Some other posts
Gavin
Cork
Anyone recommend a good hotel in Cork City centre?
Two of us going to Cork. Train is €104 return from Dublin and takes 2hrs 40 mins.
Probably a lot cheaper to drive but how long should I allow?
Thanks in advance for any pointers.
Laoise
Cork-Dublin
The Cork - Dublin route is 254 km.
Most European visitors calculate this as 2.5 hours including a coffee break. Unfortunately on Irish roads, which take you through lots of little towns between Cork & Dublin the journey will take 3.5 to 4 hours.
On one occasion it actually took me 4.5 hours from Cork to Liffey Valley.
On the other hand, unless you travel city-gold, the trains are litter chocked, dirty & grimey, the loos untouchable, the coffee undrinkable and the petrol costs will be only ca €30 return.
Laoise
Gavin
Cork hotels
Thank you for your help Laoise thats exactly what I was looking for and you are right I think I'll drive.
It probably doesn't cater for business travellers as I couldn't find any city centre hotels above the 3 or 4 star category when I searched.
Boy
5*
Hayfield Manor is a 5*. [broken link removed]
10 mins from city center near UCC.
bluebean
Registered User
re: travelling by car
Laoise,
check out the route on
www.aaireland.ie/
But I'd always add at least 40 - 60 mins extra to their timing estimation, as you'd want to be rocketing it to make it in the time the suggest!
fatherdougalmaguire
Frequent poster
Re: re: travelling by car
You could also fly. You could go from a Friday to a Sunday for €160 return. That's with Aer Arann.
Laoise
AA - Cork Dublin
Just did as Bluebean suggested and checked out the AA Route planner.
They give the distance as 157.4 miles (equates roughly to 254 km) and the journey time is given as 3.33 h.
Jx
Train
Take on off peak train (i.e not 5.30 on a Friday!). The trains are reliable, fast, clean, safe and importantly environmentally friendly. Arrive in Cork Stress Free with no parking worries:
Hotels
Jurys Inn
The Kingsley
Fitzpatricks
ninsaga
Frequent poster
Re: Train
depends on how much You are willing to spend.....
Top end of the price & Quality range...
Hayfield Manor
Maryborough House Hotel
Kingsley Hotel
Rochestown park
Mid
Metropole
Jury's
Ambassador
Fitz's Silversprings
Mossisons Island Hotel
Low
ibis
Vienna Woods
endowed
Cork Trains & Hotels
Yep, ninsaga provides a comprehensive list there.
The
Ambassador up in St Lukes is quite close to the city centre and is a nice hotel. Both
Vienna Woods and [broken link removed] are a small bit out of town close to the Dunkettle Roundabout but you can pick up a room in the Ibis for €45.
In relation to Cork/Dublin trains, personally if I'm travelling on my own I nearly always take the Iron Horse but if there are 2 or more going, it's the car, mainly for the reasons that Laoise outlines above.
macnas
re Cork
Of the hotels Ninsaga mentions the following are in the center of the city
Imperial; Jury's; Jury's Inn; Metropole; Morrisons Island;
A 15 min walk to Hayfield Manor; 20 to Kingsley; Taxi to the rest
Gav
Cork
Thank you all for your help. Trip completed. Report
Train to Cork:
Adult 5 day return costs €51.
A family day trip (2 adults and 2 children) costs €72. Two adults traveling together would not qualify and would have to have at least one child with them.
Irish Rail also offer an upgrade to City Gold- wait for it. You pay an extra €54 return and for that you get a larger seat and a free newspaper (wow!!). If you use this service to Cork then two adults will pay €210 return which is significantly more expensive than fatherdougalmaguires Aer Arran suggestion.
Yes Laoise comments about Irish Rail's toilets are 100% accurate. They are a health hazard and are revolting and we will probably read about them in an alert issued by the WHO.
Car parking in Heuston costs €7 a day. In Cork Kent I think its €4.50 a day.
Personal opinion, a train is a much more environmentally friendly way to transport large numbers of people (WC facilities excluded). However at these prices, how can someone be encouraged to leave the car at home and let the train take the strain?
Of the hotels mentioned by 'Boy', 'Jx' and 'Ninsaga' above what do you think they would have to pay? I'll kick it off:
Jurys western road classified as a 4* (mid range by Ninsaga) Cork City Saturday 28th May 2004 - €160 for the night. As an example is this reasonable? Compared to other European cities I'd imagine its probably OTT but I'm sure Board Failte's surveys show great tourist satisfaction with such rates.
legend99
Cork
To be honest, you might have been as well off staying in a B&B on the Western Road. Just up from Jurys.
Or if you go in the summer I think UCC let out the Castlewhite apartments [broken link removed] which if there is 2 of you sharing would probably work out better. Castlewhite is about 10 minutes walk beyond Jurys. Again its on the Western Road opposite all the B&Bs. Also, the Youth Hostel is accross the road should you feel the need to offer 'more enjoyable' accomodation to any sweetie pie European visitor who happens to be staying there.....AYEEE!!!!