Tralee is one of the most important cities in Kerry and the closest city with a train station to Dingle. This means that many travellers heading for Dingle pass through this typical Kerry town. But how do you get from Tralee to Dingle?
In this blog post I will explain how to get from Tralee to Dingle in Kerry, Ireland.
Table of Contents
Tralee to Dingle by Train
Are you looking for a way to get from Tralee to Dingle by train? The Dingle Light Railway was a narrow train running from Tralee to Dingle. But before you rejoice at the thought that you might be able to kick back in your train seat until you reach Dingle, I need to mention that the Dingle Light Railway is not operational anymore.
It operated between 1891 – 1953, and The Castle Gregory branch closed before the outbreak of the Second World War. It was one of the most westerly railway lines in Europe, yet for some reason they never chose to reopen the light railway or an equivalent route – even though hundreds of thousands of visitors make their way from Tralee to Dingle every single year.
Bummer.
Tralee to Dingle by Bus
One of the best ways to get from Tralee to Dingle is by bus. True – busses can be absolutely PACKED because both tourists and locals will be on this line and there are not that many busses between Tralee and Dingle.
The local bus service is known as “Bus Eireann route 275” and runs every day between Tralee Bus Station and Dingle Town. There are 4-5 buses each day in both directions with an extra bus on Fridays. They have stops at Blennerville, Camp, Annascaul, and Lispole.
The bus “Route 273” runs only one day each week between Tralee Bus Station and Cloghane. There are two buses on Friday for both directions. They have stops at Blennerville, Camp, Aughacasla, and Castlegregory.
“Route 275A” connects Dingle to Ballyferriter to Dunquin/Gallarus to Ballydavid, and to Ventry -Dunquin with one bus four days per week.
If you are on a strict budget it might be best to take the bus but otherwise I would take a taxi, a hire car or even a taxi – especially when you are carrying quite a lot of luggage. Hikers can obviously choose to walk the way from Tralee to Dingle although this will be a 2 day hike – but more about this later!
Tralee to Dingle by Taxi
The easiest and speediest way to travel from Tralee to Dingle is by taxi, which costs around 70€ – 90€ and takes 41 minutes. It might be better to book a transfer service – but if you are desperate a taxi will do!
Tralee to Dingle by Transfer
One of the best ways to get from Tralee to Dingle is through a transfer service. Go and have a look if your hotel offers a tranfer service – although this can be more expensive than booking through Gettransfer.
On Gettransfer you can get a private transfer from Tralee to Dingle from $35 or €30.
Hiring A Car in Tralee
If you are looking to explore Dingle’s surroundings it might be best for you to hire a car. That way you can do Slae Head Drive yourself and visit the nearby castles, walks and beaches. If you are looking to hire a car it is best to make your way to Kerry Airport where you will be able to hire a car.
Walking from Tralee to Dingle
At roughly 176 km long, the Ring of Kerry hiking trail formally begins and ends in Tralee. It is the county capital and includes some of the world’s most breath-taking scenery.
The walk takes eight days to complete from Tralee to Dingle but it can take longer, depending on your fitness level and the paths you choose.
You can also follow the road from Tralee to Dingle directly which would take you about 2 days alongside some busy roads.
Lieze Neven is a globetrotting travel writer and expat currently based in Nepal. With a passion for exploration, she has lived in Dubai, the UK, and Belgium, alongside her international teacher husband. Her parents live in France and she tries to visit Paris at least once a year. Together, they travel the world looking for the best hotels, experiences and food locations have to offer!