The cheapest way to get from Dublin to Glendalough is the St Kevin’s Bus: it leaves St Stephen’s Green at 11am every day, costs €23 return, and gives you over three and a half hours in the valley. If you want a guide or a scenic drive through the Wicklow Mountains on the way, half-day tours start at €33.
Glendalough is a glacial valley in the Wicklow Mountains, about an hour and a quarter south of Dublin, with a 6th-century monastic settlement founded by St Kevin, a round tower and two lakes. Walking around it is free. Prices were checked on 14 November 2026.
Your options at a glance
| Option | Adult price | Time in Glendalough | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| St Kevin’s Bus | €23 return | Over 3½ hours | Walkers and budget travellers |
| Paddywagon half-day tour (morning or afternoon) | €33 | Short visit with the guide | Seeing it in half a day |
| Wild Wicklow Tours (full day) | €55 (often discounted) | About an hour of free time plus a guided tour | Mountain scenery, Lough Tay, a pub lunch stop |
| Kilkenny and Wicklow tours (Paddywagon, Collins, Wild Rover) | From about €40 | 1½ to 2 hours | Combining Glendalough with Kilkenny |
| Driving | Fuel and parking | As long as you like | Getting there before the crowds |
The St Kevin’s Bus
A family-run service that’s been going to Glendalough since 1927. It’s the only direct public bus.
- From Dublin: 11am every day from St Stephen’s Green North, opposite Stephen Court. It also picks up at Bray Town Hall at 11.40am.
- Journey time: about 1 hour 20 minutes, depending on traffic.
- Fare: €23 return or €14 single from Dublin; €16 return or €10 single from Bray. Pay on the bus.
- Coming back: it returns from the Glendalough Visitor Centre in the late afternoon (4.30pm on the current timetable), giving you over three and a half hours there.
Times change by season, so check the St Kevin’s Bus website before you travel. Bring cash or check with them how to pay, and get to the stop early in summer.
Tours compared
Half-day: Paddywagon Glendalough and Wicklow Mountains
€33 for adults (student and senior €30, child €25), with morning and afternoon departures from Lower Gardiner St, O’Connell St Upper and College Green. The afternoon tour leaves around 1.30pm. The morning tour gets back to Dublin around 12.45pm. Good if you’ve only got half a day, but your time in the valley is short.
Full day: Wild Wicklow Tours
The longest-running dedicated Wicklow tour (since 1996). It goes down the coast to Killiney Hill, stops at Avoca Handweavers, crosses the mountains via the Sally Gap and Lough Tay (the “Guinness Lake”), stops at a pub for lunch (food not included), and finishes with a guided tour of Glendalough and an hour of free time at the lakes, plus a Glendalough whiskey tasting on the bus. The list price is €55, and resellers often sell it for less. Pickups are at 8.45am at St Stephen’s Green, 9am at Cathal Brugha Street and 9.15am opposite the Grand Canal Hotel. It takes about 8½ hours. More in our Wicklow Mountains day trip guide.
Glendalough and Kilkenny
Paddywagon (€40, student €35), Collins Day Tours and Wild Rover Tours all combine Glendalough with the medieval city of Kilkenny. Expect about 10 hours, with 1½ to 2 hours at Glendalough and a couple of hours in Kilkenny. It’s a lot for one day, but good value if you want both.
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What’s free and what isn’t
- The monastic site, round tower, churches and lakes are free and open all the time.
- Glendalough Visitor Centre (exhibition and film): adult €5, senior/group €4, child/student €3, family €13.
- Parking at the visitor centre car park and the Upper Lake car park is paid. Pay at the visitor centre car park and you get one free admission to the visitor centre. There’s also a free car park in Laragh, a short walk away.
The visitor centre is open daily, 9.30am to 6pm from mid-March to 14 October and 9.30am to 5pm in winter, with last admission 45 minutes before closing. It closes from 23 to 29 December. Details on Heritage Ireland.
What to do when you get there
- The monastic city. The round tower, about 30 metres tall, the ruined cathedral, St Kevin’s Church (nicknamed “St Kevin’s Kitchen”) and the graveyard, all near the visitor centre.
- The Green Road to the Upper Lake. A flat, easy path through the woods, about 20 minutes’ walk from the visitor centre.
- The Spinc. If you’re fit, the trail up the ridge above the Upper Lake has the best views in the valley. Allow a few hours and wear proper shoes. Trail maps are at the visitor centre and on the Wicklow Mountains National Park website.
Tips
- Go early or late. Tour buses arrive mid-morning. Early morning and late afternoon are much quieter, which is a point in favour of driving or staying nearby.
- Bring food. There’s a hotel and a few cafés, but not much else. Laragh, just down the road, has more.
- There’s no ATM in Glendalough. The nearest is in Laragh.
- Weekends are busy, especially in summer. The car parks fill early.
Is it worth it?
For most visitors, it’s the best day trip from Dublin: it’s close, it’s cheap, and you spend your day walking by lakes and ruins rather than sitting on a coach. Combine it with Powerscourt on a tour, or 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
How do you get from Dublin to Glendalough without a car?
Take the St Kevin’s Bus from St Stephen’s Green North at 11am. It takes about 1 hour 20 minutes and costs €23 return. Or take a tour: half-day tours start at €33.
Is Glendalough free?
Yes. The monastic site, round tower and lakes are free and always open. The visitor centre costs €5 for adults, and parking is paid.
How long do you need at Glendalough?
Two to three hours covers the monastic site and a walk to the Upper Lake. Allow longer for a hill walk like the Spinc.
Does Dublin Bus go to Glendalough?
No. The St Kevin’s Bus, a private service, is the only direct bus from Dublin.
Can you combine Glendalough with Powerscourt or Kilkenny?
Yes. Several tours combine Glendalough with Powerscourt Gardens, and others with Kilkenny. On the St Kevin’s Bus you’ll only have time for Glendalough.