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Guide · The far southwest
A Ring of Kerry day trip from Dublin
Kerry has some of Ireland's grandest scenery, and it is also about as far from Dublin as you can go. A Ring of Kerry day trip from Dublin is possible, by coach or by train, as long as you know what a long day it is.
Check availabilityfrom $103 · free cancellation
Editorial team, dublindaytrip.comUpdated October 18, 20266-minute read4 sources
Quick answer
- 01By coach
- 14 hours to Killarney, Dingle Bay and Inch Beach, from $103.
- 02By train
- Rail tour via Killarney, back in Dublin at 21:15.
- 03The Ring
- A 179 km route around the Iveragh Peninsula.1
- 04Ratings
- Coach 4.15, rail tour 4.40.
- 05Our advice
- If you can, stay a night in Killarney.
Kerry in a day: what to expect
The Ring of Kerry is a 179 km route around the Iveragh Peninsula, a loop of rocky coast, beaches, mountain passes and small villages in Ireland's far southwest.1 Its gateway is Killarney, a lakeside town on the edge of Killarney National Park. Kerry sits on the opposite side of the country from Dublin, so any day trip spends a large share of its hours just getting there and back. The reward is a landscape of mountains falling to the sea, with islands offshore and lakes in the valleys, unlike anything near the capital.
Two guided options make the trip possible without a car. A coach day runs 14 hours and combines Killarney National Park, Killarney town, Killorglin, Dingle Bay and Inch Beach. A rail tour takes the InterCity train to Killarney and tours the scenery around the Ring by coach before the train home.
Neither is a relaxed day. If Kerry is high on your list, read this page as a guide to making the best of a long trip, and consider spending a night in Killarney instead, where the local tours of the Ring start before noon and take between four and six hours.2
The rail tour
A day in Kerry by train
-
6:40am
Heuston
Check in beside the customer service desk.
-
07:00
InterCity train
Depart for Killarney, with breakfast on board.
-
Late morning
Killarney
Board the coach for the Ring scenery.
-
Afternoon
Moll's Gap, Ladies View
Mountain passes, lakes and Dingle Bay views.
-
21:15
Back in Dublin
The return train arrives at Heuston.
The coach day to Killarney and Dingle Bay
The coach tour this page recommends meets at Paddy's Palace in Dublin and heads southwest. The first stop is Adare, a village of thatched cottages, before the road reaches Killarney National Park, with stops at Aghadoe for the view over the lakes and at Torc Waterfall, which drops 18 m through the woods. Bring breakfast or buy it early, as the first long stretch of road comes before any real break.
After time in Killarney town, the tour passes Killorglin and follows the coast along Dingle Bay to Inch Beach, a long sweep of sand on the Atlantic. It shows you part of the Ring and the edge of the Dingle Peninsula rather than the whole loop, which would not fit in a day from Dublin. Clear weather makes a huge difference here, since the best views are long ones across water and hills.
The tour runs 14 hours, starts from $103 and holds 4.15 from 242 reviews. Guests score the transportation 4.5 and the value 3.8, so expect a long ride with a lot of time in your seat. It works for travelers with a single day who would rather see Kerry briefly than not at all.
Guest scores
How guests rate the Kerry coach day
out of 5
Compared
Kerry from Dublin, three ways
| Option | Length | Highlights | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coach day | 14 hrs | Adare, Torc, Inch Beach | from $103 |
| Rail tour | 1 day | Moll's Gap, Ladies View | from $172 |
| Overnight in Killarney | 4 to 6 hrs on the Ring | The full circuit | your own plan |
From-prices and stops as each GetYourGuide listing states them; local tour times from Discover Ireland.2
Decision helper
How should you see Kerry?
Be honest about your time and patience
Coach day
From $103, 14 hours.
Rail tour
Train to Killarney with breakfast on board.
A night in Killarney
Local tours spend four to six hours on the Ring.2
Cliffs of Moher instead
A 13-hour day with 2 hours at the cliffs.
the 179km route around the Iveragh Peninsula also has plenty of historical sites and picturesque villages dotted between rocky coastlines and pretty beaches.
The rail tour via Killarney
The rail tour is the more comfortable route. Check-in is at 6:40am beside the customer service desk at Dublin Heuston, and the InterCity train leaves for Killarney at 07:00, with a breakfast service on board. You ride through the middle of Ireland in a reserved train seat instead of a coach seat. It also means you can stretch your legs in the aisle and use a proper toilet whenever you like.
In Killarney a coach takes over and tours the classic sights of the area: Dingle Bay, the MacGillycuddy's Reeks with Carrauntoohil, Ireland's highest mountain, Moll's Gap, Ladies View and the Lakes of Killarney. These are the classic views of the Ring of Kerry.
The return train reaches Dublin at 21:15, and the tour runs Monday to Saturday. It starts from $172 and holds 4.40 from 156 reviews. Note that mobility scooters cannot be carried and the coaches are not wheelchair friendly.
Checklist
For a very long day out
01
Bring
- A waterproof jacket
- A warm layer
- Snacks and water
- A power bank and headphones
02
Know
- Rail tour check-in at 6:40am
- Rail tour runs Monday to Saturday
- Rail tour coaches are not wheelchair friendly
Cost calculator
Kerry for your group
Compare the coach and the train for your party.
People
Total from$205
per head from $103
Check availabilityfree cancellationTotals multiply the starting price GetYourGuide lists by your party size, shown in your chosen currency at the ECB rate; checkout confirms the final sum.
Video
The Ring of Kerry in a single day
The YouTube player stays switched off until you press play, then streams through youtube-nocookie.
Killarney National Park
Both tours spend time in Killarney National Park, which stretches across 10,000 hectares of mountains, lakes, woodland and waterfalls.3 Its heart, the Muckross Estate, was presented to the State in 1932 as Ireland's first national park.4
The park's lakes lie at the foot of the mountains, and the views from Aghadoe and Ladies View look straight down the valley. Torc Waterfall is a short walk from the road through mossy woods, an easy stop for all ages. Red deer live in the park, and early or late in the day you may spot them on the hillsides from the road.
If you stay overnight in Killarney, the park gives you a second day of walking, cycling or a jaunting car ride along the lakes, and the Ring itself becomes a relaxed half day. That is the strongest argument for not rushing Kerry.
Dingle: the peninsula next door
Dingle is the peninsula to the north of the Ring, with its own colorful harbor town, beehive huts and the Slea Head drive. The coach tour from Dublin follows Dingle Bay to Inch Beach and gives you views across to the peninsula, but it does not reach Dingle town. The town itself is known for its pubs, its music and its harbor full of fishing boats.
A true Dingle day trip from Dublin, with time in the town and the drive around Slea Head, is not something any tour here offers in a single day. Dingle is best enjoyed from a base in Kerry, where you can take the peninsula at its own slow pace.
Inch Beach is still a fine taste of it. The sand stretches out into the bay, the water is shallow and bright, and on a clear day you can see the mountains on both sides. Take off your shoes and walk to the waterline; it is the most refreshing moment of a long coach day.
Coach, train or overnight?
Choose the coach if you have only one free day and want the lowest price and the most stops, including Inch Beach and Adare. Accept the long hours and pack plenty to eat and read. Keep a window seat if you can; the views later in the day are worth it.
Choose the rail tour if comfort matters more than price. The train is calmer, the scenery around Moll's Gap and Ladies View is the heart of the Ring, and you are back in Dublin late in the evening.
Choose an overnight stay if you can spare it. With a night in Killarney, a local tour of the Ring takes between four and six hours, leaving time for the national park and a relaxed dinner in town.2 For a single day from Dublin with less time on the road, the west coast trip to the Cliffs of Moher is the easier alternative.
Packing for a long Kerry day
Kerry's weather comes straight off the Atlantic. Pack a waterproof jacket, a warm layer and shoes that can handle a wet path to the waterfall or the sand at Inch. Sunglasses are worth bringing too, because when the sun breaks through, the light on the bay is strong.
Food matters on a day this long. The rail tour has breakfast and light meals on the train, and the coach stops in Killarney town, but carry snacks and water for the hours in between. A refillable bottle saves money and keeps you going between stops.
Bring a phone charger or power bank, a book and headphones. Both Kerry listings let you withdraw at no cost while at least 24 hours remain, which gives you room to switch if the forecast for the southwest looks grim. Download a map or two before you leave, since phone signal can be patchy in the mountains.
Plan your west
Cliffs, stone and Galway, all in one day.
Reserve a seat today, pay later, and cancel for free until the day before.
You ask,we answer.
Can I see the Ring of Kerry in a day from Dublin?
Yes, but it is long. The coach tour runs 14 hours; the rail tour returns to Dublin at 21:15.
Does the coach drive the whole Ring?
No, part of it. It visits Killarney, Killorglin, Dingle Bay and Inch Beach rather than the full 179 km loop.1
What time does the rail tour leave?
07:00 from Heuston. Check in at 6:40am beside the customer service desk.
Does any tour reach Dingle town?
Not on a day trip from Dublin. The coach follows Dingle Bay to Inch Beach but does not enter the town.
Is the rail tour wheelchair friendly?
Only partly. The coaches are not wheelchair friendly, and mobility scooters cannot be carried.
How long are Ring tours from Killarney?
Four to six hours. Tours from Killarney spend that long on the circuit and start before noon.2
When was Killarney National Park founded?
In 1932. Muckross Estate became Ireland's first national park that year.4
Sources
What this text is based on
- 1Fáilte Ireland (Discover Ireland)How to explore Killarney and the Ring of Kerry without a car↩
- 2Fáilte Ireland (Discover Ireland)How to explore Killarney and the Ring of Kerry without a car↩
- 3National Parks and Wildlife ServiceKillarney National Park↩
- 4National Parks and Wildlife ServiceKillarney National Park↩
