12 Night Best of Ireland, by Rail
Overview
Explore the best that Ireland has to offer while travelling on comfortable modern trains and private transfers. Discover Cork, Kerry, Galway, Dublin and Belfast. Experience such places as Blarney Castle, the Ring of Kerry, Dingle Peninsula, Aran Islands and Northern Irelands capital, Belfast and surrounding area.
This itinerary features More Moments activities included with your package.
The train tickets and hotel stays are included in the package, along with some meals and many other travel essentials that will help make this trip easy and unforgettable.
Format
Locations
- Cork
- Killarney
- Galway
- Belfast
- Dublin
Inclusions
- Round-trip flights to Dublin (if Flight & Hotel package option is chosen)
- Round-trip airport transfers in Dublin
- 12 nights of accommodation including breakfast, in selected category
- Train tickets, economy class, Dublin to Cork, Cork to Killarney, Galway to Dublin, Dublin to Belfast return
- Private chauffeured scenic transfer from Killarney to Galway
- Return shuttle bus from Galway to port of Rossaveal
- Return ferry tickets from Rossaveal to Inis Mór
- More Moments - activities included:
- 48-hour Hop-On Hop-Off Dublin City pass
- Day tour of Cork, Cobh and Blarney Castle
- Ring of Kerry tour
- Day tour of Dingle Peninsula
- 48-hour Hop-On Hop-Off Belfast City pass
- Earn 4,000 extra Aeroplan® points per member on this tour for travel completed by December 31, 2025
Itinerary
Day 1
Depart Canada
Fly to Dublin.
Day 2
Welcome to Dublin – Cork City, by Rail
Arrive in Dublin and take a transfer to the train station. Travel directly to Cork where your adventure begins.
Make your own way to your hotel in Cork and explore the city.
Day 3
Cobh and Blarney Castle Tour
After breakfast, make your own way to the meeting point for your Cobh and Blarney Castle tour.
More Moments Activities Included
-
Cobh and Blarney Castle Tour
Travel to Blarney where you will have plenty of time to explore the castle grounds at your leisure. A must-see is the Rock Close area and Poison Garden where the world’s most poisonous plants are kept behind large cage-like structures. Then climb the ramparts of Blarney Castle to kiss the Blarney Stone. Travel onward to Cobh, which is famous for being the last port of call for millions of Irish emigrants and also for being the last port of call for the Titanic. Two excellent museums to explore these events in detail: the Cobh Heritage Centre and the Titanic Experience. Saint Coleman’s Cathedral in the town is also well worth a visit. After free time in Cobh, your coach returns you back to Cork city where the remainder of the day is at your leisure.
Meal(s): Breakfast
Day 4
Cork to Killarney, by Rail
After breakfast, make your own way to the train station to take your train directly to Killarney.
On arrival in Killarney, make your own way from the train station to your hotel. The remainder of the day is at your own leisure. Explore Killarney National Park, take in the town’s charm with its shops, restaurants and traditional music in old-style pubs.
Meal(s): Breakfast
Day 5
The Ring of Kerry Tour
After breakfast, make your way to the meeting point for your Ring of Kerry tour.
More Moments Activities Included
-
Ring of Kerry Tour
Discover landscapes alongside the backdrop of the grand MacGillycuddy’s Reeks mountain range, rivers and rolling countryside. Along the way, encounter bustling towns and quaint Irish villages. Visit such places as Glenbeigh which holds the famous Kerry Bog Village, a cluster of reconstructed cottages dating back to the 1800s, Cahersiveen, the principal town of the peninsula and the charming village of Sneem, with its brightly painted buildings and quaint village green. Return to Killarney via Ladies View, a famous stopping point to view the three Lakes of Killarney.
Meal(s): Breakfast
Day 6
The Dingle Peninsula
After breakfast, make your own way to the meeting point for your Dingle Peninsula tour.
More Moments Activities Included
-
Dingle Peninsula Tour
A comprehensive day tour of the Dingle Peninsula, which offers some of Ireland’s best scenery and spectacular views. The Dingle Peninsula or the Corca Dhuibhne is believed to have more than 2000 ancient monuments. On your travels, you will discover Dingle Town with its brightly coloured shops and Slea Head, known to be the most westerly point in Europe with breathtaking views, especially of the nearby Blasket Islands.
Meal(s): Breakfast
Day 7
Killarney to Galway by Private Chauffeur
After breakfast, onwards to Galway with your private chauffeured transfer.
Along the way, your driver will show you places of interest and you will have a chance to explore the pretty, medieval village of Adare and Bunratty, home to the famous castle and Folk Park. Galway is the main city of West Ireland and a lively university city and is known as Ireland’s Festival Capital.
The city is easy to explore on foot, and you will find many bars and restaurants. Take a stroll down Shop Street to find a variety of buskers and other street performers. Shop Street contains Galway's best-preserved ancient building, Lynch's Castle and a great selection of shops.
Meal(s): Breakfast
Day 8
Aran Islands
After breakfast, make your own way to the shuttle meeting point for Rossaveal port.
More Moments Activities Included
-
Aran Islands, Inis Mór
Depart early morning for your journey to Inis Mór, the largest of the three Aran Islands where the Gaelic language is spoken. Learn about the Aran Jumper and traditional crafts such basket weaving. There are more than 50 different pre-Christian monuments of importance on the islands, the most popular being the fort of Dún Aonghasa. Explore the island at your leisure, take the return ferry back to Rossaveal and the return shuttle back to Galway City.
Meal(s): Breakfast
Day 9
Galway to Dublin by Rail
After breakfast, make your own way to the train station for your journey to Dublin.
Upon arrival in Dublin, make your own way to your hotel. Spend the remainder of the day at leisure.
Meal(s): Breakfast
Day 10
Dublin to Belfast by Rail
After breakfast, make your own way to the train station to board your train to Belfast.
On arrival in Belfast make your own way to your hotel. Spend the remainder of the day at leisure.
Meal(s): Breakfast
Day 11
Belfast Sightseeing
More Moments Activities Included
-
Belfast City Hop-On Hop-Off Pass
Another day in Belfast will give you more time to explore the heritage and culture of the city. Worth visiting is the Crumlin Road Gaol, dating back to 1845. Tours of the prison tell the fascinating history of the site which closed in 1996, and the underground tunnel that connects the Gaol to the Crumlin Road Courthouse. Tonight, go out and discover Belfast’s stylish pub scene, including the Crown Liquor Saloon, one of the most famous Victorian gin palaces, opened in 1826.
Meal(s): Breakfast
Day 12
Belfast to Dublin by Rail
After breakfast, make your own way to the train station for your journey to Dublin.
Upon arrival in Dublin, make your own way to your hotel. Spend the remainder of the day at leisure.
Meal(s): Breakfast
Day 13
Dublin Sightseeing
More Moments Activities Included
-
Dublin City Hop-On Hop-Off Pass
Dublin’s famous ‘Stephen’s Green’ or check out the shops and cafes on Grafton Street, stopping to take a picture with Molly Malone, one of Dublin’s most famous statues. Dublin Castle, which was the seat of English rule from the 13th century and houses the Chester Beatty, with its display of manuscripts, prints and more. In the evening, take another opportunity to check out Dublin’s traditional music and pub scene. Visit notable pubs such as The Cobblestone and the Auld Dubliner or enjoy a drink or two in Kehoe’s Bar.
Meal(s): Breakfast
Day 14
Return Home
After breakfast, transfer to Dublin airport to board your return flight back home.
Meal(s): Breakfast
Accomodations
Where you'll stay
Location
Hotel
Room details
Type of bed(s): 1 double bed or 2 twin beds
Room occupancy: Maximum 2 people (2 adults)
Unless otherwise specified, guests will stay in a standard room at all hotels during the trip.
Room details
Type of bed(s): 1 double bed or 2 twin beds
Room occupancy: Maximum 3 people (3 adults, or 2 adults and 1 child)
Unless otherwise specified, guests will stay in a standard room at all hotels during the trip.
Important Information
-
Daily departures from:
- January 2, 2024 – October 15, 2024
- April 1, 2025 – October 15, 2025
-
Not included:
- Meals, unless specified
- Transfers unless specified
- Additional activities, excursions and entrance fees
- Personal expenses and insurance
-
The More Moments activities/excursions mentioned in the itinerary are all included in the package, but may be rescheduled to take place on an earlier or later day, or replaced with an alternative, depending on availability, weather, seasonality and general operational reasons.
-
- Economy Class train service
- Private transfers
-
The order of the itinerary may change, operate in reverse due to operational restrictions. The itinerary above is for reference only.
-
Check-in: 3:00 p.m.
Check-out: 12:00 p.m.