Getting to Clifden
How to reach Clifden by bus, or car.
Bus
With no railway, the bus is the main public-transport link to Clifden. Bus Éireann route 419 and City Direct / private services run between Galway city and Clifden several times a day, taking around an hour and forty-five minutes to two hours across Connemara on the N59. Local Link Galway runs rural services to the surrounding villages such as Roundstone, Letterfrack and Cleggan. The bus stops are in the town centre.
- Operator
- Bus Éireann and City Direct / private operators
- Key Routes
- Galway to Clifden via Oughterard and Recess on the N59, several services daily
- Local Services
- Local Link Galway serves surrounding villages including Roundstone, Letterfrack and Cleggan
Tips
- •The Galway to Clifden bus is the main way in without a car; check live times before travelling.
- •Services are less frequent in winter, so plan around the timetable.
Driving
Most people arrive in Clifden by car, and a car is the practical way to see Connemara once you are here. The N59 is the main road in, running west from Galway through Oughterard and Recess, around eighty kilometres and roughly an hour and a half to an hour and three quarters. From the north the N59 comes down from Westport and Leenane. The Sky Road, the bog roads and the beaches all need a car or a bike. There is pay-and-display parking in the town centre.
- From Galway
- approx 1 hour 30 minutes via the N59
- From Westport
- approx 1 hour 15 minutes via the N59 through Leenane
- From Dublin
- approx 3 hours 45 minutes via the M6 and N59
- Main Roads
- N59 (Galway, and Westport to the north), R341 (Roundstone and Ballyconneely)
- Parking
- Pay-and-display on-street parking; the SuperValu underground car park gives the first hour free
Tips
- •The N59 across Connemara is scenic but slow, with bends and single-lane stretches, so allow more time than the distance suggests.
- •Town-centre parking fills up during the Pony Show in August and on summer weekends.
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
110 km away- Duration
- ~1h45m-2h
- Cost
- Car hire or fuel
Ireland West Airport Knock is around 110 km northeast of Clifden by road, roughly two hours via Castlebar and the N59. Car hire is available at the airport, and a car is the practical way to reach Clifden and explore Connemara.
Shannon AirportSNN
160 km away- Duration
- ~2h30m
- Cost
- Car hire or fuel
Shannon Airport is around 160 km south of Clifden, roughly two and a half hours by road via Galway and the N59. It has a wider range of car-hire desks and routes than Knock.
Dublin AirportDUB
300 km away- Duration
- ~3h45m
- Cost
- Fuel, tolls and parking
The most direct route is via the M6 to Galway and then the N59 across Connemara, around three and three quarter hours.
- Duration
- ~5h-6h total
- Cost
- Adult single from around €20-30
Take a direct airport coach from Dublin Airport to Galway city, then change to the Galway to Clifden bus. Allow a generous connection, as the Clifden service is limited through the day.
Operator: Citylink / GoBus and Bus Éireann
EV & Essentials
Practical infrastructure on the ground: charging, water, and accessibility facilities worth knowing about before you arrive.
EV Charging
Clifden Station House / Town Car Park Charger
ESB ecars · Check live on the ESB ecars map · 1 stalls · Pay per kWh via the ESB ecars app
Station House Courtyard, Galway Road, Clifden, Co. Galway. The in-town public charger at the Station House Courtyard car park off the Galway Road. Confirm connector types and charging speed on the live ESB ecars charge-point map before relying on them; rapid-charger status was not confirmed at source.. CCS, CHAdeMO, Type 2
Accessibility Facilities
Clifden Garda Station
Galway Road, Clifden
Garda district station on the Galway Road. For emergencies dial 112 or 999.
Leap Card
The TFI Leap Card is Ireland's national reusable transport card. It works on Bus Éireann services around Galway and Connemara, giving you cashless travel at cheaper-than-cash fares. The Dublin-style daily and weekly fare caps apply only in the Dublin area, so out here the card simply saves you fumbling for change on the Galway to Clifden bus. Useful if you are getting around by public transport.
- Cost
- €5 for the card plus top-up
- Savings
- Cheaper-than-cash bus fares
- Where To Get
- Spar, Centra and other agents, or online
- Note
- Dublin-area fare caps do not apply in Connemara; the card is for cashless, cheaper bus travel here
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 →