Hop aboard your train at Dublin’s Heuston Station in the early morning, and settle into your reserved seat. As you journey west, gaze out over Ireland’s lush countryside with its rolling hills and expansive peat boglands, and see the Shannon River as you cross it at Athlone. A light breakfast service is available on board the train.
Meet your expert driver-guide at Galway rail station, and take a seat in your comfortable, air-conditioned coach or minivan for your scenic journey around the county of Galway and Connemara.
Have your camera ready and listen to the informative commentary as you head into western Galway and trace parts of one of Europe’s most spectacular coastal routes. Pass by steep cliffs, untouched beaches and sleepy villages, and visit the picture-perfect coastal towns of Roundstone and Clifden.
Stop for a seafood lunch (own expense) overlooking Roundstone harbor and drive through magnificent scenery to Kylemore Abbey, a 19th-century lakeside Benedictine abbey in Connemara famous for its romantic location and walled garden.
Venture further into Connemara, a region of rugged mountains, dark lakes and thatched villages hemmed by a stunning coastline. Drive by deserted coves and bays washed by the Atlantic Sea; stop for photos of remote peaks and valleys, and hear fascinating facts about the ancient, unspoiled landscapes around from your driver-guide. Later, return to Galway station to travel by rail back to Dublin, where your day trip ends when you leave your train in the late evening.
