In this guide
💡 The Short Version: The Cliffs of Moher are on the west coast in County Clare, and a tour from Dublin takes 12 to 13 hours, with at least 7 hours in the bus according to the Cliffs’ operator. On your own it is about 4.5 to 5 hours each way: the train from Heuston to Galway, then Bus Éireann 350 to the Cliffs. The operator’s ticket is from €8 online and €15 at the gate, and about 2 hours is the time to allow there. The coastal walks from Liscannor and Doolin to the visitor centre are closed, so the visit is the 3.5 km of paths at the visitor centre. Or book a tour: Cliffs of Moher, Burren & Galway Cityad is from €78 for 13 hours (28,016 reviews), and Cliffs of Moher, Burren & Galway with Entryad is from €68.25 for 12 hours and lists the ticket as included. A tour replaces the two connections and the timetable (GetYourGuide).
Getting there
| Route | Journey | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tour from Dublin | 12 to 13 hours | The operator says to expect at least 7 hours in the bus; the tours add the Burren and Galway |
| Train from Heuston to Galway, then Bus Éireann 350 | About 4.5 to 5 hours each way | Train 2 hours 20 to 2 hours 50; bus 1 hour 50 to 2 hours 05 |
| Train from Heuston to Limerick and Ennis, then a bus | Change at Limerick for Ennis | The operator names this as the rail connection to Ennis |
| Car | About 4 hours via Limerick | The operator’s figure for the drive from Dublin |
Irish Rail’s Monday to Saturday trains from Heuston to Galway include 05:45, 07:35, 09:25 and 11:30, in the timetable valid until the new national timetable starts on 13 December 2026. Route 350 leaves Galway Bus Station at 06:00, 07:00, 09:00, 10:30, 12:45, 14:25 and 17:00, with later evening services, and reaches the Cliffs of Moher stop at 07:50, 08:54, 10:58, 12:37, 14:48, 16:32 and 19:07. The 07:35 train and the 10:30 bus reach the Cliffs at 12:37. The 350 also calls at Kinvara, Ballyvaughan, Lisdoonvarna, Doolin, Liscannor and Ennis, and the return times are on Bus Éireann’s route 350 page. Train fares are on irishrail.ie and bus fares on buseireann.ie. The travelling alone is 9 to 10 hours before any wait for a connection, so the day on your own is no shorter than a tour.
Tours
A tour is the way to do the Cliffs in one day without the connection at Galway. Prices are GetYourGuide’s lowest “from” prices for one adult and move with the date.
| Tour | Length | From | What it covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cliffs of Moher, Burren & Galway City Day Tourad (28,016 reviews) | 13 hours | €78 | The Cliffs, the Burren and Galway City |
| Cliffs of Moher, Atlantic Edge & Galway Cityad (6,436 reviews) | 13 hours | €75 | The Cliffs with a 2-hour stop, Galway City with a 2-hour stop and a walking tour, and the Burren coast |
| Cliffs of Moher, Burren & Galway with Entryad (5,122 reviews) | 12 hours | €68.25 | The Cliffs with entry listed as included, the Burren, and free time in Galway |
| Cliffs of Moher, Galway & Burren day tourad (2,339 reviews) | 13 hours | €69 | The Cliffs, Galway and the Burren National Park |
The operator’s ticket is from €8, so a tour that lists entry as included, such as the one at €68.25, saves a separate booking. For the other three, read the inclusions on the listing before you buy the operator’s ticket as well. The Atlantic Edge tour is the one that lists its stop lengths and a guided walk in Galway; the tour with entry lists free time there.
Tickets
The Cliffs of Moher Experience is the operator’s name for the visitor centre and the paths. The operator prices by time of day: off-peak from 8am to 11am and from 4pm to closing, and peak from 11am to 4pm. The “from” prices below are the lowest, and the price for your slot shows at booking. Tickets are booked online in advance at cliffsofmoher.ie; the gate prices are what an unbooked visitor pays.
| Ticket | Online, from | At the gate |
|---|---|---|
| Adult | €8 | €15 |
| Senior (65 and over) | €6 | €12 |
| Student (13 and over) | €6 | €12 |
| Family (2 adults and 2 children under 12) | €16 | €30 |
| Child (12 and under) | Free, up to 4 per adult booking |
A combined ticket for the Cliffs and the Vandeleur Walled Garden is from €15 online. Entry covers the visitor centre and exhibition, 800 m of paved paths, O’Brien’s Tower and the car park. A ticket is valid for one day. If the weather hides the cliffs, the operator lets you reuse the ticket within 24 hours if you are staying locally, and gives no refund for weather.
What to see
Allow about 2 hours, which is the operator’s figure. The paths, the tower and the visitor centre are all on one ticket.
The paths
3.5 km round trip · north to O’Brien’s Tower and beyond, south to the Southern Viewing Platform
From the visitor centre the paved path runs north past O’Brien’s Tower for about 1 km, with higher views of the Atlantic and the Aran Islands, and south to the Southern Viewing Platform, a round trip of 1.5 km, with the cliffs stretching towards Hags Head. Together they make the 3.5 km round trip. The cliff edge is abrupt, and the operator asks visitors to respect the fencing and the walk closures.
A cliff edge on the Cliffs of Moher, with O’Brien’s Tower on the skyline. Photo: Berthold Werner, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
O’Brien’s Tower
Built 1835 · included in the ticket
Sir Cornelius O’Brien, the local landlord and MP for Clare, built the tower in 1835 as a viewpoint for tourists. On a clear day you can see the Aran Islands and the Twelve Bens of Connemara from it.
O’Brien’s Tower on the cliff top. Photo: Berthold Werner, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
The visitor centre
Underground · exhibition and the Ledge 4D Experience · included in the ticket
The centre is built into the hillside. Its exhibition sits under a 25 m dome and is organised as Ocean, Rock, Nature and Man. The Ledge 4D Experience is a 3-minute film that follows a gannet over the cliff edge and underwater, with wind and spray. This is the part of the visit that does not depend on visibility. Binoculars and picnic blankets are lent free, and luggage storage, water refills and phone charging are free too. The photo experience in the centre is charged separately.
The Burren and Galway on a tour
Tours only · Galway stop 2 hours on the Atlantic Edge tour
The tours add the Burren, a limestone landscape in County Clare, and Galway City. The Atlantic Edge tour lists a 2-hour stop in Galway with a walking tour. On your own, route 350 also stops in Doolin and Ballyvaughan.
Limestone pavement in the Burren. Photo: Limnoporus, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Before you go
- The day. The operator describes a day tour as leaving Dublin at 7 am and returning at 7 pm or later.
- The closed coastal walks. The walk from Liscannor to the visitor centre is closed, and the walk from Doolin is open only as far as Surfers Path, so there is no walking route between the two villages and the visitor centre. The operator’s coastal walk page has the current status.
- Hours. March, April, September and October 08:00 to 19:00; May to August 08:00 to 21:00; November to February 09:00 to 17:00. The winter hours start on 1 November.
- Weather. The site is exposed, and the operator says it has no control over the weather.
- Dogs. On leads outside; not inside the visitor centre.
The Cliffs are one of the day trips from Dublin. The other long day is the Giant’s Causeway, and Glendalough is a half day by bus. What to book before you go to Dublin has the city tickets, 3 days in Dublin shows where a long day out fits, and where to stay in Dublin compares the areas. For the month, see the best time to visit Dublin.
Common questions
How long is the Cliffs of Moher day trip from Dublin?
12 to 13 hours by tour. The Cliffs' operator says a day tour leaves Dublin at 7 am and returns at 7 pm or later, with at least 7 hours in the bus, and allows about 2 hours at the Cliffs. By train and bus it is about 4.5 to 5 hours each way.
How much is the Cliffs of Moher ticket?
From €8 for an adult online, €6 for a senior (65 and over) or student (13 and over), €16 for a family of two adults and two children, and free for children aged 12 and under. At the gate an adult pays €15. The operator charges less outside 11am to 4pm.
Can I get to the Cliffs of Moher from Dublin without a tour?
Yes. The train from Heuston to Galway takes 2 hours 20 to 2 hours 50, and Bus Éireann route 350 from Galway reaches the Cliffs of Moher stop in about 1 hour 50 to 2 hours 05. The travelling alone is 9 to 10 hours, so the day is no shorter than a tour.
Does a tour include the Cliffs of Moher ticket?
Only if the listing says so. Of the four tours below, Dublin: Cliffs of Moher, Burren & Galway with Entry, from €68.25, lists entry as included. For the others, check the inclusions before adding the operator's ticket.
Can I walk the Cliffs of Moher Coastal Walk from Doolin or Liscannor?
Not as far as the visitor centre. The operator says the walk from Liscannor to the Cliffs of Moher Experience is closed, and the Doolin side is open only as far as Surfers Path, with no access to the visitor centre. The paths from the visitor centre total 3.5 km.
