Cliffs of Moher Day Trip from Dublin: Tours, Prices and the DIY Route

The easiest way to see the Cliffs of Moher from Dublin in a day is an organised coach tour: about 12 to 13 hours door to door, from roughly €75, with the cliffs entry ticket included. Doing it yourself by train and bus is possible but slow, and only really works if you stay a night in Galway or Doolin.

The cliffs are on the Atlantic coast of County Clare, about 250km from Dublin, so whichever way you go, most of the day is spent on the road. Here’s how the options compare. Prices were checked on 14 November 2026.

The quick answer

• Cheapest sensible option: a standard coach tour, about €75 including the cliffs ticket.
• Time at the cliffs on a tour: usually around 90 minutes to two hours.
• Total day: 12 to 13 hours, leaving Dublin around 7am and back around 7.30 to 8.30pm.
• Without a tour: train to Galway, then a bus to the cliffs. Fine with an overnight stop, a stretch as a day trip.
• By car: about three hours each way.

The tours compared

These are the main operators running scheduled coach tours from Dublin city centre. The Wild Rover and Paddywagon tours below include the Cliffs of Moher entry ticket. Check inclusions with any other operator before you book.

Boat and island add-ons depend on the sea, so they mostly run in the warmer months. Paddywagon’s small-group version with hotel pickups (€129) is seasonal and returns on 1 March 2027.

What to look for when you book

• Time at the cliffs. The headline itinerary can list lots of stops. What matters is how long you get at the cliffs themselves. Ninety minutes is enough to walk both directions along the clifftop path and visit the exhibition.
• Galway or no Galway. Most tours stop in Galway for lunch or a wander. If you’d rather have more time at the coast, pick a route that says so.
• Pickup point. Pickups are at set points in the city centre, not hotels. Check which one is nearest your hotel and how early you need to be there.
• Cancellation terms. Most allow free cancellation up to 24 hours before.

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Doing it yourself by public transport

There’s no direct bus from Dublin to the cliffs. The usual route is:

1. Train from Dublin Heuston to Galway, about 2 hours 20 minutes.
2. Bus Éireann route 350 from Galway to the Cliffs of Moher, which runs up to 10 times a day each way in summer and less often in winter. TFI Local Link route 351 also runs from Galway to the cliffs, about four times a day.

Route 350 continues to Ennis, so you can also come in from the south by train to Ennis (via Limerick). Either way it’s a long day with a lot of connections, so check the timetables for your date on Transport for Ireland before you commit. If you can stay a night in Galway, Doolin or Ennis, the DIY route becomes much better than a tour.

Driving

It’s about 254km and three hours each way, mostly on motorway until the last hour. That’s six hours of driving for a day trip, plus Irish country roads at the end, so we’d only drive it as part of a longer road trip. Parking is included in the cliffs ticket.

Tickets and opening hours at the cliffs

The Cliffs of Moher Experience ticket covers the visitor centre, the exhibition, O’Brien’s Tower and parking. If you’re on a tour, it’s already paid for.

Under-12s go free (up to four per adult), and a family ticket at the gate is €30. Opening hours are 9am to 5pm from November to February, 8am to 7pm in March, April, September and October, and 8am to 9pm from May to August. It’s closed from 24 to 26 December. Buy on the official Cliffs of Moher website.

The coastal walk: what’s open

As of 1 August 2026, the southern section of the Cliffs of Moher Coastal Walk, from Liscannor and Hag’s Head to the visitor centre (about 6km), is closed. The northern section is open from Doolin only as far as Surfers Path, with no access through to the visitor centre. The paths within the visitor site itself are open. Check the official website for the latest before you plan a walk.

Tips for the day

• Bring a proper waterproof. The cliffs face the Atlantic and the weather can change in minutes. Wind is the bigger problem than rain.
• Stay behind the walls. The edges are unfenced in places and the ground can be unstable.
• Fog happens. Some days you can’t see the cliffs at all. Tours run anyway, so it’s worth a look at the forecast before you book a date.
• Eat a good breakfast. The first proper stop is usually mid-morning.

Is it worth it?

If you’ve got four or more days in Ireland and want to see the west coast, yes. The cliffs are spectacular. But it’s a long day sitting on a coach. If you only have two or three days in Dublin, Glendalough or Howth give you more time out of the bus and less time on it. See all the options in our day trips from Dublin guide.

Frequently asked questions

Can you do the Cliffs of Moher as a day trip from Dublin?

Yes. Coach tours leave Dublin city centre around 7am and get back around 7.30 to 8.30pm, with roughly 90 minutes to two hours at the cliffs. Doing it by public transport in one day is possible but involves a train and a bus each way.

How much is a Cliffs of Moher tour from Dublin?

Standard coach tours cost about €75 to €80 per adult, including the cliffs entry ticket. Versions with a boat trip are about €89, and with the Aran Islands about €109 (prices checked November 2026).

How long does it take to get from Dublin to the Cliffs of Moher?

About three hours by car. By public transport it’s about 2 hours 20 minutes by train to Galway, then the Bus Éireann 350 or Local Link 351 bus along the coast to the cliffs, plus waiting time for connections.

Is the Cliffs of Moher entry included in tours?

On the main Dublin coach tours, yes. If you go on your own, an adult ticket is €8 online off-peak, €12 online at peak times or €15 at the gate.

What’s the best time of year to go?

Late spring to early autumn has the longest daylight and the most tour options. In winter the visitor centre closes at 5pm and some add-ons, like boat trips, don’t run.