I’m writing this comment while sitting on the Citylink Coach between Cork and Dublin! 😊 Some comments as a regular user of the services on this route. You mention that the train is 30 minutes faster, in reality it is the same journey time for most people. The journey time for the train is to Heuston Station, which is still a few km outside Dublin City center. So most people end up having to transfer to the Luas to get into the city which easily adds 20 to 30 minutes to the journey. By comparison the Citylink coach drops you right in the City Center close to O’Connell Street, which is the central transport spine of the city with most bus services close by. It ends up about the same journey time, but much more comfortable as no need to transfer onto an overcrowded Luas. Also the Citylink is much faster to Dublin Airport. I use to take the train regularly, but when the Citylink service started up (formerly GoBE/GoBus) I happily switched over. Also you wouldn’t have seen it on the front row seats, but the rest of the seats have USB charging ports in the back of the seat in front of them and I’ve never had one that doesn’t work. The seats also have a tray table, net and foot rest.
Hi Mark. Aa mentioned already, the curved bank in Fermoy is part of a flood barrier system to stop the town being flooded. It is only part of the system. In both Mallow and Fermoy, large steel barriers are errected on low lying streets near the town bridges. They are over 6 foot tall and lock in place. They are errected 2 or 3 times a year during heavy rain events. There are images of them online.
I find coach travel more relaxing than train travel with their frequent cancellations and incessant announcements. I believe the parking areas on the Motorway should be full services but they were never developed. Hope you are feeling better and look forward to seeing all your travels this year.
Cheers mate. I’ve booked NX down to London in a couple of weeks because tbh, there’s so much uncertainty with the trains and strike action happening, I just couldn’t be bothered with the potential hassle. The coach is slower but I’m in no rush, just get on (seat 2A of course) and relax. I’m feeling a bit better but you can probably tell from recent vids, am still blocked up quite a bit!
@@LetsMakeaTrip Fair enough . These days I find quite often that seat 2A is gone - it's gone viral although hardly surprising considering how many videos I've seen that mention it .
Thankfully Iarnród Éireann seems to be fairly reliable, it’s rare i’ve heard of cancellations on the network to the same extent as the rail network in the UK, one of the great things about having a fully state-owned railway, same semi-state that owns and operates the trains, the track and the stations / other infrastructure
@@evanomairtin1279 Full renationalised British Railways, whatever it will be called will be welcome, services such as porters and station staff might be returned. Not having anyone to offer assistance if unsteady on ones feet can be a pain, literally. The door beeping is painful on one's ears if sensitive to high frequency sound, get rid of them for a simple doors closing/opening quiet announcement, most blind people can hear the mechanism working anyway and are as capable often more than the rest of us as proved by the winner of last years 'Strictly'. Cut the announcements after every station as if attempting to work or read it's distracting and just annoying for others or designate quiet carriages as on Irish Rail. One can always ask the guard/Train Manager if unsure about anything. Most of us look up what the stop before is so are ready to alight or read the dot matrix/LED display which should be in more than just English. British Railways/BR you are sorely missed despite the faults. Public services should not make excessive profits for shareholders benefit.
@@evanomairtin1279 People complain about IR being late which is becoming a problem as they are trying their dam best to increase frequency and the number of trains using the same amount of track and hours in the day so when 1 thing breaks the entire schedule breaks. Even then a 20 minute delay is nothing when u consider traffic jams in Irish citys.
As far as I know, the BLUE M7 means Motorway (M7) indicating a motorway (M7) and the GREEN N7 means National road (smaller) N7 is why there is a colour difference and first letter difference, as far as I know!? Another piece of useless info, since we use km here in Ireland, it is handy, pretty much if it states 80km, it closely works out that it will take you 80mins to get there, 30km = 30mins - in general and driving at normal speed, which is handy I think!! Cheers Mark for the great upload, love from Ireland xx
Cheers Kate, yes, not sure where it changed from the motorway to the national road but looking at another comment on here there are some quite subtle(but interesting) other changes.
Got this bus (and Aircoach) many times going to Dublin airport and back from Cork city. Often had the two seats to myself and even got a bit of sleep on the journey as it is a smooth ride on the motorway.
@@ol9363 The coaches are shorter but with the same number of seats that they used to have. The CItylink coaches are over 1m longer with same number of seats so have far more space.
Did this run many times but by car and travelled on to north of Belfast in one run without a break , the M 50 can be a nightmare especially on a Friday if going on to the airport, nice post 😊
That looked like an excellent service. The Rock of Cashel is most definitely worth a visit. If it’s a clear day the views are outstanding. Would recommend for a future trip to Ireland.
Yes the Rock Cashel is well worth a visit. I visited last year (2023) in early April which is off season and it was free to get in and walk around which was a pleasant surprise. That may have changed though so be prepared to pay in just in case but the entrance fee is very reasonable for what you get to see there which is amazing! And for afters, there's a nice little cosy cafe with friendly owners just down the hill on the left and past the main car park which serves good coffee, cakes and sandwiches. Can't remember the name though.
The motorway goes underneath Dublin and the liLiffy and is a toll road. The car hire company we used told us the toll is included for this. The Irish trust you to pay the toll.at automatic tolls at service stations..
They’re actually debating restricting use of our lay-bys to only lorries and emergencies at the moment - when the motorways first opened there weren’t many service stations so they were thought necessary in case of fatigue. Not heard about it for a while though; it’s nice to have the option! I love the Rock of Cashel 😊
Another reason for the change from M7 to N7 is junctions meeting the road as right angles as opposed to slip roads, also you passed very near my home at junction 12 Curragh Racecourse. Really enjoyed the journey thank you and Happy New Year Mark
the M7 is currently the longest motorway, although it turns back in to a national route for 26 kms it has no traffic lights on it and it joins to the M50 to M1, the idea being you can drive from Belfast to cork in about 5-6 hrs with having to stop, there all built to EU standards, left to our own devices we wild have roundabouts and crossroads all over them lol. that cork road is great though, come back in 15 yrs when the whole island motorway network is finished it will be a joy to drive around the country, the western corridor bar 60km of it in sligo is about to be 2/3 rds finished in the next 2 years, great for the western economy.
Motorway link joining Cork and Limerick, the Republic's 2nd and 3rd biggest cities, a mere 60 miles (less! Whatever that is in 'the new money')? Hmm, yeah, they've been talking about that for a _loooong_ time now! I'll believe it when I see it!
Lovely trip. As others have suggested the mounds are more than likely flood defences. Had a day trip to Shrewsbury yesterday so kept my eyes open in case you were lurking about but contented myself with visiting some of the excellent pubs!
Hi Mark. Some information on the Vintage bus. If that is the same bus I photographed April 2023, it is a Leyland Titan with a Weyman body. It ex English. It belongs to a company called vintage coaches .ie
I made the same journey about 6months ago except the bus left cork at about half one in the morning so it was pitch black all the way up, i dont think i nodded off but the bus seemed much faster than the train, Added advantage for me was that it dropped me off at the airport terminal.
Have ancestors from SW Ireland, and yes Rock of Cashel worth a visit. Weather will be windy, wet or sunny , often within 2 hours. Plenty of other interesting older places nearby too, including the town,
I’ve taken that bus, it was fine and I had no complaints but I went straight back to using the train for my next trip to Cork. The problem with the bus is that you aren’t on a train! I worked as a civil engineer on those motorways back when they were being designed. Differences between the N7 and M7 (other than the three lanes) are the lower speed limit (100km/h instead of 120km/h) and no alternative road so motorway restrictions on low powered vehicles and learner drivers do not apply. Also some technical differences such as slightly narrower lanes, tighter curves, and some left on left off junctions. The N7 was constructed by widening the existing Naas rd, while the M7 and M8 were entirely new alignments.
Some other people have made various accurate comments about the M7/N7 transition but to reiterate someone elses point with a bit more authority - Motorways are required to have grade separated or otherwise slipped exits, whereas Primary National Routes (generally N(X) or N(X)0 roads) have much looser regulations, quite often seeing that junctions are at grade on one carriageway with bollards separating the section of a lane where the turn takes place, a bit like a T junction with an island separating the two turning movements. The notable difference though to your journey will have been the speed limit reducing from 120 to 100 kmh, such is the national speed limits on those classes.
Hi Mark, very interesting, it worked well I think. However, I hate coach travel so I’m really glad I could share the experience thanks to you. Cheers Mark.
Fair enough Bob. It’s not for everyone tbh and I can see the pros and cons for both. I’ve had some rough coach journeys but this was one of the better ones for sure 😊👍
I always use the bus when travelling from Dublin to Cork. It’s much cheaper and as for the extra 30 minutes well when I come into Dublin city centre I would have to spend time getting to Heuston Station whereas my suburban bus leaves me very near the Citylink bus stop. So timewise overall no difference. By the way it’s CASHel not CashEL.
@ Yes. Once you have to make your way to Heuston Station by public transport from the city centre the 30 minutes time difference ‘disappears’. To get the coach I just get off my suburban bus and walk across O’Connell Bridge.I’d actually have to get an earlier bus from home to make it to Heuston Station on time.
It's been a long while since I rode on a bus or coach and I've not been on a train for over 12 months. However .... in 12 days I will be departing Holyhead on Stena Estrid for Dublin and my onwards journey to Northern Ireland and my new home 🎉🎉😁😁..I'm planning on taking some train and bus / coach trips when I've settled in a bit. Your videos are really helpful for giving me information on what to expect 😄 and it's nice to get your perspective on different things!
Thanks for that Mark. Hope you had/have an enjoyable New Year. Are you able to say anything (in future) about local bus connections between the ferry port and Bachelors Walk (or maybe to Heuston Train Station). I look at Google maps and get a little bit confused! Many thanks. I've never made any sense as to how to sign up to Ryanair's security nonsense, so have given up for now. I think that I will now be looking at North and South Wales port ferries on foot (for cold weather) and the same but with vehicle for summer. If only Jet2 would try out a flight from Manchester or Liverpool to Cork, I'd definitely give that a go!
Good that you picked CityLink for this journey, Aircoach used to be the standard setter on the route until a few years ago, but now have really average standard coaches compared to CityLink who have invested whilst Aircoach have just tried to cram in as many passengers as possible.
I enjoyed that I think it is a requirement on Irish motorways to have a stop off along the way. Cash el. There is free travel for everyone over 65 in Ireland.
I looked up the prices for a single trip from Cork to Dublin. €17 apparently. That is ridiculously good for this day and age. Edit - I realised after that you mentioned the price.😂
When I lived in Cork, if I had to go to Dublin I would usually take the train as I lived opposite Kent Station. Otherwise I would use the Expressway 8/X8 service, which sadly was cancelled for good in 2021 (and replaced by the inconvenient and pricey route 245X). Indeed Irish Citylink is a good company and I did use them back in February 2024 on a short route between Tuam and Galway (the bus came all the way from the route starting point in Ballina). Big Green Bus, which I also used in another part of Ireland, also have a service between Dublin and Cork but is not worth it considering it goes a longer way via Waterford and Dungarvan.
And the Big Green Bus was a tad more expensive when I looked. You didn’t go ‘all the way from Tuam’ then (like The Sawdoctors?)! Actually I need to go back to Galway at some point. Aran Islands and ferries spring to mind! Cheers mate.
@@LetsMakeaTripBTW the name of the Big Green Bus is actually Dublin Coach. They are by far the worst coach company in Ireland, best avoided if you have another option. They have had many buses catch fire on the road. Citylink is one of the best coach companies in Ireland IME.
@@bk99911 I myself had an issue with them last February due to my coach from Limerick to Ennis arriving into Limerick over two hours late. Their fleet indeed looks quite a bit beaten up, especially the buses which they use on service 310 within Limerick proper
re: lay-bys. Similar to many 'motorways' in mainland Europe, most of the Republic's motorways are really just dual carriageways albeit with a narrow hard shoulder. Thus they aren't really much different from the dual carriageways in the UK which of course do have lay-bys. For example, the 100+ mile A30 from Exeter to west Cornwall has a huge number of laybys, picnic spots and service areas of various types. The main motorways in the UK are different beasts to anything in the Republic, and there are various practical reasons why there aren't more lay-bys, for example more locations requiring entry into processions of HGVs in lanes 1 & 2; maintenance costs; and potential legal action from Service Station owners regarding loss of trade if more stopping areas were built.
Cheers Ed, yes I noticed the hard shoulder which was why I wondered really. And yes the absence of proper service stations helps. Appreciate the info mate 😊👍
Hi Mark, the reason for the ceiling being so high at the front is due to the Volvo 9900s having tiered seating. If you sat further back the ceiling and air vents would be closer to you. Hope this helps. Also great video. Thanks.
Hoi, Mark, pretty interesting to follow and see the Irish countryside this way. Not been on a coach service like this, well done. Looks like a real good experience. Greetings, Markus
Hi Mark another great video have seen those coaches in and the airport. Next time your in ireland try wexford bus from dublin airport to wexford a good coach company. Am watching from the wexford to dublin train.
Citylink is a good service. I don't use it as much as I used to (only the airport service these days) but I've seen many of their drivers go beyond the call of duty for people
Considerate of the driver not to lower the sun blind. So often the view from the front seat is completely ruined by the blind completely blocking the view. Also goid
The train is always the fastest option from Dublin to the south and west. The domestic flight from Kerry to Dublin is excellent too as you can do a quick check through to your final destination from Dublin, usually only 20 quid one way as well, i'd like to see you do that on the channel! Happy New Year Mark!
In my experience as a Corkonian living in Dublin is that the Citylink coach is as fast as the train if you are heading to O’Connell St area. That is because you have to get the Luas from Hueston which adds time, while this Citylink coach drops you right by OCS. I’ve completely switched from the train to this coach service and very happy with it.
I find that most of the time the traffic is just mental when you get past Red Cow and enter the city itself, depending on the time of day of course.@@bk99911
Thank you Mark for a very interesting video! But one thing you did not tell us is the DAY you were travelling on. That might well explain why the coach and the roads were not that busy.
The intercity motorways in Ireland are never really too busy, Ireland just doesn’t have that large a population compared to the rest of Europe. The motorways were overbuilt for the numbers travelling on them, but no harm in that. Of course the M50 and motorways close to Dublin would be very busy at rush hour, but the rest of the time and the rest of the network is pretty quiet.
@@bk99911 they seem to work well for the truckers, avoid the small towns and villages and get a decent constant speed and gap to other traffic for efficient movement in and around Ireland - and the same of course applies to the express coach services
Very informative I suspect the reason there are no lay bys in the UK are supposed to be a safety factor not sure about that as they have put so called safe areas on smart motorways. I've travelled in europe and the motorways in Ireland are very similar. Your narration and info is first class the tourist board should be paying you.
Mark next time try rapid express coaches waterford to dublin 5 star faster than train always spotless inside and out helpfull drivers thanks to the owners
M6 Toll is due, don’t know when, to change how they charge, they say they are fitting ANPR cameras at every junction so that you only pay for the distance you drove. Whether that will work out cheaper, time will tell.😊
I’m not sure what coach you are talking about, but the ones on this route have never been Green and Yellow! They were previously GoBus and GoBE before that and have always used some form of white and red livery. Aircoach use a blue coach on their competing service.
@ Not quiet, the green and yellow livery is the NTA/Transport for Ireland livery. It is used on services subsidised by the government called PSO routes. Bus Eireann, Dublin Bus, Go Ahead Ireland, etc. all use the same green and yellow livery on PSO routes. BE’s livery is red and white, but they have to use this green and yellow ones on the PSO routes. Bus Eireann don’t operate a direct Cork to Dublin route like Citylink and Aircoach do, they just operate the much slower and less frequent 245x service that stops at multiple places along the way, this is a PSO route thus the green and yellow livery
I’m the opposite, I switched from the train to this coach service as I find it much quieter and more comfortable. I can actually sleep on the coach, which I could never do on the train with the bright LED lighting they use and the constant stupid announcements in both Irish and English, you know the ones.
Normally if going from Cork to Dublin I would take the train. If going to Dublin Airport I’d take the either this bus or the Aircoach. If it’s a busy GAA match or concert in Dublin it can take a lot longer to get up and down the road especially the approach to Dublin. I’ve had the journey take almost six hours once getting home from a hurling match in Croke Park.
Mark, just in case no other Irish subscribers pointed this out: when you factor in the additional time to get across to O'Connell Bridge/Busarus (central bus station) or the adjacent Connolly Train Station from your destination at Heuston Train Station the bus is prettymuch the same as the train. Unfortunately we also have a lot of crowding, and antisocial behaviour on the trains too (teens here are prettymuch untouchable under the law, and in practice and we don't have Transport Police). The bus is a great option and at least you are guaranteed a seat unlike the train.
Mark, in Ireland it's a mortal sin to not thank the bus driver when you get of a bus, even a city bus and you only went one stop! Otherwise a great video thanks.
Well I’ve already been told off for forgetting to do this! I normally do tbh if you’ve seen any of my other videos, but he was already in the street helping with luggage.
@@LetsMakeaTrip So another thing about we Irish - we only rib on people we like 😄It's when Irish people don't make you the but of some joke, you need to worry - it means they probably don't like you very much.
Split your train ticket you get cheaper fares . There are some really weird mistakes in the Irish rail ticketing system. . Should have gone to cobh on the train and amazing. You might see tigers and lions The embankment is an old railway line
Yes I’ve been on that Cobh train. Got off at Fota but didn’t see anything at the time. The park was closed though it did remind me a bit of the Zooniverse on Mighty Boosh!
Very frequent, it is hourly. There is also another company, Aircoach, who do the same route, they leave 30 minutes before/after Citylink ,so combined you end up with a service that runs every 30 minutes almost all day. Yes you could make this journey and back the same day.
My IE free travel pass is not valid on CityLink so the train or Bus Éireann is always cheaper. You forgot to thank the driver upon alighting. Did you enquire as to why the power sockets weren't working, may have been as simple as someone forgot to turn them on. They would trip off when the main power switch is turned off at night when parked up. The vintage bus looked like a Leyland with a Weymann body. A zoomed in shot would have helped as zooming in on a frozen shot of this video is too grainy.
Interesting to view the coach trip on video but as mentioned in a previous video due to travel sickness I’d gladly pay the more expensive train fare as they don’t affect me, but for non sufferers can understand they might opt for the coach to save money especially as the journey time isn’t excessively more.
Be careful with bus travel in Ireland, stuff like city link is good put there are plenty of routes covered by companies that would make irish rail look like the shinkansen... Airport busses are especially hit and miss
The train is not exactly high speed and it seems theres very little in it given you arrived 10 mins early......its about as long a coach journey as,I would be comfortable taking though. Cant argue at €17. Once youve heard it I cant unhear it, that little trim rattles and squeaks on board......
Yes plus the train dumps you at Heuston Station, which is a few km outside the city center, so most people have to transfer to the Luas (tram) which adds an easy 20 to 30 minutes to the journey time. This coach by comparison drops you right in the city center, so overall about the same journey time, but a lot more convenient with no need to transfer onto an overcrowded tram.
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Having watched and enjoyed the video I'm horrified at the absolute absolute absolute cardinal sin of not thanking the bus driver, it's unforgivable in Ireland, really unforgivable, especially from a vlogger who does alot of travel 😮
Michael, really sorry you were horrified by this. If you’ve watched any of my other videos you will know that I normally thank the driver - especially when they are in the cab. I very often don’t get a response, but make a point of doing it anyway. On this occasion,as he was already on the street helping with other peoples luggage, I didn’t go up to him and thank him no. To be perfectly honest, I was more focussed on filming a summary of the journey which, I hope you noticed, was done in one take with no edit. This kind of thing never gets noticed by the viewer unfortunately. But yep, that’s life as a ‘vlogger’ (I prefer content creator tbh)! 😊
@LetsMakeaTrip utmost appolagies I didn't realise he was off the bus, I thought he was in his seat,personally i would have seeked him out and said thanks myself but that's what most Irish people would have done so it's more an Irish thing that's bred into us so dont worry, I wasn't that horrified I was being dramatic, alas I did spot it though 😂😂 I do indeed watch your videos when they are released, I do enjoy them very much, may i suggest the x51 Cork/Galway service, an untalked about service that's never ever late, has some fantastic scenery, a stop off at Limerick on route as well as Shannon Airport, think you'd enjoy it Mark)
I’m writing this comment while sitting on the Citylink Coach between Cork and Dublin! 😊 Some comments as a regular user of the services on this route. You mention that the train is 30 minutes faster, in reality it is the same journey time for most people. The journey time for the train is to Heuston Station, which is still a few km outside Dublin City center. So most people end up having to transfer to the Luas to get into the city which easily adds 20 to 30 minutes to the journey. By comparison the Citylink coach drops you right in the City Center close to O’Connell Street, which is the central transport spine of the city with most bus services close by. It ends up about the same journey time, but much more comfortable as no need to transfer onto an overcrowded Luas. Also the Citylink is much faster to Dublin Airport. I use to take the train regularly, but when the Citylink service started up (formerly GoBE/GoBus) I happily switched over.
Also you wouldn’t have seen it on the front row seats, but the rest of the seats have USB charging ports in the back of the seat in front of them and I’ve never had one that doesn’t work. The seats also have a tray table, net and foot rest.
Hi Mark. Aa mentioned already, the curved bank in Fermoy is part of a flood barrier system to stop the town being flooded. It is only part of the system. In both Mallow and Fermoy, large steel barriers are errected on low lying streets near the town bridges. They are over 6 foot tall and lock in place. They are errected 2 or 3 times a year during heavy rain events. There are images of them online.
11:06That looks like an ex Dublin Bus Leyland Titan PD2, I'd say. Forward entrance, though I'm not sure about the bodywork
Cheers mate, I was a bit late with the camera tbh so only just caught it!
I have used this service many times to get to Dublin Airport as I am based in Cork.
I find coach travel more relaxing than train travel with their frequent cancellations and incessant announcements. I believe the parking areas on the Motorway should be full services but they were never developed. Hope you are feeling better and look forward to seeing all your travels this year.
Cheers mate. I’ve booked NX down to London in a couple of weeks because tbh, there’s so much uncertainty with the trains and strike action happening, I just couldn’t be bothered with the potential hassle. The coach is slower but I’m in no rush, just get on (seat 2A of course) and relax. I’m feeling a bit better but you can probably tell from recent vids, am still blocked up quite a bit!
@@LetsMakeaTrip Fair enough . These days I find quite often that seat 2A is gone - it's gone viral although hardly surprising considering how many videos I've seen that mention it .
Thankfully Iarnród Éireann seems to be fairly reliable, it’s rare i’ve heard of cancellations on the network to the same extent as the rail network in the UK, one of the great things about having a fully state-owned railway, same semi-state that owns and operates the trains, the track and the stations / other infrastructure
@@evanomairtin1279 Full renationalised British Railways, whatever it will be called will be welcome, services such as porters and station staff might be returned. Not having anyone to offer assistance if unsteady on ones feet can be a pain, literally. The door beeping is painful on one's ears if sensitive to high frequency sound, get rid of them for a simple doors closing/opening quiet announcement, most blind people can hear the mechanism working anyway and are as capable often more than the rest of us as proved by the winner of last years 'Strictly'. Cut the announcements after every station as if attempting to work or read it's distracting and just annoying for others or designate quiet carriages as on Irish Rail. One can always ask the guard/Train Manager if unsure about anything. Most of us look up what the stop before is so are ready to alight or read the dot matrix/LED display which should be in more than just English. British Railways/BR you are sorely missed despite the faults. Public services should not make excessive profits for shareholders benefit.
@@evanomairtin1279 People complain about IR being late which is becoming a problem as they are trying their dam best to increase frequency and the number of trains using the same amount of track and hours in the day so when 1 thing breaks the entire schedule breaks. Even then a 20 minute delay is nothing when u consider traffic jams in Irish citys.
As far as I know, the BLUE M7 means Motorway (M7) indicating a motorway (M7) and the GREEN N7 means National road (smaller) N7 is why there is a colour difference and first letter difference, as far as I know!?
Another piece of useless info, since we use km here in Ireland, it is handy, pretty much if it states 80km, it closely works out that it will take you 80mins to get there, 30km = 30mins - in general and driving at normal speed, which is handy I think!!
Cheers Mark for the great upload, love from Ireland xx
Cheers Kate, yes, not sure where it changed from the motorway to the national road but looking at another comment on here there are some quite subtle(but interesting) other changes.
the curved bank at Fermoy is to prevent flooding, the River Blackwater flows trough the town and under the bridge
Cheers Niall, I saw the river next to it. 👍
Duh!
@@tomjohnston1220 ?
@@chrismaynard994 It was so obvious.
Got this bus (and Aircoach) many times going to Dublin airport and back from Cork city. Often had the two seats to myself and even got a bit of sleep on the journey as it is a smooth ride on the motorway.
Aircoach is a shadow of it's former self, CityLink is vastly more comfortable.
@WilliamDublin85 Really? its been a few years since i got the aircoach.
@@ol9363 The coaches are shorter but with the same number of seats that they used to have. The CItylink coaches are over 1m longer with same number of seats so have far more space.
Did this run many times but by car and travelled on to north of Belfast in one run without a break , the M 50 can be a nightmare especially on a Friday if going on to the airport, nice post 😊
That looked like an excellent service. The Rock of Cashel is most definitely worth a visit. If it’s a clear day the views are outstanding. Would recommend for a future trip to Ireland.
Cashel is definitely worth a visit, a perfect stop off if you’re traveling from Limerick/Galway to Waterford/Rosslare.
I’d definitely heard of it before. The camera didn’t really do it justice at all as it looked impressive even from the motorway!
Yes the Rock Cashel is well worth a visit. I visited last year (2023) in early April which is off season and it was free to get in and walk around which was a pleasant surprise. That may have changed though so be prepared to pay in just in case but the entrance fee is very reasonable for what you get to see there which is amazing!
And for afters, there's a nice little cosy cafe with friendly owners just down the hill on the left and past the main car park which serves good coffee, cakes and sandwiches. Can't remember the name though.
The coach looked very comfortable indeed. I’m gladyou got some pleasant weather it always helps.
It was mate. I’m hoping the Inverness - Ullapool is similar!
The motorway goes underneath Dublin and the liLiffy and is a toll road. The car hire company we used told us the toll is included for this. The Irish trust you to pay the toll.at automatic tolls at service stations..
Great value. I must try this service as have not been to Cork in years.
Cheers Frazer, it is great value 👍
@@LetsMakeaTrip.....Hrvati volimo Irsku
They’re actually debating restricting use of our lay-bys to only lorries and emergencies at the moment - when the motorways first opened there weren’t many service stations so they were thought necessary in case of fatigue. Not heard about it for a while though; it’s nice to have the option! I love the Rock of Cashel 😊
It is yes, probably the restriction is for health & safety reasons?
Another reason for the change from M7 to N7 is junctions meeting the road as right angles as opposed to slip roads, also you passed very near my home at junction 12 Curragh Racecourse. Really enjoyed the journey thank you and Happy New Year Mark
the M7 is currently the longest motorway, although it turns back in to a national route for 26 kms it has no traffic lights on it and it joins to the M50 to M1, the idea being you can drive from Belfast to cork in about 5-6 hrs with having to stop, there all built to EU standards, left to our own devices we wild have roundabouts and crossroads all over them lol. that cork road is great though, come back in 15 yrs when the whole island motorway network is finished it will be a joy to drive around the country, the western corridor bar 60km of it in sligo is about to be 2/3 rds finished in the next 2 years, great for the western economy.
Motorway link joining Cork and Limerick, the Republic's 2nd and 3rd biggest cities, a mere 60 miles (less! Whatever that is in 'the new money')? Hmm, yeah, they've been talking about that for a _loooong_ time now! I'll believe it when I see it!
@@richiehoyt8487 There’s a good chance that we’ll see it soon as the Green Party won’t have much of a say in the next government.
Lovely trip.
As others have suggested the mounds are more than likely flood defences.
Had a day trip to Shrewsbury yesterday so kept my eyes open in case you were lurking about but contented myself with visiting some of the excellent pubs!
‘lurking about’ 😂 I’ve been in Wales this week mate and it’s blimmin cold atm! Probably stay indoors this weekend 😊
Must go back to Ireland soon. That looked a lovely ride on the bus.
It was Paul, definitely recommend it😊👍
Hi Mark. Some information on the Vintage bus. If that is the same bus I photographed April 2023, it is a Leyland Titan with a Weyman body. It ex English. It belongs to a company called vintage coaches .ie
Nice, cheers mate. I was a bit late to film it tbh, will see if I can find a decent photo of it on the web 👍
I made the same journey about 6months ago except the bus left cork at about half one in the morning so it was pitch black all the way up, i dont think i nodded off but the bus seemed much faster than the train,
Added advantage for me was that it dropped me off at the airport terminal.
Have ancestors from SW Ireland, and yes Rock of Cashel worth a visit. Weather will be windy, wet or sunny , often within 2 hours. Plenty of other interesting older places nearby too, including the town,
I’ve taken that bus, it was fine and I had no complaints but I went straight back to using the train for my next trip to Cork. The problem with the bus is that you aren’t on a train!
I worked as a civil engineer on those motorways back when they were being designed. Differences between the N7 and M7 (other than the three lanes) are the lower speed limit (100km/h instead of 120km/h) and no alternative road so motorway restrictions on low powered vehicles and learner drivers do not apply. Also some technical differences such as slightly narrower lanes, tighter curves, and some left on left off junctions. The N7 was constructed by widening the existing Naas rd, while the M7 and M8 were entirely new alignments.
Cheers Brian and thanks for the info - very useful to know 👍
Some other people have made various accurate comments about the M7/N7 transition but to reiterate someone elses point with a bit more authority - Motorways are required to have grade separated or otherwise slipped exits, whereas Primary National Routes (generally N(X) or N(X)0 roads) have much looser regulations, quite often seeing that junctions are at grade on one carriageway with bollards separating the section of a lane where the turn takes place, a bit like a T junction with an island separating the two turning movements. The notable difference though to your journey will have been the speed limit reducing from 120 to 100 kmh, such is the national speed limits on those classes.
N7 is 100kmh speed limit. Cashel is pronounced cash-l. Super video.
Thanks mate 😊👍
Hi Mark, very interesting, it worked well I think. However, I hate coach travel so I’m really glad I could share the experience thanks to you. Cheers Mark.
Fair enough Bob. It’s not for everyone tbh and I can see the pros and cons for both. I’ve had some rough coach journeys but this was one of the better ones for sure 😊👍
I always use the bus when travelling from Dublin to Cork. It’s much cheaper and as for the extra 30 minutes well when I come into Dublin city centre I would have to spend time getting to Heuston Station whereas my suburban bus leaves me very near the Citylink bus stop. So timewise overall no difference. By the way it’s CASHel not CashEL.
I bet once you’ve been on the LUAS it’s pretty much the same journey time.
@ Yes. Once you have to make your way to Heuston Station by public transport from the city centre the 30 minutes time difference ‘disappears’. To get the coach I just get off my suburban bus and walk across O’Connell Bridge.I’d actually have to get an earlier bus from home to make it to Heuston Station on time.
It's been a long while since I rode on a bus or coach and I've not been on a train for over 12 months. However .... in 12 days I will be departing Holyhead on Stena Estrid for Dublin and my onwards journey to Northern Ireland and my new home 🎉🎉😁😁..I'm planning on taking some train and bus / coach trips when I've settled in a bit. Your videos are really helpful for giving me information on what to expect 😄 and it's nice to get your perspective on different things!
You'd better hope it reopens when they hope it will, then (Jan 16 is apparently the currently promised date)
@AndreiTupolev Already booked and spoken directly to Stena. Only Stena berth reopening, Irish Ferries still under repair.
Thanks for that Mark. Hope you had/have an enjoyable New Year. Are you able to say anything (in future) about local bus connections between the ferry port and Bachelors Walk (or maybe to Heuston Train Station). I look at Google maps and get a little bit confused! Many thanks. I've never made any sense as to how to sign up to Ryanair's security nonsense, so have given up for now. I think that I will now be looking at North and South Wales port ferries on foot (for cold weather) and the same but with vehicle for summer. If only Jet2 would try out a flight from Manchester or Liverpool to Cork, I'd definitely give that a go!
Good that you picked CityLink for this journey, Aircoach used to be the standard setter on the route until a few years ago, but now have really average standard coaches compared to CityLink who have invested whilst Aircoach have just tried to cram in as many passengers as possible.
I enjoyed that I think it is a requirement on Irish motorways to have a stop off along the way. Cash el. There is free travel for everyone over 65 in Ireland.
Hi Mark, I hope everything is going well with your health. Thank you for the video. Best
Slow process tbh but thanks for asking. 😊
Yes I’m on the list, John Smith is the name.
Happy New Year Mark, hope you have had a lovely Hogmanay, all the best to you for the new year
Cheers mate, same to you. I’m looking forward to In Ernest in a couple of weeks time! 👍
I looked up the prices for a single trip from Cork to Dublin. €17 apparently. That is ridiculously good for this day and age.
Edit - I realised after that you mentioned the price.😂
lol, no worries Karen. It’s still good value isn’t it!
@LetsMakeaTrip Unreal
When I lived in Cork, if I had to go to Dublin I would usually take the train as I lived opposite Kent Station. Otherwise I would use the Expressway 8/X8 service, which sadly was cancelled for good in 2021 (and replaced by the inconvenient and pricey route 245X).
Indeed Irish Citylink is a good company and I did use them back in February 2024 on a short route between Tuam and Galway (the bus came all the way from the route starting point in Ballina).
Big Green Bus, which I also used in another part of Ireland, also have a service between Dublin and Cork but is not worth it considering it goes a longer way via Waterford and Dungarvan.
And the Big Green Bus was a tad more expensive when I looked. You didn’t go ‘all the way from Tuam’ then (like The Sawdoctors?)! Actually I need to go back to Galway at some point. Aran Islands and ferries spring to mind! Cheers mate.
@@LetsMakeaTripBTW the name of the Big Green Bus is actually Dublin Coach. They are by far the worst coach company in Ireland, best avoided if you have another option. They have had many buses catch fire on the road. Citylink is one of the best coach companies in Ireland IME.
@@bk99911 I myself had an issue with them last February due to my coach from Limerick to Ennis arriving into Limerick over two hours late. Their fleet indeed looks quite a bit beaten up, especially the buses which they use on service 310 within Limerick proper
Great to know this service operates
re: lay-bys. Similar to many 'motorways' in mainland Europe, most of the Republic's motorways are really just dual carriageways albeit with a narrow hard shoulder. Thus they aren't really much different from the dual carriageways in the UK which of course do have lay-bys. For example, the 100+ mile A30 from Exeter to west Cornwall has a huge number of laybys, picnic spots and service areas of various types. The main motorways in the UK are different beasts to anything in the Republic, and there are various practical reasons why there aren't more lay-bys, for example more locations requiring entry into processions of HGVs in lanes 1 & 2; maintenance costs; and potential legal action from Service Station owners regarding loss of trade if more stopping areas were built.
Cheers Ed, yes I noticed the hard shoulder which was why I wondered really. And yes the absence of proper service stations helps. Appreciate the info mate 😊👍
Hi Mark. Happy New Year. Very much looking forward to another year of great videos from one of my favourite channels. All the best. D
Thanks David, appreciate the kind words mate 😊👍
Hi Mark, the reason for the ceiling being so high at the front is due to the Volvo 9900s having tiered seating. If you sat further back the ceiling and air vents would be closer to you. Hope this helps. Also great video. Thanks.
Some folk call it Cinema Seating !
It does, cheers Phil 😊👍
Thanks Mark that was a very enjoyable video 👍
Cheers James 😊👍
Hoi, Mark, pretty interesting to follow and see the Irish countryside this way. Not been on a coach service like this, well done. Looks like a real good experience. Greetings, Markus
Cheers Markus. The roads helped and I think they’ve improved a bit since I last used them so much in the late 90’s!
Happy New year Mark. 🎉 Lovely scenery and an enjoyable trip 🤗
Same to you mate, glad you enjoyed it!
Happy New Year, Mark. Great video as always.
Cheers Evan, same to you mate!
Another great video Mark 😊
Cheers Wesley 😊👍
Hi mark happy new year another great video fully agree 10/10 for the coach company all the best Paul in Kent
Cheers Paul, same to you mate. Yes it was a decent company this. Very pleased with it. 😊👍
Presumably the bank at 4min 50sec is a flood protection barrier for the river that is crossed a few seconds later
I believe so. 👍
Thats a flood defense in Fermoy. The river can burst its banks during heavy rain fall
Hi Mark another great video have seen those coaches in and the airport.
Next time your in ireland try wexford bus from dublin airport to wexford a good coach company.
Am watching from the wexford to dublin train.
Wexford - ok mate. I have been through there on the train and it looks a lovely place. Must stop next time!👍
Citylink is a good service. I don't use it as much as I used to (only the airport service these days) but I've seen many of their drivers go beyond the call of duty for people
Great video mark
Cheers mate 😊👍
Considerate of the driver not to lower the sun blind. So often the view from the front seat is completely ruined by the blind completely blocking the view. Also goid
He was a good driver. I feel bad for forgetting to thank him at the end. I normally do tbh I’ll definitely remember next time.
13:47 Ferry from Holyhead ? Not for a while I suspect
Who knows? They did reckon it’d be ok again by mid-Jan!
@@LetsMakeaTrip I'm not convinced .
The train is always the fastest option from Dublin to the south and west. The domestic flight from Kerry to Dublin is excellent too as you can do a quick check through to your final destination from Dublin, usually only 20 quid one way as well, i'd like to see you do that on the channel! Happy New Year Mark!
In my experience as a Corkonian living in Dublin is that the Citylink coach is as fast as the train if you are heading to O’Connell St area. That is because you have to get the Luas from Hueston which adds time, while this Citylink coach drops you right by OCS. I’ve completely switched from the train to this coach service and very happy with it.
I find that most of the time the traffic is just mental when you get past Red Cow and enter the city itself, depending on the time of day of course.@@bk99911
Cheers Brian, yes I would like to try Kerry Airport one day and walk down the road to the railway station now I know it exists.
Thank you Mark for a very interesting video! But one thing you did not tell us is the DAY you were travelling on. That might well explain why the coach and the roads were not that busy.
Cheers mate. It was a Tuesday, 10:30 departure from Cork. 👍
@@LetsMakeaTrip I doubt the motorway gets superbusy though post brexit it is ideal for the lorries to Cork for shipping to Spain and France
The intercity motorways in Ireland are never really too busy, Ireland just doesn’t have that large a population compared to the rest of Europe. The motorways were overbuilt for the numbers travelling on them, but no harm in that. Of course the M50 and motorways close to Dublin would be very busy at rush hour, but the rest of the time and the rest of the network is pretty quiet.
@@bk99911 they seem to work well for the truckers, avoid the small towns and villages and get a decent constant speed and gap to other traffic for efficient movement in and around Ireland - and the same of course applies to the express coach services
Excellent journey Mark, I would love to do that one, great value to 👍
Cheers mate, definitely worth doing! 👍
Great video Mark, happy new year
Thanks Robert, same to you mate 😊👍
Very informative I suspect the reason there are no lay bys in the UK are supposed to be a safety factor not sure about that as they have put so called safe areas on smart motorways. I've travelled in europe and the motorways in Ireland are very similar. Your narration and info is first class the tourist board should be paying you.
Fermoy was plagued with lots of flooding from river Blackwater that’s what mounds are for.
I get a bit clostrophobic and will be on this bus next week...eeek.
Try and sit at the front like me Sarah. It will help 👍
@LetsMakeaTrip thankyou that always helps, I'll be sure to get there early
Looked a comfortable trip, Mark and a good price👍😊
It was, nice smooth Road helped as well tbh😊👍
Mark next time try rapid express coaches waterford to dublin 5 star faster than train always spotless inside and out helpfull drivers thanks to the owners
M6 Toll is due, don’t know when, to change how they charge, they say they are fitting ANPR cameras at every junction so that you only pay for the distance you drove. Whether that will work out cheaper, time will tell.😊
Didn’t know 5hat John. I hope it’s better. Joining from the A38 (for example) and paying the same as end-to-end doesn’t seem that fair to me!
Mark, can you try doing a national express video from Birmingham Coach Station to Swansea
I've seen those coaches but not been on one.They use to be painted green and yellow.The Scottish ones are blue and yellow.
I’m not sure what coach you are talking about, but the ones on this route have never been Green and Yellow! They were previously GoBus and GoBE before that and have always used some form of white and red livery. Aircoach use a blue coach on their competing service.
Bus Éireann are green & yellow
@ Not quiet, the green and yellow livery is the NTA/Transport for Ireland livery. It is used on services subsidised by the government called PSO routes. Bus Eireann, Dublin Bus, Go Ahead Ireland, etc. all use the same green and yellow livery on PSO routes. BE’s livery is red and white, but they have to use this green and yellow ones on the PSO routes. Bus Eireann don’t operate a direct Cork to Dublin route like Citylink and Aircoach do, they just operate the much slower and less frequent 245x service that stops at multiple places along the way, this is a PSO route thus the green and yellow livery
Happy new year.
Same to you Cheryl 😊👍
I do not recognise the motorways. Wish they had been available during my time travelling in Ireland. Cashel well worth a visit. Thanks
Cheers Kevin, I think the roads are improving. I remember them being terrible 30 years ago!
For me, in Ireland I'll take the train over the bus any day as it is a more spacious and, for me, relaxing experience
I’m the opposite, I switched from the train to this coach service as I find it much quieter and more comfortable. I can actually sleep on the coach, which I could never do on the train with the bright LED lighting they use and the constant stupid announcements in both Irish and English, you know the ones.
It definitely divides opinion.
welcome to Cork
Cheers Niall 😊👍
Normally if going from Cork to Dublin I would take the train. If going to Dublin Airport I’d take the either this bus or the Aircoach.
If it’s a busy GAA match or concert in Dublin it can take a lot longer to get up and down the road especially the approach to Dublin. I’ve had the journey take almost six hours once getting home from a hurling match in Croke Park.
Hi I'm from fermoy the bank is there for when the river floods
Hi Barry and thanks for the info mate. Cheers!
Mark, just in case no other Irish subscribers pointed this out: when you factor in the additional time to get across to O'Connell Bridge/Busarus (central bus station) or the adjacent Connolly Train Station from your destination at Heuston Train Station the bus is prettymuch the same as the train.
Unfortunately we also have a lot of crowding, and antisocial behaviour on the trains too (teens here are prettymuch untouchable under the law, and in practice and we don't have Transport Police).
The bus is a great option and at least you are guaranteed a seat unlike the train.
Travelled in Eirè by bus a few times last year, much nicer than on the eastern side of the Irish sea.
I haven’t done much on the east yet Ifor, but plan to at some point 👍
Is it normal for that motorway
to have such low traffic?
I cannot see it super busy, with the tolls I guess locals might drive the old ways (which I did in the late 70s before the new roads)
@@highpath4776 so money over time
I guess we don't have lay-byes on motorways as nobody would make money from them - hence service stations.
Mark, in Ireland it's a mortal sin to not thank the bus driver when you get of a bus, even a city bus and you only went one stop! Otherwise a great video thanks.
Well I’ve already been told off for forgetting to do this! I normally do tbh if you’ve seen any of my other videos, but he was already in the street helping with luggage.
@@LetsMakeaTrip So another thing about we Irish - we only rib on people we like 😄It's when Irish people don't make you the but of some joke, you need to worry - it means they probably don't like you very much.
❤❤❤ ❤
M roads and blue signage indicates motorways with speed limits of 120km. N roads and green signage are dual carriageways with max speed 100km
Yes, cheers Frank 😊👍
Split your train ticket you get cheaper fares .
There are some really weird mistakes in the Irish rail ticketing system.
.
Should have gone to cobh on the train and amazing. You might see tigers and lions
The embankment is an old railway line
Yes I’ve been on that Cobh train. Got off at Fota but didn’t see anything at the time. The park was closed though it did remind me a bit of the Zooniverse on Mighty Boosh!
@LetsMakeaTrip winter Time is the best leaves are off the trees cobh station feels like a Sussex or Wessex
Train station .
Very British
Did you say thanks to the driver and leave him a ‘Drink’ ?
Well tbh, I normally do but just slipped my mind this time. Think I was focussed on doing the outro but I do feel bad about it now!
Awesome journey. Is that a frequent route? Could it be done in a day? Happy and blessed New Year to you. Thanks for all your great content.
Very frequent, it is hourly. There is also another company, Aircoach, who do the same route, they leave 30 minutes before/after Citylink ,so combined you end up with a service that runs every 30 minutes almost all day. Yes you could make this journey and back the same day.
Yes every hour and takes around 3 hours.
My IE free travel pass is not valid on CityLink so the train or Bus Éireann is always cheaper. You forgot to thank the driver upon alighting. Did you enquire as to why the power sockets weren't working, may have been as simple as someone forgot to turn them on. They would trip off when the main power switch is turned off at night when parked up. The vintage bus looked like a Leyland with a Weymann body. A zoomed in shot would have helped as zooming in on a frozen shot of this video is too grainy.
Interesting to view the coach trip on video but as mentioned in a previous video due to travel sickness I’d gladly pay the more expensive train fare as they don’t affect me, but for non sufferers can understand they might opt for the coach to save money especially as the journey time isn’t excessively more.
Cheers Colin, yes totally agree. Everyone’s different and affected differently.
Being picky ☺️ it's pronounced "cashl", not "ca-SHELL".
Irish names tend to emphasise the first syllable.
That’s fine mate, don’t mind being picked up on the pronunciation. Mind you, no-one ever says anything about the ones I get right 😂
Be careful with bus travel in Ireland, stuff like city link is good put there are plenty of routes covered by companies that would make irish rail look like the shinkansen... Airport busses are especially hit and miss
Yes I looked at one called the Big Green Bus(?). Cost more and took around 4 something hours via Waterford!
I traveled Cork to Dublin on an Express Coach in 2014 and it cost Me €20
They were a bit more expensive yes. This seemed the best value to me.
The train is not exactly high speed and it seems theres very little in it given you arrived 10 mins early......its about as long a coach journey as,I would be comfortable taking though. Cant argue at €17.
Once youve heard it I cant unhear it, that little trim rattles and squeaks on board......
Yes plus the train dumps you at Heuston Station, which is a few km outside the city center, so most people have to transfer to the Luas (tram) which adds an easy 20 to 30 minutes to the journey time. This coach by comparison drops you right in the city center, so overall about the same journey time, but a lot more convenient with no need to transfer onto an overcrowded tram.
Hi there my name is Leo ♌️, I am big massive fan of ireland 🇮🇪, Republic of Ireland 🇮🇪 does have an 🇺🇸 🇺🇲 🌎 🇦🇸 🇺🇸 American Feel to it not northern ireland only Republic of ireland 🇮🇪
Hi Leo, hope you enjoyed the vid 😊👍
cash-ill not shell
Yes, I’ve been told this a few times 👍
Having watched and enjoyed the video I'm horrified at the absolute absolute absolute cardinal sin of not thanking the bus driver, it's unforgivable in Ireland, really unforgivable, especially from a vlogger who does alot of travel 😮
Michael, really sorry you were horrified by this. If you’ve watched any of my other videos you will know that I normally thank the driver - especially when they are in the cab. I very often don’t get a response, but make a point of doing it anyway. On this occasion,as he was already on the street helping with other peoples luggage, I didn’t go up to him and thank him no. To be perfectly honest, I was more focussed on filming a summary of the journey which, I hope you noticed, was done in one take with no edit. This kind of thing never gets noticed by the viewer unfortunately. But yep, that’s life as a ‘vlogger’ (I prefer content creator tbh)! 😊
@LetsMakeaTrip utmost appolagies I didn't realise he was off the bus, I thought he was in his seat,personally i would have seeked him out and said thanks myself but that's what most Irish people would have done so it's more an Irish thing that's bred into us so dont worry, I wasn't that horrified I was being dramatic, alas I did spot it though 😂😂 I do indeed watch your videos when they are released, I do enjoy them very much, may i suggest the x51 Cork/Galway service, an untalked about service that's never ever late, has some fantastic scenery, a stop off at Limerick on route as well as Shannon Airport, think you'd enjoy it Mark)
You need to get a bus in west Yorkshire!! from Arriva Yorkshire!! Britain's rubbish bus company!!
Have enough of Arriva round Shrewsbury. They’re not great tbh!
Great Video Mark
Cheers Paul 😊👍