Getting to Bundoran
How to reach Bundoran by train, bus, car, or bicycle.
Train
There is no railway station in Bundoran: the line that made the town a resort closed in 1957. The nearest station is Sligo (MacDiarmada), on Iarnród Éireann's Dublin to Sligo line, about 40 km south. The Sligo bus station stop is beside the railway station, under 100 metres away, and the Bus Éireann 480 and 64 and the Local Link 982 run from there to Bundoran in about 35 minutes on the 480 and a little over an hour on the Local Link, according to the timetables.
- Nearest Station
- Sligo (MacDiarmada), Irish Rail code SLIGO, about 40 km by road
- Onward
- Bus Éireann 480 or 64, or Local Link 982, from Sligo bus station beside the railway station
- Note
- Bundoran's own station closed on 30 September 1957
Tips
- •Take the train to Sligo and change to the bus at the bus station next to the railway station.
- •The 480 is the quickest bus, about 35 minutes Sligo to Bundoran West on the timetable.
- •Bundoran Surf Co runs a weekend coach package direct from Dublin Heuston if you are coming to surf.
Bus & Coach
Bundoran has no railway, so the bus is the public-transport way in. Bus Éireann Expressway routes 480 (Sligo, Donegal Town, Letterkenny, Derry) and 64 (Galway, Sligo, Donegal Town and on north towards Derry) stop at Bundoran East and Bundoran West, at either end of the town. The TFI Local Link Donegal Sligo Leitrim routes 982 (Sligo to Ballyshannon) and 983 (Manorhamilton and Kinlough to Ballyshannon) also call, using a Bundoran Centre stop by the Tourist Office and the Holyrood as well as East and West. Bus Feda's Galway to Donegal coaches pass through too. Discover Bundoran warns that Bus Éireann does not use the Local Link stops, so check which stop your bus uses.
- Bus Eireann
- Expressway 480 and 64, stops Bundoran East and Bundoran West
- Local Link
- TFI Local Link 982 (Sligo to Ballyshannon) and 983 (Manorhamilton, Kinlough, Ballyshannon), stops include Bundoran Centre
- Bus Feda
- Bus Feda coaches between Galway and Donegal
- Source
- NTA GTFS timetable data, dataset published 6 November 2026
Tips
- •Bus Éireann stops at the West End and East End, not at the Bridge; Local Link uses the Bundoran Centre stop.
- •On the 480 the run from Sligo bus station to Bundoran West is about 35 minutes on the timetable.
- •Check TFI Journey Planner on the day: rural timetables change.
Driving
Bundoran is on the N15, the main road between Sligo and Donegal Town, and the first town you reach in County Donegal coming north. Discover Bundoran gives approximate distances of 41 km to Sligo, about 205 km to Dublin and about 180 km to both Galway and Belfast. From Dublin you can come either via Sligo on the N4 and N15 or via Cavan and Enniskillen; the Enniskillen route crosses into Northern Ireland and back.
- From Sligo
- About 41 km on the N15
- From Dublin
- About 205 km, via the N4 and N15 or via Cavan and Enniskillen
- From Galway
- About 180 km via Sligo on the N17 and N15
- From Belfast
- About 180 km via Enniskillen
- Parking
- Paid on Atlantic Way from Easter to September; car parks at the West End, the main beach and the end of Tullan Strand Road
Tips
- •The Enniskillen route crosses the border twice: speed limits switch between km/h and mph.
- •Parking at Tullan Strand fills early on summer weekends.
- •Distances are Discover Bundoran's approximations; check a route planner before you set off.
Cycling
The town is small enough to cycle end to end, and most surf breaks are reachable by bike. Murf's Surf School on Tullan Strand Road has offered bike rental by the hour, day or week, per Discover Bundoran; confirm before relying on it. The N15 itself is a busy main road and not pleasant to cycle.
- Hire
- Ask locally; bike rental has been offered from Tullan Strand Road
- Terrain
- Flat along the seafront, a short climb on the headland
Tips
- •Use the town roads and the promenade rather than the N15.
- •The Rougey Walk is a footpath; walk your bike there.
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.
Ireland West Airport KnockNOC
111 km away- Duration
- About 70 minutes, per Discover Bundoran
- Cost
- Fuel or car hire
The nearest airport with a wide choice of UK and European routes. Distance is Discover Bundoran's approximation.
Donegal Airport (Carrickfinn)CFN
- Duration
- Check a route planner
- Cost
- Fuel or car hire
A small regional airport in north-west Donegal; well north of Bundoran.
Dublin AirportDUB
- Duration
- About 3 hours, per Discover Bundoran
- Cost
- Fuel or car hire
Or take the train to Sligo from Dublin and the bus on from Sligo bus station.
Leap Card
A Leap Card or the TFI Go app gives cheaper fares than cash on Bus Éireann services, including the 480 and 64 through Bundoran.
- Cost
- Card deposit plus top-up
- Savings
- Cheaper than cash fares
- Where To Get
- Leap Card agents and online
Parking
Parking options in and around Bundoran. On busy weekends, arriving early is recommended.
Atlantic Way and the seafront car parks
Paid from Easter to September, per Discover Bundoran; confirm current rates on the day. There is paid parking on Atlantic Way by the Thrupenny Pool and Waterworld in season, a car park at the end of Tullan Strand Road for the strand and the Fairy Bridges, the West End car park below the Allingham Arms, and a free car park beside Peter Brady Park for the West End Pool.
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 →