Limerick sits at a crossroads: motorways lead to Dublin and Galway, main roads to Cork, Killarney and Tralee, and Shannon Airport is 25 km away. It is one of the easier Irish cities to arrive in and to leave.
Routes at a glance
| From | By | Time | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shannon Airport (SNN) | Bus / taxi / car | ≈25–40 min | Frequent buses to Limerick bus and rail station via Bunratty. |
| Dublin (Heuston) | Train | ≈2 h–2 h 15 min | Some direct; most change at Limerick Junction. |
| Dublin / Dublin Airport | Coach | ≈2 h 15–45 min | Frequent non-stop motorway services. |
| Dublin | Car | ≈2 h 15 min | M7 motorway, about 200 km, one toll. |
| Galway | Coach / car | ≈1 h 15–30 min | M18 motorway; trains take about 2 hours via Ennis. |
| Cork | Coach / car | ≈1 h 30–45 min | N20; trains require a change at Limerick Junction. |
| Killarney | Car / coach | ≈1 h 30–2 h | N21 via Adare and Abbeyfeale. |
| Cliffs of Moher | Car | ≈1 h 20 min | Via Ennis and Ennistymon; day tours run from Limerick. |
Times are typical and fares change — check current timetables and prices before you travel.
Arriving at Shannon
Shannon is small and quick to get through, with car-hire desks in the arrivals hall. If you have just flown overnight across the Atlantic, think twice about driving far on day one: Bunratty (10 minutes), Limerick (25 minutes) and Adare (40 minutes) are all sensible first stops. US-bound passengers clear US immigration at Shannon before boarding.
Arriving in Limerick
Colbert station handles both trains and buses and is a 10-minute walk from O’Connell Street. Drivers approaching from Dublin or Galway can bypass the centre through the tolled Limerick Tunnel under the Shannon. In the city, use the multi-storey car parks; on-street parking is paid by disc or app.
Local trips by public transport
- Bunratty and Shannon Airport: the same frequent bus route from Colbert station and the city centre.
- Adare: Limerick–Killarney/Tralee coaches stop in the village, roughly hourly, about 25 minutes.
- Ennis (for buses to the Cliffs of Moher): train or bus, about 40 minutes.
- Lough Gur and Foynes really need a car.
Onward by car
For Kerry, take the N21 through Adare to Killarney, or the N69 along the estuary via Foynes to Tralee and Dingle. For Clare, the M18 runs to Ennis; from Kerry the Tarbert–Killimer ferry crosses the estuary, saving the loop through Limerick.
