How to get from Wales to Ireland in a Timely Fashion

February 22, 2023 12:21 PM

I need a way to get from Tenby in Wales to Dublin that doesn't take a) many hours b) costs a ton or c) makes me back track towards London.

I am flying into London and planning to take the train out to Tenby to meet Mr. Taffeta before we both embark to Dublin. He has the option of getting back to London but I really want to go to Wales and meet him there.

We have already priced out a hired car from Tenby to Holyhead to take the ferry from there and it is very expensive. The ferry from Pembroke to Ireland is badly timed and we would still have to get to Dublin somehow from Rosslare. We only have about 6 days in the country and don't want to spend it traveling backwards (i.e. the train route from Cardiff to Liverpool since there don't appear to be trains in western Wales).

Is this salvageable or should we just plan to meet in London and fly to Dublin?

If we decide to stay in the UK starting from London, where should we go? We've already done Cambridge, Bath, etc.

posted by tafetta, darling! to Travel & Transportation (11 answers total)

Google suggests that there are Ryanair flights from Swansea to Dublin, I don’t know how much more convenient that would be. It seems like a complicated way of doing it unless you get to spend some time in Wales — it’s hard to tell from your description what the plan is.
posted by Bloxworth Snout at 12:30 PM on February 22, 2023

The best way would be through the Rosslare - Fishguard Ferry (4 hours), there appears to be a direct train from Rosslare Europort to Dublin a few times a day (3 hours), but getting from Tenby would involve buses and a change at Haverfordwest, and the trip would take about 3 hours. I'm not familiar with Welsh bus services and how reliable they are however.

Sadly the ferry burnt down last week, so If you are going soon, this route probably won't be possible until the ferry is back in service. If it's in a month or two it might be more of a possibility.
posted by sarahdal at 12:46 PM on February 22, 2023

Here's Seat61 with more detail about the Fishguard to Dublin leg
posted by sarahdal at 12:49 PM on February 22, 2023

ahh That is the Pembrokeshire ferry, apologies. I was thinking of South Pembrokeshire. Mods feel free to delete everything I have commented.
posted by sarahdal at 12:50 PM on February 22, 2023

You don’t need to go to Liverpool. You’d get a train from Cardiff to Holyhead (it goes through Shrewsbury and Chester, but no need to change). But you’re right - we do need a train up the West coast!
posted by sianifach at 1:29 PM on February 22, 2023

Flights from Cardiff or Bristol to Dublin are cheap and easy, and save a reasonable amount of time over him going all the way back to London, a kind of meet him halfway option.
posted by ambrosen at 1:30 PM on February 22, 2023

And Gogwheels on Facebook is a lift sharing group to and from North Wales.
posted by sianifach at 1:31 PM on February 22, 2023

What am I missing that people are talking about Rosslare? The Dublin-Holyhead route takes less than three hours and goes like four-five times a day.
posted by Iteki at 1:43 PM on February 22, 2023

Do not drive from Tenby to Holyhead unless your hire car comes with crampons! The route is either very scenic OR makes a huge D loop back into England and motorways.
One of the hilarious Ireland-of-the-Welcomes ironies is that passengers on the Pembroke 14:45 to Rosslare 18:45 ferry see the the last train from Rosslare Europort departing 17:30 for Dublin while they are still at sea. And you won't make the last #40 bus for Wexford [change for Dublin] at 19:02 either.
There is however a direct bus from Tenby 13:13 to Pembroke Dock 14:17 to catch the ferry.
Tenby is a treasure. The excellent Pembrokeshire Pasty & Pie Company has been operating there these last ten years. Yumm. Agree on flying out of Cardiff or Bristol [either of which would provide a day's entertainment] for Dublin and back to London.
posted by BobTheScientist at 1:48 PM on February 22, 2023

Without question, the easiest and cheapest way to get from Tenby to Dublin is a short hop flight from Cardiff.
posted by Rhedyn at 2:08 PM on February 22, 2023

Thanks to all who mentioned flying from Cardiff! We are booked on a flight on Ryan Air.
posted by tafetta, darling! at 10:02 AM on February 23, 2023