Blarney Castle, Ring of Kerry & Cliffs of Moher — Self-Launched by Rail
3 days · Ireland
Railtours Ireland First Class charges £670
No-markup version: ~£265 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched, backpacker-priced version of Railtours Ireland's guided 3-day rail loop from Dublin: Cork and the Blarney Stone, Cobh's heritage centre, two nights in Killarney, the Ring of Kerry, Bunratty Castle, the Cliffs of Moher and Galway. The trade-off is that you book your own trains (Irish Rail is cheap and easy), take a local day tour or public bus for the Ring of Kerry, and use a Cliffs of Moher day tour or the Bus Éireann route instead of a private coach. You gain flexibility and roughly two-thirds off the price.
Day-by-day
Dublin to Cork, Blarney Stone and Cobh, then on to Killarney
Dublin / Blarney / Cobh / Killarney
Be at Dublin Heuston around 06:40 for the Irish Rail InterCity to Cork Kent (book online in advance; ~2h30m, roughly £20–30 one way, cheaper if you book a few weeks out). From Cork Kent take Bus Éireann route 215 or a local taxi (~€12–15 shared) the 8km to Blarney; pre-book your Blarney Castle & Gardens ticket online (~€20) to skip the queue and get to the stone early before coach groups arrive. Have a proper lunch in Blarney village — it's your only substantial eating window. Then return to Cork, and take the commuter train (Cork–Cobh, ~25 min, ~€4) to Cobh for St Colman's Cathedral on the hill and the Cobh Heritage Centre (Queenstown Story, ~€11). Note the Cobh line is a branch — you'll head back through Cork and change at Cork Kent for the ~1h40 train to Killarney (or take a bus if the connection is tight). Check into a Killarney hostel or family-run B&B and head into town for a pint and trad music session — several pubs on Main Street and Plunkett Street run free nightly sessions.
🚌Irish Rail Dublin Heuston–Cork Kent (~£22–30), Bus Éireann 215 to Blarney (~£2.50), Cork–Cobh commuter train (~£3.50), Cork–Killarney train (~£15) — total ~£45
🛏Killarney hostel dorm or B&B single, town centre (~£22–30/night)
- →Blarney Castle & Gardens and the Blarney Stone (pre-booked online)
- →Blarney Woollen Mills and village wander
- →St Colman's Cathedral, Cobh
- →Cobh Heritage Centre (The Queenstown Story)
- →Evening trad session in a Killarney pub
Ring of Kerry by local day tour or public bus
Killarney and the Iveragh Peninsula
The commercial tour uses its own coach; your equivalent is either a small-group Ring of Kerry day tour booked direct with a local Killarney operator or via GetYourGuide (roughly £35–45, leaves ~10:00 and returns ~17:00, with stops at the Kerry Bog Village, Glenbeigh, Waterville, Sneem and Ladies View), or — for the truly independent version — the Bus Éireann 280 local service that shadows much of the ring using a Leap card, which is slower and thinner on commentary but much cheaper. Whichever you pick, get out at Ladies View for the Lakes of Killarney photos, and at the Kerry Bog Village Museum (~€6) near Glenbeigh. Skellig Rock viewpoints are weather-dependent; ask your driver to stop if visibility is good. Bring lunch or buy a sandwich in Waterville — food stops on the ring are pricey. Evening: back in Killarney, walk the paths into Killarney National Park to Ross Castle or Muckross (free, open until dusk) and eat at a pub off the High Street rather than a tourist-facing restaurant.
🚌Ring of Kerry small-group day tour (~£40) or Bus Éireann 280 with Leap card (~£8)
🛏Killarney hostel dorm or B&B single, town centre (~£22–30/night)
- →Ring of Kerry scenic drive
- →Kerry Bog Village Museum
- →MacGillycuddy's Reeks viewpoints and Ladies View
- →Waterville, Sneem and Glenbeigh villages
- →Killarney National Park and Ross Castle walk
Bunratty, the Cliffs of Moher, the Burren and Galway, then rail back to Dublin
Killarney / Bunratty / Cliffs of Moher / Galway / Dublin
Take an early Irish Rail or Bus Éireann service from Killarney toward Limerick Junction or Limerick (~2h, ~£15–20) — the train via Mallow is the simplest. From Limerick, the easy package for an independent traveller is a GetYourGuide day tour from Limerick or Galway covering Bunratty Castle & Folk Park, the Cliffs of Moher, the Burren coast road and Doolin (~£35–45 including park entry, or pick a version that starts in Limerick and ends in Galway to save doubling back). If you'd rather stay on public transport, Bus Éireann route 51/350 runs Limerick–Ennis–Bunratty–Doolin–Cliffs of Moher visitor centre–Galway for around £15–20 total in day tickets, but you'll manage your own timings and the Cliffs entry (~€10). Stop for chowder at O'Connor's in Doolin if your tour allows. Finish in Galway for an hour around Eyre Square, then take the 2h15 Irish Rail InterCity to Dublin Heuston (book online, ~£18–25), arriving around 21:00–22:00 if you take an evening train — or, better, buy an open/off-peak return and stay an extra night in Galway, since Irish Rail returns are valid for a month.
🚌Killarney–Limerick rail (~£17), Cliffs of Moher/Burren day tour (~£40) or Bus Éireann 51/350 (~£18), Galway–Dublin rail (~£22)
🛏Return to Dublin hostel/home, or optional extra night in Galway (~£25)
- →Bunratty Castle & Folk Park
- →Cliffs of Moher visitor centre and walks
- →Burren National Park and coast road
- →Doolin village lunch at O'Connor's Pub
- →Eyre Square, Galway
Self-launched vs. Railtours Ireland First Class
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Railtours Ireland First Class | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£265 | £670 |
| Duration | 3 days | 3 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £405 per person (60%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Railtours Ireland First Class-style trips? Check them out here.~£265
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Blarney Castle, Ring of Kerry & Cliffs of Moher — Self-Launched by Rail cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £265 per person for 3 days in Ireland. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Railtours Ireland First Class?+
Yes — Railtours Ireland First Class charges around £670 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £265 — a saving of roughly £405 (60%) per person.
How long is the Ireland trip?+
This itinerary runs 3 days, covering 3 day-by-day stops through Ireland.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a culture, budget, backpacker trip through Ireland, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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