Getting to Boyle
How to reach Boyle by InterCity train, bus, car, or bicycle.
By train
Boyle is on the Dublin Connolly to Sligo line, and it is a through-station: trains call in both directions on their way between Dublin and Sligo. The station is on Station Road on the south side of the town, about 600 metres from King House as the crow flies, so you can walk into the centre with a bag in ten minutes or so. Plan around the frequency rather than turning up: on the timetable valid from 14 December 2025 there are eight trains each way on weekdays, seven on Saturdays and six on Sundays, roughly one every two hours. The journey from Connolly takes about two and a half hours and Sligo is a little under 40 minutes up the line. There is no booking office, so buy online or use the ticket machine, and the station is staffed only on weekday daytimes.
- Line
- Dublin Connolly to Sligo (MacDiarmada Station)
- Station code
- BOYLE
- Station address
- Station Road, Boyle, Co. Roscommon, F52 N603
- Frequency
- 8 trains each way Mon-Fri, 7 on Saturday, 6 on Sunday
- Journey time from Dublin Connolly
- About 2 hours 35 minutes
- Journey time to Sligo
- About 37 minutes
- First train to Dublin, Mon- Fri
- 06:13, arriving Connolly 08:49
- Last train from Dublin, Mon- Fri
- 19:30 from Connolly, calling at Boyle 21:58
- Station staffing
- Monday to Friday 07:00-16:00; unstaffed at weekends
- Station parking
- 55 spaces including 3 accessible, operated by APCOA; pay at the ticket machine
Tips
- •Times are from the Irish Rail timetable valid from 14 December 2025; check irishrail.ie before you travel
- •There is no booking office, so buy online in advance or use the ticket vending machine
- •Trains leave Dublin from Connolly, not Heuston
- •The platforms are linked by a footbridge and lifts; the lifts are called from the help point at each landing
🚆 InterCity from Boyle
Iarnród Éireann InterCity departures
InterCity service from Boyle. Updates every minute.
By bus
Bus Éireann's Expressway Route 23 runs between Dublin and Sligo by way of Dublin Airport, Mullingar, Longford and Carrick-on-Shannon, and since the timetable change of 24 August 2025 every Route 23 trip calls at Boyle. That makes the coach a real alternative to the train, and the obvious one if you are flying into Dublin, because it picks up at the airport. Expressway is a commercial service and recommends booking a seat in advance on expressway.ie, which is also where the current departure times and the exact Boyle stop are published.
- Main route
- Bus Éireann Expressway 23, Dublin to Sligo
- Calls at
- Dublin, Dublin Airport, Mullingar, Longford, Carrick-on-Shannon, Boyle, Sligo
- Boyle service
- Every Route 23 trip calls at Boyle, from the 24 August 2025 timetable
- Booking
- Online at expressway.ie; seats can be reserved in advance
Tips
- •Route 23 picks up at Dublin Airport, which removes the transfer into the city
- •Check the current timetable and the Boyle stop on expressway.ie before you travel
- •Book ahead on busy weekends and bank holidays
Useful Links
By car
Boyle sits just off the N4, the Dublin to Sligo national primary road, and the N61 runs south from the town to Roscommon and on towards Athlone. Lough Key Forest Park has its main entrance on the N4 east of the town. Parking in Boyle itself is easy by Irish town standards: King House has free on-street spaces and a free car park behind it, which puts you a short walk from the abbey, the bridge and The Crescent. The one charge most visitors meet is at Lough Key, where the car park costs €6 and is paid on exit.
- Main road
- N4 Dublin to Sligo
- South to Roscommon
- N61
- Town parking
- Free at King House, on-street and in the car park behind it
- Lough Key parking
- €6 per car, pay on exit; free if you spend €20 in the park
Tips
- •Park once at King House and walk; the abbey, the bridge and the town centre are all close
- •Use the cycleway rather than the car to get to Lough Key if the weather allows
- •The Lough Key barrier takes coins and contactless
By bike
The Boyle to Lough Key Cycleway is the town's best piece of transport infrastructure for a visitor. It runs 7.9 km from King House along the Boyle river and the Boyle Canal and through the old Rockingham woods to the Lough Key visitor centre, shared by walkers and cyclists and graded easy to moderate. Inside the park there are about 8 km more of traffic-free trails suited to families and children's bikes. Bring your own bike, or check locally for hire before you travel.
- Main route
- Boyle to Lough Key Cycleway, 7.9 km
- In the park
- About 8 km of traffic-free cycle trails
- Terrain
- Riverside path, canal bank and forest roads
Tips
- •Arriving at Lough Key by bike avoids the car-park charge
- •The woodland sections are muddy after heavy rain
- •The cycleway is shared with walkers and dogs on leads
From the Airport
Live options for reaching the village from the nearest airports. Times and fares are a guide and can change with traffic or operator schedules.
Dublin AirportDUB
147 km away- Duration
- Check the current timetable with the operator
- Cost
- Check current fares with the operator
Route 23 picks up at Dublin Airport and every trip calls at Boyle, so there is no change of vehicle.
Operator: Bus Éireann
- Duration
- About 2 hours 35 minutes on the train, plus the transfer from the airport
- Cost
- Airport transfer plus the rail fare
Sligo-line trains leave from Dublin Connolly. Boyle is a through-station on the line.
Operator: Iarnród Éireann
- Duration
- About 2 hours
- Cost
- Car hire plus fuel and the M4 toll
The most flexible option if you want to see Lough Key, Arigna and the Curlews as well as the town. Local B&Bs quote about two hours from Dublin Airport.
Ireland West Airport KnockNOC
35 km away- Duration
- About 40 minutes
- Cost
- Car hire plus fuel
The nearest airport to Boyle. Local B&Bs quote about 40 minutes by car.
- Duration
- About 40 minutes
- Cost
- Quoted by the driver; book ahead
Arrange this before you fly rather than on arrival.
EV & Essentials
Practical infrastructure on the ground: charging, water, and accessibility facilities worth knowing about before you arrive.
EV Charging
ESB ecars charge points, town centre
ESB ecars
Town centre, within about 200 metres of King House, Boyle, Co. Roscommon. Two ESB ecars points are mapped in the town centre close to King House; check the ESB ecars map for exact positions and live availability.
Accessibility Facilities
King House
Ramp access · Military Road, Boyle
King House states it is fully accessible to wheelchair users, with a lift between floors and accessible parking spaces.
Lough Key visitor centre
Ramp access · Lough Key Forest and Activity Park
Smooth surfaces and ramps around the visitor centre and multi-access trails in the woods. The lift in the Moylurg Tower was out of service at the time of writing, so the viewing deck was stairs only.
Boyle Abbey
Accessible toilet · Boyle
The OPW lists a wheelchair-accessible toilet, but warns of limited access and uneven walkways inside the ruins.
Parking
Parking options in and around Boyle. On busy weekends, arriving early or taking the InterCity train is recommended.
King House
On-street parking around King House and a free car park to the rear, with accessible spaces.
Boyle railway station
Pay at the ticket vending machine in the station. Operated by APCOA for Irish Rail, open 24 hours.
Lough Key Forest and Activity Park
€6 per vehicle, pay on exit; free when you spend €20 or more in the park. The barrier takes coins and contactless. Walking or cycling in from Boyle on the cycleway costs nothing.
Planning the wider trip?
Our country-level primer covers national rail, intercity buses, airports, the Leap Card, and whether you actually need a hire car for your trip around Ireland.
Getting Around Ireland →Top Tip
The InterCity train is the best way to get to Boyle. You arrive right in the heart of Boyle, there’s no parking hassle, and you can enjoy a meal and a drink without worrying about driving home.