Getting to Carrigaline
How to reach Carrigaline by bus, or car.
Bus
Carrigaline has no train, but it is well served by bus. The Bus Eireann 220 is the workhorse route, running Ovens to Ballincollig, through Cork city centre and Douglas, out to Carrigaline and on to Crosshaven, roughly every fifteen minutes during the day, seven days a week. From Cork city centre to Carrigaline takes around 25 to 30 minutes. The 220 and its variants (the 220X express and the 220 to Fort Camden) also link the town directly to Crosshaven and the harbour mouth, so you can do the whole Cork Harbour day without a car.
- Main Route
- Bus Eireann 220 (Ovens / Ballincollig to Crosshaven via Cork city centre, Douglas and Carrigaline)
- Variants
- 220X express; 220 to Fort Camden; 220C Crosshaven to MTU during college term
- Frequency
- Every 15 minutes during the day
- Journey From Cork City
- Approximately 25 to 30 minutes
- Airport Link
- The 225 links Cork Airport, Carrigaline and Ringaskiddy directly; a new 220 timetable took effect on 28 June 2026
Tips
- •The 220 is frequent, so you rarely need to plan around a timetable for the Cork city run.
- •Use the 220 to walk the greenway one way: bus out to Crosshaven, walk back to Carrigaline along the estuary, or the reverse.
- •Check buseireann.ie for the current timetable, as the 220 was retimed in late June 2026.
Useful Links
Driving
Carrigaline is an easy drive and central to a lot of south Cork. It sits about 15km south of Cork city (roughly 20 to 30 minutes depending on traffic on the Douglas and Rochestown approaches), and crucially it is only about 10km from Cork Airport, around 12 to 15 minutes, which makes it a genuinely handy base if you are flying into Cork. Kinsale is around 20km, about 25 minutes, and Crosshaven and the harbour beaches are minutes away. There is plenty of parking in the town and large car parks at both ends of the Crosshaven greenway.
- From Cork City
- About 15km, 20 to 30 minutes
- From Cork Airport
- About 10km, 12 to 15 minutes
- From Kinsale
- About 20km, around 25 minutes
- To Crosshaven
- About 5km, around 10 minutes
- Parking
- Town-centre car parks; large free car parks at both ends of the Carrigaline to Crosshaven greenway
Tips
- •Cork Airport is the closest of any town its size, so Carrigaline works well as a first or last night before a flight.
- •The Ringaskiddy / M28 road gives quick access to the Cork to Roscoff and Cork to Santander ferries.
- •Traffic on the Carrigaline to Cork road can be heavy at commuter times; the frequent 220 bus is often the easier option for the city.
From the Airport
Live options for reaching the village from the nearest airports. Times and fares are a guide and can change with traffic or operator schedules.
Cork AirportORK
10 km away- Duration
- ~12-15m
- Cost
- Taxi or fuel
Cork Airport is only about 10 km north of Carrigaline, roughly 12 to 15 minutes by road. This is the standout: you can land at Cork and be in Carrigaline inside twenty minutes of leaving the terminal, which makes the town an ideal first or last night around a flight.
- Duration
- ~15-20m
- Cost
- Adult single, cheaper with a Leap Card
The 225 links Cork Airport directly with Carrigaline (continuing to Ringaskiddy and Haulbowline), running roughly every 30 minutes through the day, so you can reach the town from the airport by bus without going into the city. Check the current timetable on buseireann.ie.
Operator: Bus Eireann
Shannon AirportSNN
130 km away- Duration
- ~1h 45m
- Cost
- Fuel, tolls and parking
About 1 hour 45 minutes by road via Mallow and Limerick. A useful alternative to Cork for some transatlantic and UK routes.
Dublin AirportDUB
270 km away- Duration
- ~3h 15m
- Cost
- Fuel, tolls and parking
About 3 hours 15 minutes by road via the M8. Dublin has the widest choice of flights, but with Cork Airport on the doorstep most visitors fly into Cork.
EV & Essentials
Practical infrastructure on the ground: charging, water, and accessibility facilities worth knowing about before you arrive.
EV Charging
Owenabue Car Park (ESB ecars)
ESB ecars
Owenabue Car Park, off Main Street and the Eastern Relief Road, Carrigaline, Co. Cork. Public ESB ecars charge point in the town-centre Owenabue car park (typically one device, two connectors). Further ESB chargers are nearby, including at Crosshaven, and many more across Douglas and Cork city. Check the live ESB ecars charge-point map for real-time availability before you rely on it.
Leap Card
The Leap Card is Ireland's national reusable transport card, and Carrigaline sits within the Cork city Leap fare zone, so it works seamlessly on the 220 and the other Bus Eireann city services to Cork, Douglas and Crosshaven, as well as the Cork Airport buses, with TFI daily and weekly fare capping applying. It is the easiest way to pay for the frequent city buses, and the same card works on Iarnrod Eireann InterCity rail at off-peak fares and across the Dublin, Galway and Limerick networks too.
- Cost
- €5 for the card plus top-up
- Savings
- TFI daily and weekly fare capping on the Cork city network; cheaper than cash on the bus
- Where To Get
- Spar, Centra, Londis and similar shops around the town, or online
Planning the wider trip?
Our country-level primer covers national rail, intercity buses, airports, the Leap Card, and whether you actually need a hire car for your trip around Ireland.
Getting Around Ireland →