Getting to Enniscrone
How to reach Enniscrone by bus, or car.
Bus
Enniscrone has no railway station, so the bus is the main public transport link. Bus Éireann route 458 runs through the village, connecting Ballina to the south with Sligo town and on toward Enniskillen. The nearest train station is in Ballina, about eight kilometres south, which sits on the line to Dublin Heuston via Manulla Junction; from Ballina you can pick up the bus to Enniscrone or take a short taxi.
- Main Route
- Bus Éireann route 458 (Ballina to Enniskillen via Enniscrone and Sligo)
- Nearest Train
- Ballina railway station, about 8 km south
- Nearest Town With Rail
- Ballina, Co. Mayo
Tips
- •Check the live Bus Éireann timetable before travelling, as rural services run a limited number of times each day.
- •If you are arriving by train, Ballina is the closest station; from there it is a short hop by bus on the 458 or by taxi to Enniscrone.
- •Services can be reduced on Sundays and bank holidays, so plan return journeys carefully.
Driving
Driving is by far the easiest way to reach Enniscrone, and most visitors arrive by car. The village is just off the N59 corridor between Ballina and Sligo, well signposted from both directions. There is parking along the promenade and at the beach, which fills up quickly on fine summer days.
- From Sligo
- About 40 minutes (around 60 km)
- From Ballina
- About 15 minutes (around 8 km)
- From Galway
- About 1 hour 45 minutes
- From Dublin
- About 3 hours via the N4 and N17 corridor
- Parking
- Promenade and beach car parking, busy on summer days
Tips
- •Arrive early on warm summer weekends, as the beach car parks fill up fast.
- •The village is small and walkable once you park, so you can leave the car and reach the baths, beach and pubs on foot.
- •Ballina, eight kilometres south, is the nearest larger town for supermarkets, fuel and services.
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
45 km away- Duration
- ~50m to 1h
- Cost
- Taxi or fuel
Ireland West Airport Knock is about 45 km south of Enniscrone, roughly 50 minutes to an hour by road via Ballina. This is the nearest airport with scheduled flights.
- Duration
- ~2h 30m or more with transfers
- Cost
- Adult single around €11-18
There is no direct bus from the airport to Enniscrone. The practical public route is to Ballina (the airport bus runs via Charlestown), then the 458 on to Enniscrone; allow plenty of time for the changes, and a taxi from Ballina is often the simpler last leg.
Operator: Bus Éireann
Sligo AirportSXL
55 km away- Duration
- ~1h
- Cost
- Fuel
Sligo Airport at Strandhill is about an hour away by road, but it has had no scheduled commercial passenger flights since 2011; it now handles general aviation, flight training and Coast Guard operations only, so it is not a practical arrival point for visitors.
Dublin AirportDUB
250 km away- Duration
- ~3h
- Cost
- Fuel, tolls and parking
About 3 hours by road via the midlands. Dublin Airport has by far the widest choice of flights, so many visitors fly into Dublin and drive across.
EV & Essentials
Practical infrastructure on the ground: charging, water, and accessibility facilities worth knowing about before you arrive.
EV Charging
ESB ecars public network
ESB ecars
ESB ecars network point — check live map for exact location. EV charging in the immediate Enniscrone area is limited; the ESB ecars network has public charge points across County Sligo and nearby Ballina. Check the live ESB ecars charge-point map for the nearest working charger and real-time availability before you rely on it.
Leap Card
The Leap Card is Ireland's national reusable transport card. It works on Bus Éireann services around Sligo and Mayo, including the 458 through Enniscrone, and on Iarnród Éireann InterCity rail at off-peak fares. Note that the TFI Leap fare zones and capping that apply in the greater Dublin and Cork areas do not apply out here, where you simply pay the standard Bus Éireann fare; the card is still worth having if you are combining buses and trains around the west.
- Cost
- €5 for the card plus top-up
- Savings
- Off-peak rail discounts; cheaper than cash on the bus
- Where To Get
- Spar, Centra, Londis and similar shops, or online
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 →