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The simplest way to see the Giant’s Causeway from Dublin in a day is a coach tour: about 13 hours, from €75 to €80, usually with the Dark Hedges, Dunluce Castle and an hour in Belfast thrown in. You can also do it yourself by train and bus, but it takes three connections each way.
The Causeway is on the north coast of County Antrim in Northern Ireland, which is part of the UK. That means pounds sterling, and for some visitors an electronic travel authorisation (more on that below). Prices were checked on 14 November 2026.
The quick answer
- Tour price: €75 to €80 for the standard coach tours.
- Time at the Causeway: usually around 90 minutes.
- Total day: 13 to 13½ hours, leaving Dublin between 6.45 and 7.20am.
- Walking down to the stones is free. The visitor centre is the part you pay for.
- Not Irish or British? Check whether you need a UK ETA before you go.
The tours compared
| Tour | Adult price | Leaves from | Length | Stops |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paddywagon: Giant’s Causeway | €80 | 7am Molly Malone statue, Suffolk St; 7.20am 34 O’Connell St Lower | About 13 hours | Dark Hedges, at least 90 minutes at the Causeway, Dunluce Castle, Ballintoy and White Park Bay, one hour in Belfast |
| Finn McCool’s Tours | €75 | 6.45am outside the Hugh Lane Gallery, Parnell Square North | About 13¼ hours | Dark Hedges (about 25 minutes), Dunluce Castle photo stop, Belfast. A version with Titanic Belfast is also available. |
| Wild Rover Tours | Check the operator | 7am, Dublin city centre | About 13½ hours | The Causeway plus a Belfast black taxi tour or Titanic Belfast |
Paddywagon also runs a small-group version (€129) from 2 April 2026. Check what’s included before booking, because some tours include the Causeway visitor centre ticket and many don’t need to: the stones themselves are free to visit.
Which tour to pick
- Most time on the coast: pick a route that includes Ballintoy and White Park Bay, which are beautiful and quieter than the Causeway.
- Game of Thrones fans: the Dark Hedges and Ballintoy harbour were both filming locations, and most tours stop at one or both.
- History: a version with Titanic Belfast or a black taxi tour of the murals gives you more of Belfast than the usual one-hour stop.
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Doing it yourself by train and bus
- Train from Dublin Connolly to Belfast Grand Central, about two hours, roughly every hour.
- Train from Belfast to Coleraine.
- Ulsterbus route 402 (the Causeway Rambler) or route 170 from Coleraine to the Causeway, 20 to 35 minutes.
Through tickets are possible, and timetables are on Translink and Irish Rail. It works best if you stay a night in Belfast or on the north coast. As a same-day return it’s a lot of connections, and you’ll get less time on the coast than a tour gives you.
Visiting the Causeway: what’s free and what isn’t
The stones and the coastline are free to walk to, any time. What you pay for is the National Trust visitor experience, which includes the exhibition and parking at the visitor centre.
| Visitor experience ticket | Price |
|---|---|
| Adult | £16 |
| Child (5 to 17) | £8 |
| Family | £40 |
| One-adult family | £24 |
| Under 5 | Free |
The visitor centre opens 9am to 5pm. If you’re driving and only want the stones, the Causeway Coast Way car park costs £12, and there’s a park-and-ride from Bushmills. Book on the National Trust website.
Crossing into Northern Ireland: the UK ETA
There are no border checks between Ireland and Northern Ireland, and you won’t notice when you cross. But the UK’s Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) rules still apply. If you’re not an Irish or British citizen and you’d normally need an ETA to visit the UK (which includes visitors from the US, Canada and Australia), you need one for a day trip to the Causeway too, even though nobody will ask to see it. Residents of Ireland are exempt.
Apply only on the official GOV.UK website or the UK ETA app. It costs £16 and lasts two years. Bring your passport on the day.
Money
Northern Ireland uses pounds sterling. Cards work almost everywhere, but if you want cash for a coffee or a gift shop, get it in Belfast or use a card.
Is it worth it?
The Causeway itself is genuinely strange and beautiful, and the north Antrim coast around it is one of the best stretches of coastline in Ireland. But it’s a 13-hour day, and some of it you’ll spend at photo stops rather than walking. If you’d rather spend more time in nature and less on a coach, Glendalough is an hour and a half away. See all the options in our day trips from Dublin guide.
Want a private tour instead?
Travelling as a family or a group, or want to go at your own pace? A private driver-guide can pick you up at your hotel and plan the day around you. Tell us what you have in mind and we'll pass it to a local private tour operator, who will reply with a quote. It's free and there's no obligation.
Frequently asked questions
Can you do the Giant’s Causeway as a day trip from Dublin?
Yes. Coach tours leave Dublin around 7am and return about 13 hours later, with around 90 minutes at the Causeway and usually stops at the Dark Hedges, Dunluce Castle and Belfast.
How much is a Giant’s Causeway tour from Dublin?
The standard coach tours are €75 (Finn McCool’s) to €80 (Paddywagon) per adult. Small-group versions cost more, about €129 (prices checked November 2026).
Is the Giant’s Causeway free?
Walking to the stones is free. The National Trust visitor experience, with the exhibition and parking, costs £16 for an adult.
Do I need a passport or ETA to visit the Giant’s Causeway from Dublin?
There’s no border check. But if you’re not Irish or British and you’d normally need a UK ETA, the UK says you need one for Northern Ireland too, including day trips from Dublin. Residents of Ireland are exempt. Bring your passport.
How long is the drive from Dublin to the Giant’s Causeway?
About three hours each way by motorway and A-roads.