In this guide
💡 The Short Version: Howth and Malahide are the two northern ends of the DART, each about 25 minutes from Dublin Connolly (about 30 to Pearse), with trains every 10 minutes. At Howth, four waymarked cliff loops start at the DART station; the Cliff Path Loop is 7.8 km and about 2 hours. The Ireland’s Eye ferry is €30 return. Malahide Castle is open daily 9:30am to 5:30pm, with a 45-minute guided tour whose ticket includes the gardens, and the operator says to allow at least 2 hours. Fares are on irishrail.ie. Or book a tour: the Half-Day Guided Coastal Tour to Howth Villagead is from €42 for 4 hours (2,955 reviews) and walks the Howth cliffs with a guide, and the Howth Coastal Boat Tourad is from €25 for 50 minutes (GetYourGuide).
Getting there
| Route | Journey | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| DART to Howth | About 25 minutes from Connolly | Every 10 minutes; the end of the Howth branch |
| DART to Malahide | About 25 minutes from Connolly | Every 10 minutes; the end of the Malahide branch |
| Dublin Bus 32 and 42 | City centre to Malahide village | The castle’s own page names both routes |
| Dublin Bus 102 | Dublin Airport to Malahide village | A direct bus from the airport |
| Tour from Dublin | 4 hours | Half-day coach tour to Howth village and summit |
Irish Rail runs the DART from Malahide or Howth south along the coast of the Irish Sea to Greystones. On a weekday the 06:00 from Howth reaches Connolly at 06:25 and Pearse at 06:30, and the 06:20 from Malahide reaches Connolly at 06:45. The fare is on irishrail.ie; Irish Rail adult Leap users need at least €2.50 on the card to travel. Irish Rail’s revised timetable on the DART and Dublin commuter lines runs until 12 December 2026, with journeys 1 to 3 minutes longer at peak times, and a new national timetable starts on 13 December 2026. Both branches call at Howth Junction & Donaghmede.
A DART train at Howth station. Photo: Gareth James, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0.
Tours
Howth and Malahide are train trips, so a tour is for the guided cliff walk or the boat. Prices are GetYourGuide’s lowest “from” prices for one adult.
| Tour | Length | From | What it covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Half-Day Guided Coastal Tour to Howth Villagead (2,955 reviews) | 4 hours | €42 | A bus tour to Howth Summit and the fishing village, with a guided walk on the cliffs |
| Howth Coastal Boat Tourad (1,416 reviews) | 50 minutes | €25 | A boat trip around Ireland’s Eye in small groups |
| Ireland’s Eye and Howth Coast Boat Tourad (1,074 reviews) | 50 minutes | €25 | A boat trip around Ireland’s Eye, the Howth cliffs and Dublin Bay |
The boat tours go round Ireland’s Eye without landing; the ferry described below lands on it.
What to see
Howth cliff loops
Free · from Howth DART station · four waymarked loops
Fingal County Council marks out four walks on Howth Head, all starting at the DART station and following coloured arrows. They give views of Lambay Island, Ireland’s Eye and Dublin Bay, and the cliffs are a place for seabirds, with grey seals also seen.
The cliff path on Howth Head, looking over the harbour to Ireland’s Eye. Photo: Barrowbob, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
| Loop | Arrows | Route |
|---|---|---|
| Cliff Path Loop | Green | Along the cliffs to The Summit and back on a path parallel to the way out |
| Tramline Loop | Blue | Along the cliffs to The Summit and back on the old tramline |
| Black Linn Loop | Red | Along the cliffs to The Summit, back round the Ben of Howth and along the old tramline |
| Bog of Frogs Loop | Purple | Along the cliffs past Red Rock and the Baily Lighthouse, then round the Ben of Howth and back on the old tramline |
Visit Dublin gives the Cliff Path Loop as 7.8 km, about 2 hours, with 130 m of climbing, and recommends walking boots because the terrain is rough in parts. Back in the village there are cafés, pubs and restaurants.
Ireland’s Eye
Ferry €30 adult, €15 child (3 to 15) return · landing in the summer season
The Ireland’s Eye ferry has run from Howth Harbour since 1947. It lands visitors on the island, weather permitting, by steep steps cut in the rock, and the boats return every hour on the half hour. The operator says landings resume each May for the summer season, and its ferry page has the current sailings.
Ireland’s Eye from Howth Harbour. Photo: Colin Park, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0.
Malahide Castle and Gardens
Open daily 9:30am to 5:30pm · tour about 45 minutes · allow 2 hours or more
The castle has an 800-year history, and the Classic Castle Tour, usually in English, takes about 45 minutes. A tour ticket includes the botanical gardens, the Butterfly House and the fairy trail. Tours run daily all year except 24, 25 and 26 December; arrive at the castle 10 minutes before your time and collect the ticket at the Visitor Centre. The operator recommends booking tours online in advance, particularly in summer, at malahidecastleandgardens.ie. The Fairy Trail and West Lawn, and the Butterfly House and Walled Garden, open from 9:30am. Parking on site is free, and the castle is a 10-minute drive from Dublin Airport.
Malahide Castle from the lawn. Photo: William Murphy, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0.
Before you go
- Footwear. Boots for the Howth cliff loops; the terrain is rough in parts.
- Malahide tours. Book ahead in summer; the ticket is collected at the Visitor Centre.
- Christmas. The Malahide Castle tours do not run on 24, 25 and 26 December.
- Ireland’s Eye. Landings are weather permitting and by steep steps.
- Timetable. The DART timetable changes on 13 December 2026.
Howth and Malahide are two of the day trips from Dublin. For a bigger day out by bus, see Glendalough, and Dublin Airport to the city covers the bus from the airport to Malahide. Leap card and Dublin public transport has the fares for the buses and the Luas, what to book before you go to Dublin lists the city tickets, and 3 days in Dublin shows where a half day on the coast fits.
Common questions
How do you get to Howth from Dublin?
By DART from Dublin Connolly: about 25 minutes, with trains every 10 minutes through the day. Howth is the end of its branch, and the four waymarked cliff loops start at the DART station. Fares are on irishrail.ie.
How long is the Howth Cliff Path Loop?
Visit Dublin gives 7.8 km, about 2 hours, with 130 m of climbing, and recommends walking boots. It starts at Howth DART station, climbs to a car park called The Summit and returns on a path parallel to the way out.
How do you get to Malahide Castle?
By DART from Dublin Connolly to Malahide, about 25 minutes, or by Dublin Bus routes 32 and 42 from the city centre. Route 102 runs from Dublin Airport to Malahide village. The castle is open daily from 9:30am to 5:30pm.
Can I visit Ireland's Eye?
Yes, by the family-run ferry from Howth Harbour, €30 for an adult and €15 for a child aged 3 to 15, return. The ferry lands on the island weather permitting, in the summer season; landing is by steep steps cut in the rock. The 50-minute boat tours go round the island without landing.
Can I do Howth and Malahide in one day?
Yes. They are on separate branches of the same line, and both branches call at Howth Junction & Donaghmede. Allow 2 hours for the cliff loop and at least 2 hours at Malahide Castle.
