Student Information and Services: Pre-departure Information - Getting to Cork
Getting to Cork
In all probability you will be flying into Shannon or Dublin (there are no direct flights from the United States or Canada to Cork), or via Amsterdam, Paris or London, which have frequent direct connections with Cork. Whichever way you arrive, there are a number of possibilities for getting to Cork. Regular bus services connect Shannon Airport and Limerick, from where you may take a bus or a train to Cork: the journey takes less than two hours. From Dublin there are frequent connections by air, train (from Heuston Train Station) or bus (Busáras, the central bus station, is also connected to the airport by bus).
The cheapest option from Dublin is to travel by bus. There are blue aircoaches that will take you to the city centre and then depart for Cork. Log on to http://www.aircoach.ie/ (Westmorland St is in Dublin city centre and Patrick's Quay is in Cork city centre). It will cost approx. €15 one way during off-peak times. The journey will take approximately 4 and half hours.
Alternatively, you can take the train from Heuston Station. There is a direct bus to Heuston from Dublin Airport as well as regular city bus services. The train ticket will cost between €10 and €66 one way, depending on booking method and whether you travel off peak or not. It may be considerably cheaper to book online rather than at the ticket office in the train station. The journey will take approx. 3 hours. Details are available at http://www.irishrail.ie/
You may decide that travelling by plane, from Dublin to Cork, is the most convenient and not necessarily the most expensive. You may find that fares are cheaper than the train. Handling charges usually bring the cost up significantly. Log on to http://www.ryanair.com/ The journey time is approx. 1 hour.
WARNING: If you do choose to connect by plane please be aware of the baggage allowance limitations. You will be obliged to pay for each additional kilo of weight, over and above the allowance permissible by the airline, and this can be prohibitively expensive.
If you are travelling via the UK, it is possible, as mentioned, to fly directly from London to Cork. You may also fly from other British and European cities, directly or by transiting through Dublin or London.
Missing Baggage
If your journey involves changing flights you may be able to check your baggage through to your final destination at no extra cost. Occasionally, baggage goes missing in transit. However, if this happens it is usually traced by the airline and forwarded on a later flight. It is advisable to carry a basic survival kit such as toiletries, a change of clothes, any necessary medication and all necessary documentation in your hand luggage.
If your baggage has been misdirected you will need to fill in a report in the baggage hall in the airport. Ask the airline or their handling agents to arrange for the delivery of your baggage once it has been traced and re-routed to Cork airport. If you are uncertain of your address in Cork, deliver it to the care of the International Education Office at UCC.
If it is at all possible please try to fly directly to Cork or connect on arrival into Ireland. Sometimes it will be necessary to stay in Dublin overnight.
If you are continuing to Cork from Dublin by airplane we recommend you stay in the immediate airport area because Dublin airport is not in the city centre. Please note that, should you fly from Dublin to Cork, this is a domestic flight and your baggage allowance is dramatically reduced. Another disadvantage to staying near the airport is that accommodation is expensive. There are no youth hostels in the immediate vicinity. If you choose to book a local guest house, be sure to check its proximity to the airport and methods of transport available to you. Allow for heavy traffic in morning or afternoon.
Hilton Dublin Airport Hotel. A free shuttle bus will collect/ drop you at airport. Approx. €100 per night, if booked on http://www.orbitz.com/
Travelodge Hotel, Dublin Airport . From €35 per night.
Express by Holiday Inn, Dublin Airport . From €64 per night.
All hotels were priced for one person. Please note prices are subject to change.
If you are continuing to Cork from Dublin by train or bus, we recommend you stay in the city centre. Dublin city has a great range of youth hostels for you to choose from. We recommend you book far in advance to secure a space. A full list of Dublin hostels is available at: http://www.hostels.com/.
Isaacs Hostel, Frenchman’s lane, Dublin .
Mixed dorm €12, private from €22.50
Abraham House, 82 Lower Gardiner Street, Dublin 1.
Mixed dorm €9, private from €18
Kinlay House, 2-12 Lord Edward Street, Ireland .
Mixed Dorm €12.50, double private €25
Please note prices are subject to change.
To get the train to Cork you need to go to Heuston Station you can get there by bus 92 from Leeson Street or Aston Quay. Alternatively, take a taxi which should cost €10 - €15; provided there is no traffic the journey should take 20 minutes maximum. Trains to Cork leave every hour, details of schedules and fare are available at http://www.irishrail.ie/
If you choose to continue to Cork via bus you can get the Aircoach either at Dublin airport or at Westmoreland Street in the city centre. This is by far the cheapest way to get to Cork, however it is also the longest. Details of this service can be found at: http://www.aircoach.ie/
Sea Connections
Sea connections include Rosslare-Le Havre (France) as well as various Ireland-UK routes. Swansea Cork Ferries operate the Swansea-Cork route all year round. There are direct sea services from Roscoff (Brittany) to Cork during the tourist season only.
For information on bus, train and domestic airline connections please consult the following websites: