklet to help solve clues along the route that makes it fun for the whole family. Across the road from the Malahide castle is the Casino Model Rail Museum. It displays the craftsmanship of the Fry Model collection that used to be exhibited in the Malahide castle. Another activity to do in Malahide is the coastal walk to the gorgeous Portmarnock beach, which is especially beautiful at sunset. 

Distance from Dublin City Centre (Connolly Station): About 30 minutes

Trains run every 20 minutes with the earliest departure at around 9 am and the last departure back to Dublin is at around midnight | Cost €4-€7

Skerries is such a hidden gem. I haven’t seen it listed on other blogs, but it’s worth the train ride. It is a coastal town in Northern County Dublin and the main thing to see are the windmills! You will feel like you’re in the Netherlands. The Skerries Mills is a local mill that has been around since the 1800s. Only accessible by guided tour, you will step back in time to see how wind and water were used to mill wheat and run a bakery. You can also taste the delicious, home-baked bread at their cafe. If you happen to go on a Saturday between 10-2pm, you can meander through the farmers market and taste local foods and products.

Skerries also has a beautiful coastal walk and lovely beaches. Try Stoop your Head for some great seafood and Storm in a Tea Cup for a sweet treat both of which are located by the harbour. You can also visit Ardgillan Castle, which is located a little outside the town, but it is accessible via bus 33 or 33a on a short 30 min ride.

Distance from Dublin City Centre (Connolly Station): About 30 minutes

Trains run every 10-15 minutes with the earliest departure at around 5:30 am and the last departure back to Dublin is at around midnight | Cost €3-€5

Blackrock and Dún Laoghaire are coastal towns south of Dublin. They are fairly close together and doable to see in one day, that is why I have combined them on the same list. This area has great swimming spots, like Seapoint beach, Sandycove beach, and the iconic Forty Foot. Both Blackrock and Dún Laoghaire have fun main streets with great restaurants, like Purty Kitchen or Kyoto Asian Street Food, local shops, and beautiful churches. Visit the famous Teddy’s Ice cream for dessert or one of my favourite local pubs, McKenna’s Pub, for a pint of Guinness.

Blackrock has one of my favourite markets in Dublin. It is only open on Saturday and Sunday, but it’s not one you want to miss. Tucked inconspicuously off the main street, this market has over 30 eclectic shops of local artisans and food shops. Its the perfect place to spend the afternoon getting a bite to eat and buying a few souvenirs.

If you like art, you will enjoy walking around Dún Laoghaire, which is filled with beautiful murals, but one hidden gem is the Oratory, which is a small church with spectacular Celtic revival art. The walls are painted in a similar style to the Book of Kells. Unfortunately, it is only accessible by (FREE) tour from 11am-3pm Wednesday to Sunday. If you fancy a museum, try the National Maritime Museum of Ireland or the Joyce Tower Museum. You can also take in the sea air by walking along the Dún Laoghaire Harbour or going for a kayaking tour.

Distance from Dublin City Centre (Connolly Station): About 45 minutes

Trains run every 10-15 minutes with the earliest departure at around 5:30 am and the last departure back to Dublin is at around midnight | Cost €3-€6

Just a few stops down from Dún Laoghaire is Dalkey and Killiney. Dalkey is a relatively small village, but has a nice main street with great restaurants (I really like Kathmandu Nepalese Restaurant) and the small Killiney castle museum. A little outside the town is Sorrento Park, which has gorgeous views of Bray. In the summer you can also get a short boat ride or kayak tour to Dalkey Island, which is a small uninhabited island off the shore that has a small tower, remains of a church, and a lively herd of wild goats.

Another great location to visit is Killiney Hill Park. A little bit of a climb, especially if you take the ‘cats ladder’ steps, but it’s worth it for the view. I take all my visitors here because it’s the best view in all of Dublin. You have a clear 360° view from the top of the park, with spectacular views of Dublin to the northwest, the Dublin mountains to the east, Bray Head and the Wicklow mountains to the south and the Irish Sea to the East. If you fancy a nice swim, the Vico baths is a great swimming spot and you also have two great beaches: Killiney Strand and White Rocks Beach.

Distance from Dublin City Centre (Connolly Station): About 1 hour

Trains run every 10-15 minutes with the earliest departure at around 5:30 am and the last departure back to Dublin is at around midnight | Cost €4-€7

Bray is a moderately-sized coastal town South of Dublin in County Wicklow. I combined Bray with Greystones because the main attraction in this location is the ‘Bray to Greystones’ cliff walk. This hike follows the path of the train, with gorgeous views of cliffs and the Irish sea the entire way. You can either start in Bray and walk to Greystones or go the reverse and start in Greystones. It doesn’t matter where you start, both locations are super accessible by the train. Other than the cliff walk, Bray has a lovely beach that attracts many surfers. It also has a nice promenade, perfect for a stroll or to relax on a sunny day.

If you are looking for another hike to do, there is the Bray Head hike, which is a bit more difficult than the leisurely cliff walk. Greystones has a nice main street, beach, harbour and great secondhand shops.

Distance from Dublin City Centre (Heuston Station): About 1.5 hours

Trains run hourly with the earliest departure at around 7:30 am and the last departure back to Dublin is at around 7pm | Cost €12-€18

Kilkenny is the longest train ride on this list and is the only destination on this list that departs from Heuston train station and not Connolly train station. Kilkenny is a city in County Kilkenny, situated southwest of Dublin. There is a good amount to see in Kilkenny and you can easily spend 2 days here, but it’s definitely doable as a day trip from Dublin.

The two main attractions are the Kilkenny castle and the churches. Kilkenny castle is a beautiful restored castle and is one of my favourites in Ireland, mostly because of the astounding picture gallery. The castle is only accessible by guided tour, but it’s well worth it. I would book online in advance, especially during the busy summer months.

There are two cathedrals in Kilkenny, St. Canices’ and St. Marys. Both are beautiful but if you only have time to visit one, I would go to St. Canice’s because it has the only round tower in Ireland that you can climb to the top. I wouldn’t go if you are afraid of heights or are claustrophobic, because the climb is narrow and steep. However, it’s worth it for the views.

If you have time, you can also visit the Black Abbey which is not far from St. Canice’s. If you are looking for museums, visit St. Mary’s Medieval Mile Museum or Rothe House and Garden. For Beer lovers, visit Smithwicks Brewery for a brewing tour and tasting. And, for art lovers, go to the National Design and Craft Gallery at the Castle Yard. 

I hope this guide has given you the confidence to use public transportation in Ireland and some ideas for your next trip to Dublin, Ireland! Whether you are a nature lover, history enthusiast, or simply seeking a relaxing getaway, these day trips are ideal. They offer a perfect blend of scenic beauty and cultural immersion. You won’t want to miss the experience. Enjoy exploring Ireland by train!

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