Travelling to the match as one team

Add up everyone who's going

Players, subs, mentors, the physio and whoever minds the jerseys all need a seat. That number decides the driver's licence as well as the bus. Category D1 covers minibuses for up to 16 passengers and no more than 8 m in length. A 19-seater, or anything longer, needs a driver with a full category D licence.

The operator supplies the right driver for the vehicle, but only if your number is honest. Adding three supporters on the morning of the match can leave someone behind.

Room for hurleys and kit bags

Gear takes space: helmets, hurleys, boots, water bottles and a physio's table. A Sprinter-based minibus has a rear compartment of about 2 m³ on the Travel 75, which is often enough for a panel's kit bags on a day trip. For a senior squad with overnight cases, a coach's underfloor bays keep the aisle clear.

Rules worth knowing

• Coaches may not drop off or pick up on the main roads around Croke Park on big match days

Big days at Croke Park

At the 2026 All-Ireland finals there was no Garda-provided coach set-down or parking near the stadium, and on major match days buses can't drop off or collect on the main roads around it. Plan to get off further out and walk in together. Choose a spot to regroup afterwards that's easy to find among thousands of fans, and check the Garda traffic plan for your own fixture.

Other grounds, and the drive home

Plenty of big days happen elsewhere: UPMC Nowlan Park in Kilkenny holds about 27,000, Thomond Park about 25,600, and Fitzgerald Stadium and Pearse Stadium fill up on championship days. Ask the ground where a team bus can stop.

Coming back past Dublin, buses are charged on the M50 between junctions 6 and 7. There are no barriers, so it's easy to forget after a late win.

Questions

Will a 16-seat minibus do for our under-14s?

Only if every child and adult has their own seat. A bus carrying children must have a belt or restraint for each child, so count the mentors too.

Can the bus wait at the ground during the game?

It depends on the venue. Not near Croke Park on a big day; elsewhere, ask the home club and agree a collection time for after the final whistle.

How long is there to pay the M50 toll?

An unregistered vehicle has until 20:00 the next day. Ask the operator to confirm it's taken care of.

Cities

• Dublin
• Limerick
• Cork
• Kilkenny
• Killarney
• Galway

Vehicles

• Full-size coach — 49-57 seats
• Midi coach — 29-35 seats
• Minibus — 16-19 seats
• Executive van (Mercedes V-Class / Sprinter class) — 7-8 seats
• Executive car (E-Class saloon class) — 1-3 seats
• Wheelchair-accessible minibus — 10-16 plus wheelchair spaces seats

Get the team on the road

Send the fixture, the ground, throw-in time and how many are travelling. A licensed partner operator comes back with a quote for a bus and driver.

Request a quote or call 35312659159