Getting to Lismore
How to reach Lismore by train, bus, or car.
Train (no station in Lismore)
There is no railway station in Lismore and no train to the town. The nearest station as the crow flies is Cahir, about 27km north, but it is over the Knockmealdowns by the Vee road and no bus connects the two. The station that works with public transport is Waterford Plunkett: walk about 0.4km across the river to Waterford Bus Station, take Bus Éireann route 40 to Dungarvan, and change there to the TFI Local Link 363 to Lismore. From Cork Kent, the same route 40 runs from Cork Bus Station to Dungarvan in the other direction.
- Nearest Station
- Cahir, about 27km north in a straight line and about 35km by road over the Vee; no bus link to Lismore
- Usable Station
- Waterford Plunkett, then bus via Dungarvan
- Onward Leg
- Plunkett to Waterford Bus Station on foot, about 0.4km; Bus Éireann 40 to Dungarvan, about 50 minutes; TFI Local Link 363 from Dungarvan to Lismore, about 30 minutes
- Change
- Bus Éireann 40 and Local Link 363 share the Dungarvan stop at Davitt's Quay (stop 216321)
- Note
- Allow around two hours or more from Waterford Plunkett to Lismore, depending on how the two buses line up. Check both timetables on the day.
Tips
- •Bus Éireann 40 runs roughly hourly between Waterford and Dungarvan in the daytime.
- •Use the TFI journey planner to line up the Dungarvan change before you travel.
Useful Links
Bus (TFI Local Link 363)
Lismore's bus is TFI Local Link route 363, which runs from Dungarvan through Cappoquin and Lismore to Tallow and on to Fermoy. On the NTA timetable for mid-October 2026 there are about seventeen departures a day from Lismore towards Dungarvan, the first before half six in the morning and the last before eleven at night, and a similar number the other way, some of them turning at Tallow rather than going through to Fermoy. Lismore to Dungarvan takes about thirty minutes; Lismore to Fermoy about fifty.
- Route
- TFI Local Link 363 Dungarvan - Cappoquin - Lismore - Tallow - Fermoy, with 363a variants via Ballyduff
- Stop
- Lismore, near Station Road on West Street, about 120m west of the Heritage Centre
- To Dungarvan
- About 30 minutes; roughly 17 departures a day
- To Fermoy
- About 50 minutes; some journeys end at Tallow
- Operator
- TFI Local Link Waterford
Tips
- •Change at Dungarvan, Davitt's Quay, for Bus Éireann 40 to Waterford or Cork.
- •Weekend timetables differ; check the day you travel.
Driving
The N72 runs through the town, east to Cappoquin and Dungarvan and west to Fermoy and the M8. The R668 heads north from Lismore over the Knockmealdowns by the Vee to Clogheen, and the R666 goes west along the Blackwater past Ballysaggartmore towards Ballyduff and Fermoy.
- From Dungarvan
- About 25km on the N72, around 25 minutes
- From Cork
- About 60km, around an hour
- From Waterford
- About 70km, a little over an hour
- From Clonmel
- About 43km over the Vee, around 50 minutes; slow road
- Parking
- Free parking in town, per the Heritage Centre
Tips
- •The Vee road is narrow with hairpins near the top; allow time.
- •Main Street parking fills on festival weekends in late May, June and at the castle's summer events.
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
65 km away- Duration
- About 1 hour
- Cost
- Fuel only
The nearest airport with scheduled flights. Car hire at the airport. There is no direct bus to Lismore.
Shannon AirportSNN
123 km away- Duration
- About 2 hours
- Cost
- Fuel and possible tolls
Mostly motorway to the M8, then cross-country.
Dublin AirportDUB
225 km away- Duration
- About 3 hours
- Cost
- Fuel and tolls
Motorway most of the way, then the N72 from Fermoy.
Parking
Parking options in and around Lismore. On busy weekends, arriving early is recommended.
Town parking near the Heritage Centre
The Heritage Centre describes ample free parking for cars and coaches in the town. Street parking on Main Street fills on festival weekends.
Ballysaggartmore Towers car park
Car park at the woodland entrance off the R666, about 3.5km west of town.
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 →