Getting to Newgrange via Public Transport

Newgrange is a prehistoric site located an hour north of Dublin. The site, collectively called “Brú na Bóinne“, features 3 Stone-Age passage tombs: Newgrange itself, Knowth, and Dowth, though only Newgrange and Knowth is accessible to the public.

Visitors can get to Newgrange either by driving, via tour buses, or via public transport. If you’re going via public transport, the closest starting point is the town of Drogheda. Access to the site is via the Brú na Bóinne Visitor Centre only.

Updated 8 November 2024.

Getting to Newgrange from Drogheda via Public Transport

The sole public transport link between Newgrange and Drogheda is the Local Link Bus Route 163 operated by Transport for Ireland under the Local Link service branding. This replaces the previous Local Link Bus Route 188 that in turn replaced Bus Éireann route 163 that used to operate between Drogheda Bus Station and Newgrange with very low frequencies.

Local Link Route 163 Timetables and Frequencies

The new route 163 runs largely the same route as the old Bus Éireann route 163, but from Drogheda MacBride train station instead. As of November 2024, the timings for the sector between Drogheda MacBride train station and Newgrange are as follows:

All services run from Monday to Sunday, except for 25th and 26th December, and 1st January.

Note: The Local Link Route 163 still serves Drogheda Bus Station via bus stops on John Street and the SPAR on Donore Road, but no longer enters the bus station as its predecessors used to do. Getting on at the train station is the most convenient option.

Local Link Route 163 Fares

Tickets can be paid for onboard in cash or using the TFI Leap Card. Tickets can also be bought on the TFI Go app. Holders of the Free Travel Pass can also use them on Local Link buses including Route 163.

Fares	Cash Fare (EUR)	TFI Leap & TFI Go (EUR)
Adult Single	2.50	1.70
Adult Return	4.00	–
Adult 1 Day	–	3.65
Adult 2 Journey (TFI Go app only)	–	3.40 (TFI Go app only)
Young Adult / Child Single	1.00	0.85
Young Adult / Child Return	2.00	–
Young Adult / Child 1 Day		1.95

External Links

For more information, please visit the following links:

• The homepage of TFI Local Link Louth Meath Fingal, the service region for Route 163. Information for all Local Link services in the region can be found here.
• TFI Local Link Louth Meath Fingal timetables. Route 163’s timetables are under “Meath timetables”.
• Transport for Ireland’s info page for Bus Fares. Note: This link presently returns an error message.

What’s changed from Bus Éireann route 163 and Local Link route 188?

The new Local Link Route 163 bus is an improvement over the old route 163. Bus Éireann used to operate route 163 with only two scheduled services per day in each direction with departures at 11:15 am and 2:45 pm from Drogheda Bus Station. Quite frankly, this wasn’t helpful, and when I used this bus route in 2017 I had time only for Newgrange instead of both Newgrange and Knowth.

With the new timings, you now have more choices for your trip planning, and it is still possible to visit both Newgrange and Knowth with the Local Link Route 163 bus.

The biggest change is that Local Link route 163 now runs from Drogheda MacBride train station instead of just the Drogheda Bus Station. This opens up access to the bus service from the rail network in the north and south of Ireland, and is frankly the single best improvement made to the route.

The previous Local Link route 188 that was tweaked in February 2024 had way more scheduled frequencies than the old and new route(s) 163 and went further, meaning it was more useful as a regular bus line. It did not, however, connect to Drogheda MacBride train station, meaning travellers had to make the walk from the train station to the Drogheda bus station.

Getting to Drogheda via train and bus

Drogheda is well connected to Dublin by both rail and road. To keep things simple, take Irish Rail’s Commuter service to Drogheda MacBride train station. The difference in cost (when comparing one-way fares) between both options are very very slight.

By train

Connections to and from Dublin are via Irish Rail’s Commuter service running between Dublin Connolly station and Dundalk. There are a variety of timings out of Dublin available on weekdays, Saturdays, and Sundays that allow a connection to Local Link Route 163 at your leisure. With the expanded schedules, you now have more flexibility to plan your day trip to Newgrange.

By bus

The Bus Éireann Expressway 100x service from Dublin provides a fast and convenient connection to Drogheda Bus Station. The 100x service has daily hourly departures from Dublin’s Custom House Quay from before 06:00 am onwards, and takes between 1 hour to 1 hour and 20 minutes to cover the distance to Drogheda Bus Station.  

Route 100x begins its journey at Merrion Square North in South Dublin at 0544 am. For connections in the city centre (or if you are connecting from Dublin Connolly station), catch the bus from Custom House Quay, right on the steps of the Custom House. To meet the 09:00 am Local Link Route 163 departure, catch the 07:50 am 100x departure from Custom House Quay, which puts you in Drogheda at 08:49 am. Note that 100x schedules differ for weekends.

Timetables

• Irish Rail timetables (Dublin – Dundalk Commuter) (Irish Rail site)
• Bus Éireann Expressway timetables page

Getting from Belfast to Newgrange via the Enterprise train

The Enterprise train service between Belfast Grand Central and Dublin Connolly calls at Drogheda MacBride train station. It is very much possible to connect from the Enterprise to the Local Link Route 163, as you simply have to wait at the train station for the bus/train.

Here are some recommended itineraries for visitors for Mondays – Saturdays:

The Enterprise runs hourly timetables on Mondays to Saturdays, but not on Sundays. For that reason, I’ve left out recommendations for Sundays as the timings just aren’t as seamless.

For more information on Cross-Border travel options between Belfast and Dublin, please visit our info page for Cross-Border services.

What do I recommend?

The new Local Link Route 163 makes public transit access to Newgrange an even more feasible option. You now have the time to visit both Knowth and Newgrange and should still be able to make one of the later bus timings. For the first time, access via the Enterprise from Belfast is also a very doable possibility.

To be frank, however, you will still have some timing constraints if you go by public transit. This is because in order to maximise your time at the site, you will be looking to start early in the day. By the time you’re done with Newgrange and caught the bus or train back to Dublin, it’s likely that you’ll be too tired and sleep deprived to enjoy the rest of the day. This is even more of a problem if you’re making a day-trip from Belfast, unless you don’t mind rushing the rest of your Dublin visit and returning to Belfast late at night.

So if flexibility is what you’re looking for, then a driving day trip to Newgrange is for you. If driving is also not for you, then feel free to sign up for one of the many paid bus tours to the Newgrange site. But if you’re based long-term in Dublin or Belfast and wouldn’t mind the day trip, then take the train and/or bus to Newgrange!

Read my visit to Newgrange via Public Transport in 2017: