Getting to Carrick-on-Shannon
How to reach Carrick-on-Shannon by InterCity train, bus, taxi, car, or bicycle.
By train
Carrick-on-Shannon is on the Dublin Connolly to Sligo line and has been since the station opened on 3 December 1862. It is a through-station, so trains call in both directions and there is no terminus to wait at. The catch that nobody mentions in the brochures: the station is not in Co. Leitrim. It sits on the west bank of the Shannon in Cortober, which is Co. Roscommon, about a kilometre and a quarter from the Costello Chapel once you have walked down Station Road, along the Cortober road and over the bridge. Allow fifteen to twenty minutes on foot with a bag, or take one of the town taxis. Frequency is the other thing to plan around: eight trains each way Monday to Friday, seven on Saturday, six on Sunday, which is roughly one every two hours rather than a turn-up-and-go service.
- Line
- Dublin Connolly to Sligo (MacDiarmada Station)
- Station code
- CKOSH
- Frequency
- 8 trains each way Mon-Fri, 7 on Saturday, 6 on Sunday
- Journey time from Dublin Connolly
- About 2 hours 10 minutes to 2 hours 25 minutes
- Journey time to Sligo
- About 1 hour
- First train to Dublin, Mon- Fri
- 06:24, arriving Connolly 08:49
- Last train from Dublin, Mon- Fri
- 19:30 from Connolly, calling Carrick 21:45
- Station location
- Cortober, on the Co. Roscommon side of the river, about 1.3 km from the town centre
Tips
- •The station is across the river in Co. Roscommon; budget fifteen to twenty minutes to walk in with luggage
- •Buy in advance online rather than at the counter; walk-up fares are dearer
- •Times quoted are from the timetable valid from 14 December 2025; check irishrail.ie before you travel
- •There is no ticket office queue to rely on late in the evening, so have a ticket before you arrive
🚆 InterCity from Carrick-on-Shannon
Iarnród Éireann InterCity departures
InterCity service from Carrick-on-Shannon. Updates every minute.
By bus
Bus Éireann's Expressway Route 23 runs Dublin to Sligo by the M4 and stops in the middle of Carrick, opposite the Landmark Hotel, which puts you on the right side of the river and two minutes from Bridge Street. That is a real advantage over the train for anyone without a car. There are six services a day Monday to Saturday and five on Sundays and public holidays in each direction, and the route picks up at Dublin Airport as well as at Busáras, so you can come straight from a flight without going into the city. Locally, Local Link operates rural services into Carrick from both the Leitrim and the Roscommon networks; those run to school and shopping patterns rather than to visitor hours.
- Main route
- Bus Éireann Expressway 23, Dublin to Sligo via Longford
- Town stop
- Opposite the Landmark Hotel, Carrick-on-Shannon
- Frequency
- 6 services a day Mon-Sat, 5 on Sundays and public holidays, each direction
- Journey time from Dublin ( Busáras)
- About 3 hours 10 minutes
- Journey time from Dublin Airport
- About 2 hours 45 minutes
- Journey time to Sligo
- About 50 minutes
- Rural services
- Local Link Leitrim and Local Link Roscommon
Tips
- •The coach stop is in the town centre, unlike the railway station, so the bus can be the easier arrival
- •Route 23 calls at Dublin Airport in both directions, which removes a transfer
- •Local Link timetables follow school and shopping patterns; do not plan an evening return on them
By taxi
There is no rank operating around the clock, so taxis in Carrick work by phone. Several independent drivers cover the town, the railway station run and the trip out to the hire-boat marinas. For a late Saturday, book earlier in the evening rather than expecting to get one at closing time: Carrick has a busier night-time economy than a town of under five thousand people normally would, and the cars are spoken for.
- How it works
- Phone an individual driver; there is no all-hours rank
- Typical use
- Station transfers, marina runs and getting home after a night on Bridge Street
Tips
- •Book ahead for a Saturday night rather than trying to find one at closing time
- •The railway station run is short but awkward on foot with luggage, and a taxi is worth it
By car
Carrick sits on the N4, the Dublin to Sligo national primary route, which is motorway for much of its length out of Dublin. That makes the town an easy two hours or so from the capital and about fifty minutes from Sligo. The town centre is compact and the through-traffic is heavy at rush hour on the bridge, which is the pinch point; if you are staying, park once and walk. There is public parking at the marina and along St George's Terrace, and the retail parks on the Dublin Road and the Cortober side have larger car parks.
- Main road
- N4 Dublin to Sligo
- From Dublin
- About 2 hours
- From Sligo
- About 50 minutes
- From Galway
- About 2 hours by the N17 and N4
- Parking
- Marina, St George's Terrace and the retail parks; the town centre is small enough to walk
Tips
- •The bridge is the bottleneck; avoid crossing it at school-run times if you can
- •Park once and walk. Everything on the heritage loop is within 1.4 km
- •Remember that crossing the bridge takes you into Co. Roscommon, which matters for some satnav searches
By bike
The town itself is flat and small enough that a bike is more use for getting out of it than around it. The Shannon Blueway carries a ten-kilometre walking and cycling path along the water between Carrick and Drumshanbo, taking in the floating boardwalk at Acres Lake, which is the obvious half-day ride. Both hire-boat bases at the marina rent bikes as an add-on for people on the water.
- Main route
- Shannon Blueway walking and cycling path, about 10 km towards Drumshanbo
- Hire
- Bike hire available as an extra from the cruiser bases at the marina
- Terrain
- Flat river-valley paths and quiet roads
Tips
- •The Blueway path and the paddle trail are separate routes on the same stretch of water
- •There is no separated cycle lane on the N4 through the town, so use the riverside paths
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
158 km away- Duration
- About 2 hours 45 minutes
- Cost
- Check current fares with the operator
Route 23 picks up at Dublin Airport Zone 13 and sets down opposite the Landmark Hotel in the middle of Carrick. No transfer needed.
Operator: Bus Éireann
- Duration
- About 3 hours 15 minutes including the transfer
- Cost
- Airport transfer plus the rail fare
Trains leave from Dublin Connolly, not Heuston. The Carrick end of the journey finishes on the Co. Roscommon side of the river.
Operator: Iarnród Éireann
- Duration
- 2 to 3 hours
- Cost
- Around €40 per person on the scheduled Saturday service
Le Boat runs a standard Saturday transfer from Dublin Airport to its Carrick base, with other days available subject to a minimum group. Carrickcraft runs its own scheduled transfers every day except Sunday.
Operator: Le Boat
- Duration
- About 2 hours
- Cost
- Car hire plus fuel and tolls on the M4
The most flexible option if you intend to see the rest of Leitrim and north Roscommon.
Ireland West Airport KnockNOC
74 km away- Duration
- About 1 hour 10 minutes
- Cost
- Car hire plus fuel
The nearest airport to Carrick by distance, and the practical choice if you are flying from the UK or from a regional European airport.
- Duration
- About 1 hour 10 minutes
- Cost
- Quoted by the driver; book ahead
There is no scheduled public transport link from Knock to Carrick, so this is a pre-booked run rather than something to arrange on arrival.
EV & Essentials
Practical infrastructure on the ground: charging, water, and accessibility facilities worth knowing about before you arrive.
EV Charging
ESB charge point, the Marina
ESB ecars
The Marina, Carrick-on-Shannon, Co. Leitrim. Beside the quay and the cruiser bases, opposite the Emerald Star offices.
St George's Terrace charge point
ecar
St George's Terrace, Carrick-on-Shannon, Co. Leitrim. On-street, close to the post office end of the terrace.
The Bush Hotel
Hotel-operated
Main Street, Carrick-on-Shannon, Co. Leitrim, N41 H5P1. At the rear of the hotel and available to residents only.
Lunney's Garage
Forecourt
Boyle and Sligo side of town, Carrick-on-Shannon. Listed by the town's tourism site among the local charging options.
Water Refill
The Dock
St George's Terrace, in the Jury Room cafe area during building hours · indoor
Ask at the cafe counter; the building is open Monday to Saturday.
Accessibility Facilities
St George's Heritage and Visitor Centre
Accessible toilet · Church Lane, Carrick-on-Shannon
The centre lists disabled access and toilet facilities, with parking beside the building.
The Dock
Ramp access · St George's Terrace, Carrick-on-Shannon
The arts centre publishes an accessibility page covering the restored courthouse building.
Parking
Parking options in and around Carrick-on-Shannon. On busy weekends, arriving early or taking the InterCity train is recommended.
Marina and Quay
Public parking beside the marina, the closest to The Dock and the Quay.
St George's Terrace
On-street parking along the terrace between the town centre and The Dock.
Rosebank Retail Park
Larger car park on the Dublin Road side, a walk from the town centre.
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 Carrick-on-Shannon. You arrive right in the heart of Carrick-on-Shannon, there’s no parking hassle, and you can enjoy a meal and a drink without worrying about driving home.