Cork and Its Harbour by Minibus
Cork is made for short, easy outings. Blarney, Kinsale, Cobh and Midleton are all within about half an hour, so with your own minibus and driver you can see several in a day and nobody spends it staring at a motorway.
Arriving by air or by sea
You'll land about 8 km south of the city at Cork Airport, usually 15 to 30 minutes from the centre. The airport asks private minibus and coach hire to use Bus Bay C or D at the front of the terminal, so that's where you'll find your driver.
Cruise ships berth at Cobh, about 24 km east of the city by road, and passengers step ashore beside the Cobh Heritage Centre. Larger ships sometimes use Ringaskiddy Deepwater Quay on the other side of the harbour, so send us the berth with your booking and the pick-up will be on the right shore.
Half-days close to the city
Blarney Castle is about 20 minutes north-west, which makes it an easy morning. Head east instead and you'll reach Midleton, home of the Jameson distillery tour, in about 25 minutes, with Fota Wildlife Park on the way.
Cobh takes 25 to 30 minutes and pairs well with the ferry out to Spike Island and its fortress. Kinsale, with its harbour and restaurants, is roughly half an hour south.
Airports serving Cork
Places groups love in Cork
- Shandon Bells and St Anne's Church — Northside landmark
- St Fin Barre's Cathedral — Gothic Revival cathedral, city centre
- Fota Wildlife Park — Wildlife park on Fota Island
- Jameson Distillery Midleton — Whiskey distillery tours, east Cork
- Spike Island — Island fortress in Cork Harbour, ferry from Cobh
- Cobh and the Titanic Experience Cobh — Harbour town and cruise port
- Blarney Castle and Gardens — Blarney Stone; about 10 km north-west of the city
- English Market — Covered food market between Grand Parade and Princes Street
Where groups usually stay
- Little Island / Fota
- Cork Airport area
- Blackrock / Mahon
- Douglas
- Railway station / MacCurtain Street
- City centre / St Patrick's Street
Cruise ports
Longer days west and north
Killarney is about 90 km away, around an hour and a half, and makes a full day with the lakes and Muckross. The Rock of Cashel is a little further at about 100 km but only an hour and a quarter by motorway, so it suits a day that breaks a journey towards Dublin.
Match days and the road from Dublin
Cork GAA and big concerts fill SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh in Ballintemple, and Munster play some games at Musgrave Park. A 16-seat minibus suits most supporters' groups and hen parties; if the whole club is travelling, a midi or full-size coach may be simpler.
Coming down from Dublin, you'll pass two toll points: the M7/M8 at Portlaoise-Cullahill and the Rathcormac-Fermoy bypass. The operator includes these when pricing the trip.
Questions
Where will our driver meet us at Cork Airport?
At Bus Bay C or D, in front of the terminal. The airport sets these aside for private minibus and coach pick-ups.
Can we fit Blarney and Cobh into one day?
Yes. Both are under half an hour from the city, one north-west and one east, so there is time for each with lunch in between.
Our ship is at Ringaskiddy, not Cobh. Does that change anything?
It changes where you are collected. Ringaskiddy is across the harbour from Cobh, so tell us the berth and the driver will go to the right quay.
How long does it take to reach Killarney?
About an hour and a half for roughly 90 km.
Other trips we arrange
- Getting your colleagues there and home again
- A school tour parents can relax about
- Travelling to the match as one team
- Getting everyone to the wedding, and home after the party
- Golf trips without the driving
- Your own day out, at your own pace
- Travelling together on pilgrimage
- Travel where everyone in the group comes along
Vehicles
- Full-size coach — 49-81 seats
- Midi coach — 29-35 seats
- Minibus — 16-19 seats
- Executive van (Mercedes V-Class and similar) — 6-7 seats
- Executive car (E-Class saloon class) — 1-3 seats
- Wheelchair-accessible minibus — 10-16 plus wheelchair spaces