Shore Excursion: Cork and Blarney Castle Visit from Cobh by Train
Cobh, Ireland
- 6 hours 30 minutes (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Get the most out of your time in Ireland by exploring its beautiful scenery and historic sites. You won’t have to arrange transport, as train tickets and coach transfers are included. Enjoy exploring Blarney Castle, with free time to go shopping, get lunch, and take a city tour of Cork. Traveling with a guide to accompany you means you’ll learn as you tour Ireland’s highlights and you won’t have to navigate.
- Traveling by train will showcase views you wouldn’t get by car or bus
- Admission to Blarney Castle is included
- Coach transfers included with full guide commentary
- Explore Blarney Castle, and see multiple Cork highlights
What's Included
- Live commentary on board the coach
- Fully escorted by host on train
- Food and drinks
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Cobh Train Station, Lower Rd, Ringmeen, Cobh, Co. Cork, Ireland
Check in at the Victorian Cóbh Railway Station at 09:10 for the 09:30am departure with our representatives in bright yellow jackets. There is a special entrance gate from the cruise pier into Cóbh Railway Station. Please note train departure time may vary depending on cruise ship schedule.
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Operating hours.9:30 am
Itinerary
1
Blarney Castle & Gardens
1 hour 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
2
St Colman’s Cathedral
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Most travelers can participate
- Comfortable walking shoes are recommended.
- Children U16 cannot book independently. They must be accompanied by a parent/guardian at all times.
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 53 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.6
based on 109 reviews
Printessa_L, May 2026
I enjoyed myself, but it was too much time spent inside the castle. I wish I had more time to look in shops & time to sit down & eat .
Response from Host, May 2026
Hi Printess,
Thanks for your 3-star review. We allocate sufficient time at Blarney Castle for our guests to explore the grounds, gardens, shops and the castle itself at their own pace. You can spend as long as you wish at any part of Blarney, whether that be the castle or at the restaurants and shops. You could have vacated the castle at any time to allow for more time in shops/ to sit down and eat.
All the best,
The Railtours Ireland Team
Shane_C, Apr 2026
It was a great experience, the driver of the bus gave us a lot of time at each stop. The only bad thing was even though he gave us enough time at Blarney Castle, we didn't think it was enough to get up to the Blarney Stone and still see more of the grounds
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Dear Shane,
Thank you for your great review! We are so glad you enjoyed the tour.
We hope to welcome you back again some day!
Kind regards,
The Railtours Ireland Team
Jeffrey_T, Apr 2026
Our tour guide was excellent. Very knowledgeable and approachable with questions. He took his time to answer everyone’s questions. The train ride was a different twist but overall it added to the charm. Our bus driver was outstanding. I drive a large vehicle on small mountain roads so I respect how well our driver did with a large bus on these little roads. Outstanding.
There’s nothing Viator can do about it but my only regret is that we have more time to explore and see the property.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Dear Jeffrey,
Thank you so much for your glowing review! We are delighted to hear you enjoyed the tour, and that the train travel added to the experience.
We hope we have the pleasure of welcoming you back on tour with us soon!
Kind regards,
The Railtours Ireland Team
https://railtoursireland.com/
Bruce_R, Sep 2025
Excellent excursion. The trip was informative and historical. It was nice to not worry about tickets or catching a cab
Wendy_B, Sep 2025
It was a great tour. It covered many interesting locations, including the Blarney Castle. It gave a great overview of Cork. Andrew, the guide, was so knowledgeable and entertaining and kind. Darrin was an amazing driver and also very kind. I would highly recommend this tour. Great value for the price.
Virginia_S, Sep 2025
An outstanding tour. What made it special was the tour guide, a local man who truly knows this history and has personal experience with the area. I learned a lot about Irish history and am inspired to learn more when I get home.
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Dear Virginia,
Thank you so much for your great review! We are delighted to hear you enjoyed our Cork, Cobh & Blarney Castle Tour! We are very glad you learned a lot from the tour!
We hope to welcome you back again at some stage.
Kind regards,
The Railtours Ireland Team
Ronald_L, Sep 2025
Andrew who was our tour guide was very knowledgeable of the area very informative of little details . Would definitely recommend this tour having never been to Cork
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Dear Ronald,
Thank you for your lovely review! We are so happy to hear you enjoyed our Cork, Cobh & Blarney Castle Tour!
We hope we welcome you back on tour with us soon!
Kind regards,
The Railtours Ireland Team
Maryanne_W, Aug 2025
We chose this tour because doing a little travel by train was appealing. Easy to find our yellow jacket guide at the train station. Was an enjoyable, stress free adventure with Andrew and our bus driver William. If you have a bigger shoe size than me you might experience a little stress going up and down the castle steps but may be worth the bragging rights of hanging over on your back to kiss the Blarney Stone!
Response from Host, Aug 2025
Dear Maryanne,
Thank you for your wonderful review! We are delighted to hear you enjoyed our Blarney Castle, Cork & Cobh One Day Tour! Your complimentary remarks about the logistics, Andrew, and William, are much appreciated and will be passed on.
We hope to welcome you back on tour with us soon!
Kind regards,
The Railtours Ireland Team
Janice_B, Aug 2025
It was a lot of climbing stairs but it was worth the climb to kiss the Blarney stone. The tour guide was knowledgeable
Response from Host, Aug 2025
Dear Janice,
Thank you for your 4* review. We appreciate your complimentary remark about the tour guide. When visiting Blarney Castle, it is entirely optional to climb the stairs to kiss the stone. There are some wonderful gardens on the grounds which our guests can enjoy alternatively.
All the best,
The Railtours Ireland Team
Troy_T, Aug 2025
Great experience with knowledgeable tour guides and driver. Had a great time. Staff made sure we saw the areas other sites.
Response from Host, Aug 2025
Dear Troy,
Thank you very much for your wonderful review! We are delighted to hear you enjoyed our Cork, Cobh & Blarney Castle Day Tour and that you had a great time!
We hope we have the pleasure of welcoming you back on tour with us soon!
Kind regards,
The Railtours Ireland Team
Jeremy_P, Aug 2025
Great day out at Blarney Castle. Andrew was an excellent host and very knowledgeable about the area and tips to make the most of our day.
Response from Host, Aug 2025
Dear Jeremy,
Thank you very much for your great review! We are very glad to hear that you enjoyed our Cork, Cobh & Blarney Castle Day Tour! Your kind remarks about our wonderful host, Andrew, are much appreciated and will be passed on.
We hope to welcome you back on tour with us soon!
Kind regards,
The Railtours Ireland Team
Amy_B, Aug 2025
Andrew was a wonderful host and so funny! He was informative and personable. Ellie was an impressive driver. I couldn’t believe how she was able to get that big bus in and out of places and we always felt safe. The stops gave us ample time and I never felt rushed which is why I usually don’t like guided tours.
Response from Host, Aug 2025
Dear Amy,
Thank you so much for your lovely review! We are delighted to hear you enjoyed our Cork, Cobh & Blarney Castle Day Tour. Your complimentary remarks about our lovely host, Andrew, and your driver are much appreciated and will be passed on.
We hope to welcome you back soon!
Kind regards,
The Railtours Ireland Team
Pete_T, Aug 2025
What a great excursion. Our guide Arthur was well versed and knowledgeable about Cobh,Cork and Blarney castle. Our driver Elly got us around with little effort. Highly recommended you will not be disappointed.
Response from Host, Aug 2025
Dear Pete,
Thank you very much for your great review! We are delighted to hear you enjoyed our Cork, Cobh & Blarney Castle Day Tour and that Arthur and Elly were good hosts!
We hope it is not too long before w have the pleasure of welcoming you back on tour with us!
Kind regards,
The Railtours Ireland Team
Maggie_R, Jul 2025
Wonderful tour provided to our entire family including young children (2 and 7) and my parents with limited mobility. Andrew was our guide and he made the experience so wonderful and was very knowledgeable. We saw more than we anticipated. We also saved money by not going through the cruise line! Wonderful option.
Response from Host, Aug 2025
Dear Maggie,
Thank you very much for your lovely review! We are very pleased to hear you and your family enjoyed our Cork, Cobh & Blarney Castle Day Tour! Your complimentary remarks about our lovely host, Andrew, are much appreciated and will be passed on.
We hope to welcome you back on tour with us again in the future!
Kind regards,
The Railtours Ireland Team
Shannon_W, Jul 2025
Nice tour! Too long of a line to kiss the Blarney Stone but the grounds were beautiful. Wanted to do a tour of the Blarney house but they only took Euros, which we didn’t have. Wish we knew that ahead of time. But Andrew was great. Would recommend.
Response from Host, Aug 2025
Dear Shannon,
Thank you for your recent review, though we are disappointed you didn't feel you had a 5* experience.
Unfortunately, during high season it is entirely out of our control if the line to kiss the Blarney Stone is very long. Additionally, it is general tourism advice to carry currency of the country you are visiting, as some card types are not accepted at the attractions we visit. The currency in Ireland is Euro, so any other tender is never accepted on any premises in the Republic of Ireland.
Despite our tour running exactly as advertised, and the fact that it was a nice tour and that Andrew was great, we are disappointed to receive your 4* rating.
All the best,
The Railtours Ireland Team
Justin_F, Jul 2025
This excursion was great. The train station was right at the cruise port. The operating company was simple to find and we had PLENTY of time at Blarney Castle. On the day we were there, there was plenty of time to go to the top of the castle AND still see a lot of the grounds. The rest of the tour home was also excellent. They got us back in plenty of time and the staff was very knowledgeable and answered all our questions. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED TOUR FOR THE FAMILY!!! Especially if you have a family member who loves trains :)
Response from Host, Aug 2025
Dear Justin,
Thank you for your wonderful review! We are delighted to hear you enjoyed our Cork, Cobh & Blarney Castle Tour. Your lovely feedback is much appreciated.
We hope to welcome you back on tour with us soon!
Kind regards,
The Railtours Ireland Team
Robert_G, Jul 2025
Packs lots into a one day tour.very well organized and the guide was outstanding. Be sure to explore the Blarney Castle gardens.
David_W, Jun 2025
Excellent trip, very informative and a few jokes thrown in! Recommended if you are visiting from a Cruise ship
WILLIAM_C, Jun 2025
Do Cork and the castle with the train to Cork. Excellent experience. Treatment was fabulous. Easy off ship and on the train to Cork. Wool Factory was the best.
Ronald_G, Jun 2025
Our driver, Michael, was courteous and VERY skilled at driving a big, comfortable, well equipped bus. Our guide, Richie, was very knowledgeable, patient, and friendly. It would have been helpful to know that the garden/grounds around Blarney Castle was very large. Our group of seniors would have done less exploring, and more bench sitting. The train ride was fun.Funbt
ksmith44k, Jun 2025
With 3 hours at Blarney Castle we had time to explore. The train ride was pleasant and our tour through Cobh and the visit to the Cathedral was special.
Kerstin_O, Jun 2025
Brilliant , excellent, variet and fun tour with guided and unguided parts : perfect . Very informative, superb, attentive, kind & friendly guides
Dennis_H, May 2025
Mostly a bus tour but very enjoyable! Easy access from the cruise ship!! Knowledgeable tour guide and excellent driver!
Michael_G, Sep 2024
We were very disappointed that when we got to Blarney Castle there was a 90 minute queue.
I didn’t feel this tour was worth the money, as we didn’t get any type of tour
Response from Host, Oct 2024
You got a special private hosted tour train from Cobh Cruise Terminal to Cork City, then a full guided tour from Cork Station to Blarney and back, and your admission to Blarney Castle & Gardens was included. You don’t seem to realise that there is only one Blarney Stone with two cruise ships in that day. Perhaps we should build another one for you.
Bernadette_L, Sep 2024
90 minute wait to get into the castle. Decided not to spend time in line. So walked the gardens instead. Very spectacular.
Response from Host, Oct 2024
You got a fully hosted private train to Cork City, a fully guided coach tour to Blarney Castle and Gardens, and fast-track entry into Blarney Castle (entrance fee included). It took you only a couple of minutes to enter; however, there is only one Blarney Stone, which from time to time does take some time to queue & kiss it. We are glad you loved the stunning grounds and gardens!
Brenda_C, Sep 2024
The tour guide was amazing. We loved our experience. He knew the history. The bus was comfortable. There was plenty of time to see all the grounds of the castle.
Sandra_W, Sep 2024
Having the variety of taking a private train was great. Our guide, Andrew, was wonderful providing much information regarding the history, agriculture, and culture of Ireland.
Barbara_W, Sep 2024
Not anything in particular, we enjoyed the whole experience and our guide was particularly well informed.
Bernard_D, Sep 2024
Fantastic tour of Blarney, Cork and Cobh by rail and coach.Andrew the guide was really informative and Gerry the driver was careful and calm especially on the narrow roads when faced by reckless drivers. The queue to kiss the stone took an hour or so but was well worth it.
Stuart_Q, Aug 2024
Accessing the train to Cork was easy with the help of Andrew our guide. He also was very informative on the bus to and from Blarney Castle. To kiss the stone may require up to an hour and a half in line and to climb over a hundred steps. Your time is probably better spent strolling around the castle grounds. The tour ended in plenty of time to get back to the ship. The tour was definitely worth it.
From $121.26
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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Shore Excursion: Cork and Blarney Castle Visit from Cobh by Train
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