Day trip from Dublin Kilkenny
A compact medieval city with a Norman castle and a cathedral round tower, about 1 h 30 south-west of Dublin by direct train.
Is Kilkenny worth a day trip from Dublin?
Go. Mind the train back.
Yes, a full day by train works well. Direct trains from Heuston take 1 h 27 to 1 h 45 and a day return costs € 17.75 at the station, less online. The castle is a short walk from Kilkenny station and costs € 8 self-guided. The catch is the timetable. From Monday to Saturday there is no train back between 15:33 and 19:18, so decide in advance: take the 07:20 out and the 15:33 back, or the 10:15 out and the 19:18 back with dinner in town. Everything worth seeing sits along one street between the castle and the cathedral.
The decision sheet
- Travel time
- 1 h 2789-105 min on the morning trains · one way · Irish Rail, Dublin Heuston-Waterford timetable
- Transport
- Direct train
- Self-guided cost
- € 25.75–29.75Day return by train at the station price (€ 17.75) + Kilkenny Castle, self-guided (€ 8) or guided (€ 12) · Irish Rail, Dublin-Waterford fares
- Tour price
- From € 35Civitatis catalogue
- Time needed
- 8–10.50 hDaytripo editorial
- Closed days
- None (castle open daily all year)
- Best time
- Apr-Sep, when the castle opens 09:15-17:30Daytripo editorial
- Verdict
- Worth a full dayDaytripo editorial
What to see and do in Kilkenny
- 01
Kilkenny Castle
A Norman castle rebuilt as a Victorian country house for the Butler family. The self-guided visit takes about an hour and ends in the Picture Gallery, under a painted timber roof.
- 02
Castle Park
Free parkland behind the castle, with a long lawn and woodland paths above the River Nore. The best view of the castle is from the far end. Open until 20:30 from May to August.
- 03
St Canice's Cathedral and round tower
A 13th-century cathedral at the north end of the Medieval Mile. The 30-metre round tower beside it is one of two in Ireland you can climb, on steep internal ladders.
- 04
Medieval Mile Museum
The former St Mary's Church off High Street, now a museum of carved tombs, civic silver and the city's charters. Allow 45 minutes. It is a good stop when it rains.
- 05
Rothe House
A merchant's townhouse from around 1600 on Parliament Street, built around three courtyards with a restored walled garden behind. A visit takes about 40 minutes.
Good forCastles and palacesOld towns and villagesChurches and monasteries
How to spend the day
Take the 10:15 from Heuston, arriving 11:44. Walk to Kilkenny Castle and do the self-guided visit first. Lunch on the way up High Street, then the Medieval Mile to St Canice's Cathedral and its round tower. Leave time for a pint before the 19:18 train, which reaches Heuston at 20:48. Early riser? The 07:20 gets in at 09:05 and lets you catch the 15:33 back, arriving 17:10.
Kilkenny in summer and in winter
Summer
June to AugustFrom April to September the castle opens 09:15-17:30 and the park stays open until 20:30 in midsummer, which suits the 19:18 train. The official site warns of delays at the castle in summer, so book a morning slot. The Cat Laughs comedy festival in early June and the Arts Festival in August fill the pubs and the trains.
Winter
December to FebruaryThe castle opens daily, 09:30-17:00 with last entry at 16:30, and the museums and pubs carry on as usual. The park shuts at 16:30 from November to January. Kilkenny is the Dublin day trip least hurt by rain, since most of it is indoors and close together. With the 19:18 train, plan a long dinner.
How crowded it gets
Busy- Busiest
- Jul-Aug and festival weekends, 11:00-15:00 at the castle
- Quietest
- Weekdays Nov-Mar; castle before 10:00
Coach tours give their groups 2 hours in the middle of the day, and nearly all of them go to the castle. Visit it as soon as you arrive or after 15:30, and spend midday at the cathedral end of town.
How do you get to Kilkenny from Dublin?
Train
- Travel time
- 1 h 27 to 1 h 45
- Frequency
- 7-8 trains a day, 5 on Sunday
- Cost
- € 17.75 day return, € 16.40 single
- Departs from
- Dublin Heuston
Take the Waterford train and get off at Kilkenny (MacDonagh). Heuston is on the Luas Red Line, west of the centre. Book on irishrail.ie for a lower web fare. Castle tickets are only sold on the official booking site.
Organized tour
- Travel time
- 9 hours door to door
- Frequency
- Daily
- Cost
- From € 35
- Departs from
- Hugh Lane Gallery, Parnell Square North
The coach leaves at 08:00, spends 2 hours at Glendalough first and gives you 2 hours in Kilkenny before returning by 18:30. Enough for the castle or the cathedral, not both. Castle entry is extra.
Practical: clothes, food and money
What to wear
Comfortable flat shoes for a day on stone pavements and the narrow lanes known as slips. A rain jacket in any season. For the round tower climb you need closed shoes and both hands free, so bring a small backpack.
What to eat
Pub lunches are the standard: soup with brown bread, stew, or a toasted sandwich. Kilkenny is the home of Smithwick's red ale, first brewed here in 1710. Most places to eat sit on High Street, Kieran Street and Parliament Street, between the castle and the cathedral.
What you will spend
The train is € 17.75 for a day return at the station and less online. The castle is € 8 self-guided or € 12 guided. The park and the Medieval Mile streets cost nothing. Other sights charge small entry fees, and dinner before the 19:18 is the biggest optional cost.
How to get the most out of the day
- The round tower closes in wet or windy weather and has a minimum age for children. Ask at the cathedral desk before you pay.
- On hurling match days at Nowlan Park, close to the station, the pubs fill early. Check the fixture list if you want a quiet lunch.
- The Kilkenny Design Centre, in the castle's old stables across the road, sells Irish craft and has a cafe upstairs.
- Savour Kilkenny, a food festival, takes over the Parade in front of the castle on the late October bank holiday weekend.
How long do you need in Kilkenny?
Plan 8–10.50 h on site, plus 1 h 27 of travel each way from Dublin.
When is Kilkenny closed?
None (castle open daily all year). Best time: Apr-Sep, when the castle opens 09:15-17:30.