London to Ireland by bus

Direct coach service from London to Republic of Ireland & Northern Ireland

▼ London to Dublin & beyond ▼	▼London to Belfast & beyond ▼

Bus from London to Ireland & Northern Ireland basic info

National Express bus from London to Ireland BOOK TICKET NOW

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

There are up to 2 pairs of coaches per day from London to Dublin and one from London to Belfast.

Northern Ireland to the UK by bus

• Ulsterbus Coach in cooperation with National Express offers great value coach services from all over Northern Ireland to Scotland with three services daily to Glasgow and Edinburgh (fares and booking are the same for all coaches).
• The 920 route: Belfast - Manchester - Birmingham - London is operated by National Express.
• At London Victoria National Express have staff at gate number 11 who will be happy to help if you are unsure. (fares and booking are the same for all coaches).

Republic of Ireland to the UK by bus

• The service is operated as National Express Ireland, but it is launched in cooperation with Bus Eireann. The vehicle may be a National Express or Bus Eireann depending on what is allocated on the day (fares and booking are the same for all coaches).
• You will need to look for the bus number on the departures board when you arrive at the coach station. In London (Victoria Coach Station) the services to Ireland depart from near gate number 19. The service numbers to Ireland do not change, for Dublin it is 871 and 890 to Cork.
• At London Victoria National Express have staff at gate number 11 who will be happy to help if you are unsure. (fares and booking are the same for all coaches).

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

If you’re travelling from outside London, National Express has a special rate connection fare on National Express connecting services for just £15 single or return from any National Express departure point.

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

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

Travel from London to Ireland and Discover cities

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

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

Useful guides: Lonely Planet Publications

Useful links to coach timetables & fares

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

How to buy tickets & some helpful information

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

The National Express coach network is an inexpensive way to travel through Great Britain. National Express coaches go everywhere and you can reserve seats in advance on the internet.

National Express operators

National Express is a coalition of independant bus and coach companies that operate under one brand name. They serve the majority of British cities and towns, reaching hundreds of destinations across the UK with a limited number of internatioal links to Ireland, France, Belgium and the Netherlands. National Express coaches are comfortable and upscale. You can reserve a seat online, If your journey begins from the UK, you just go on the National Express web page. The National Express offices are usually located inside the long distance bus stations, but it can also be a travel agent in the city.

Travelling from outside London to Ireland in one booking

National Express brings Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland a little bit closer to you. And you can get there in one easy booking. Just enter the name of the place from which you start the journey, in the box defining the place of departure. Book your international travel through the National Express website.

Trains & airlines from the UK to Ireland

If our information is insufficient for you to convince you to travel by coach, or simply you don’t like this transportation arrangement then we encourage you to take advantage of rail or flight services. If you want to travel from the London to Ireland or vice versa by train we suggest you to visit the Voyages-sncf website, while good flights between Britain and Ireland are recommend on the Budget Air’s website

Rail services in Europe are fast, frequent and convenient. Tickets can be bought in advance easily via a train reservation service available at Voyages-sncf.com
Regular European air link services can be checked and booked at www.budgetair.co.uk. Flights connections are available to various destinations in Europe and worldwide.

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

London to Dublin by bus

_{M = Monday, T= Tuesday, W = Wednesday, Th = Thursday, Fr = Friday, Sa = Saturday, Su = Sunday, n = Daily except...,
RH = Crossing is from Pembroke Dock to Rosslare Harbour.
b = Arrives 15 minutes earlier on Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays.}

Standard fares:

Amendable, refundable. Available up to the day of travel.

Flexible fares:

Amendable and Refundable. Available up to two days before departure.

Advance fares:

Non-Amendable, Non-Refundable but Upgradable. Available up to 14 days before travel. Open Returns aren't available.

Connectional tickets from Dublin:

These fares are added to the relevant fare from the UK

Important:

During peak times all passengers travelling to Ireland must pay a supplement on top of the normal ticket prices of £5 (single) or £8 (return).

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

London to Belfast & Larne by bus

_{M = Monday, T= Tuesday, W = Wednesday, Th = Thursday, Fr = Friday, Sa = Saturday, Su = Sunday, n = Daily except...
© = Passengers need to change coach in Carlisle.}

Standard fares:

Amendable, refundable. Available up to the day of travel.

Flexible fares:

Amendable and Refundable. Available up to two days before departure.

Advance fares:

Non-Amendable, Non-Refundable but Upgradable. Available up to 14 days before travel. Open Returns aren't available.

Connectional tickets from Belfast:

These fares are added to the relevant fare from the UK

Important:

During peak times all passengers travelling to Ireland must pay a supplement on top of the normal ticket prices of £5 (single) or £8 (return).

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

London to Rosslare, Waterford, Limerick and Cork

_{© = You'll need to change coach in Cork
(*) = One hour later on Sundays}

Standard fares:

Amendable, refundable. Available up to the day of travel.

Flexible fares:

Amendable and Refundable. Available up to two days before departure.

Advance fares:

Non-Amendable, Non-Refundable but Upgradable. Available up to 14 days before travel. Open Returns aren't available.

Connectional tickets from Rosslare, Waterford, Limerick and Cork:

These fares are added to the relevant fare from the UK

Important:

During peak times all passengers travelling to Ireland must pay a supplement on top of the normal ticket prices of £5 (single) or £8 (return).

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

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

To purchase tickets online you can do it using the journey planner provided. You can also do it on the National Express website. Simply fill out all fields in the journey planner and follow the instructions to buy a ticket. Early booking is highly recommended, because the National Express route between London and Ireland is very popular and the coaches are fully booked on some days. 
Passengers with open date return tickets, must confirm/reserve their return journey with a local National Express office at least 4 days before the date they wish to travel.

There are several simple ways:

• For most of the connections offered by National Express you can make a purchase through our journey planner, located on the front page. Just fill in all fields and follow the instructions.
• To purchase tickets online, you can also do it directly on the National Express website. On the websites you'll find all the names of larger and smaller towns, cities and airports. The National Express journey planner presented below doesn't show all available stations and stops.

Types of ways in which the ticket is obtained:

1. e-ticket: a ticket you must print yourself at home,
2. by collection: in one of the National Express office,
3. by post: allow 7 working days.

Note: In some cases e-tickets may be not available for the journey, this happens when the connections are made with companies other than National Express. You can still buy a ticket online, but it will be delivered by post or it will be ready to collect in the offices of National Express.

Bookings via nationalexpress.com

Use this form to book direct with www.nationalexpress.com - all the cheap fares shown. Victoria Coach Station (or central) is National Express London station.

Travelling to Ireland from outside London

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

The journey from London to Ireland and Northern Ireland by National Express

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

The carrier provides service to any person who has purchased a ticket. Number of tickets for the designated route is limited to the number of seats. Having a valid ticket guarantees you use of the service (seat on the coach), however it does not reserve any particular place.
Single and return tickets (with the indicated date and time) are for a specific journey, you cannot miss the departure, because you will lose the ticket.
Best to buy tickets well in advance. National Express has many discounts for those who decide to purchase tickets in advance. Constant, although a slight discount is provided for youth, elderly and disabled people. Up to 50% discount is provided for children. Unless you get a good promotional fare, return fares are much cheaper than two single fares each way.

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

Check-in at London Victoria Coach Station

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

Check-in in Ireland and Northern Ireland

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

Sea crossings

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

Refreshment stops

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

Carriage of luggage

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

Ireland by Megabus & Irish Ferries

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

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

Timetable and fares

Travel with megabus.com and Irish Ferries on one easy ticket, all the way from London City Centre to Rosslare, Ireland and back again! Up to three times per week it is possible to travel with Megabus. Journey Times: London to Ireland 17:00 from London Victoria arriving at Rosslare Europort at 06.46 (via ferry connection at Pembroke Dock) Ireland to London 20.15 from Rosslare Europort arriving at London Victoria at 8:00 (via ferry connection at Pembroke Dock) (Check in by 20.15). Ticket prices from just £1 plus 50p booking fee for one-way and include both ferry and coach travel. Please note, all travellers must check in at the Irish Ferries passenger terminal in both directions.
Irish Ferries recommend all passengers bring a passport with them. Non-EU nationals should check with the British or Irish embassy before travelling as they may also need a visa. Passengers who turn up at the ports without valid documentation may not be allowed to enter either Ireland or Britain.

Buy tickets online for the Megabus service

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

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

Travel insurance

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

Currency

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

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

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

Car Rental

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