Travel Info
Flights, Car Hire, Ferries, Trains, & Buses

Below is all the information you should need to get to, from, and around Westport and Ireland, and help to find the best option for you.

Flights

Departure Airports include Gatwick, Heathrow, Luton, and Stansted, and you have a number of destination options to choose from if you fly to Ireland.
Knock (NOC) and Shannon (SNN) are the nearest airports to Westport, with Knock being about 45 minutes, and Shannon just 2 hours from Westport.  Both have excellent road connections, offering an easy and relaxing drive once you land.

Dublin (DUB) Airport is roughly 3 to 4 hours from Westport, however with the brilliant road networks, lack of potholes and bumps, and gorgeous countryside, it's certainly a pleasant drive!

Click on any of the routes below to be taken to the corresponding booking page.
If you are looking to fly from Heathrow (LHR), your options are:
Aer Lingus:  LHR - NOC, LHR - SNN, LHR - DUB
British Airways* :  LHR - DUB

If you are looking to fly from Gatwick (LGW), Luton (LTN) or Stansted (STN), it is now only possible to fly with Ryanair:
Ryanair:  LGW - SNN, LGW - DUB
Ryanair:  LTN - NOC, LTN - DUB
Ryanair:  STN - NOC, STN - SNN, STN - DUB

* Feel free to contact Caoimhe or Alex to check for preferential rates on return flights with British Airways from
LHR - DUB.
x1 23kg checked bag, x1 handbag/laptop bag, and x1 additional cabin bag is included in the price.

Car Hire

All of the above airports have a good selection of car rental companies to choose from.  In our experience, Booking.com gives the best rates on vehicle hire.  If you choose to hire a vehicle from Booking.com, we would advise against buying any premium insurance product online, and instead opt to buy the premium insurance when collecting the vehicle from the airport kiosk - it works out cheaper.

To this day, as a result of decreased demand during the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent liquidation of assets, car rental companies in Ireland are still experiencing supply issues.  We strongly advise booking for your requirements ASAP to avoid over-inflated rental costs.

Trains & Buses

If you choose to get the train, you will need to first get a bus or taxi from Dublin Airport to Dublin Heuston station (Dublin Express), with the train then taking you directly to Westport.  Trains run multiple times a day, with journey times taking from 3 to 3 and a half hours.  Ticket prices typically range from €22 to €35.  The train timetable can be found here and ticket/fare information can be found here.

If you would rather get the bus, there are different bus services available to you depending on which airport you fly into.  The bus from Dublin will not take you directly to Westport, but it will take you from Dublin Airport to Castlebar; the next town over from Westport and a 16 minute drive away.  To do this, you will need to take the 721 CityLink bus from Dublin, followed by the 440 Bus Eireann - tickets can be booked here.  However, if you fly in to Knock, the 440 Expressway bus from Knock Airport will also take you into Castlebar - tickets can be booked here. 

Ferry Crossings

If you want to travelling in the comfort of your own car, with your sandals, wellies, swimming costume, and jumpers all crammed into your suitcase, the ferry is the best way to travel!

Ferry services are run by Irish Ferries and Stena Line, and operate between Holyhead and Dublin.  Regular crossings take between 3-4 hours, or just over 2 hours by Irish Ferries' Dublin Swift.

The Dublin Swift departs Holyhead at 10:40 and 16:45, and Dublin at 07:30 and 13:50 every day, with all other regular sailings every 2 to 4 hours.

Cabins are available from £32 on Irish Ferries for a 2 birth cabin, and £65 on Stena Line for the 4 birth (Superior Class) cabin.  Stena Line's 2 birth cabins start at £70, so save £5 and give yourself more space with a 4 birth (Superior Class) cabin.

Additionally, Irish Ferries do not currently charge extra for roof-boxes on any crossing (this may also include roof and boot mounted bike racks).
Both services accommodate foot passengers should you wish to walk (Nick).

We recommend using directferries.co.uk to find your ideal booking time.