Hop On/Hop Off Cork City Sightseeing Tour
Cork, Ireland
- 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
Why travelers loved this
·
Explore our promoted experiences
Overview
Cork is widely considered among Ireland’s must-see cities, but pounding the pavements to explore on foot takes time and effort. With this 24-hour ticket, spin through Cork by sightseeing bus and take in top attractions such as Cork City Gaol, the English Market, Shandon Bells, and University College Cork with ease. Hop on and off at your leisure, and learn of Cork’s colorful history through informative audio commentary.
- Explore Cork in comfort by sightseeing bus tour
- Reach key sites including Cork City Gaol and Shandon Bells
- Freedom to hop on and off the bus at your leisure
- On-board audio commentary shares Cork’s rich history
What's Included
- Open Top Bus
- Local Attraction Entry
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Grand Parade, Centre, Cork, Ireland
You can board our City Sightseeing Tour at the bus stop on the pavement outside Cork City Library. Our logo is displayed on the bus stop shelter. First departure 9.30am. Please ask driver for last departure as this can change.
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Operating hours
- 06/15/2026 - 06/15/2026
Monday : 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
- 06/16/2026 - 06/21/2026
Tuesday - Sunday : 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
- 06/22/2026 - 06/22/2026
Monday : 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
- 06/23/2026 - 06/28/2026
Tuesday - Sunday : 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
- 06/29/2026 - 07/12/2026
Monday - Sunday : 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
- 07/13/2026 - 07/14/2026
Monday - Tuesday : 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
- 07/15/2026 - 07/19/2026
Wednesday - Sunday : 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
- 07/20/2026 - 09/06/2026
Monday - Sunday : 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
- 09/07/2026 - 09/11/2026
Monday - Friday : 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
- 09/12/2026 - 09/20/2026
Monday - Sunday : 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
- 09/21/2026 - 09/21/2026
Monday : 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
- 09/22/2026 - 10/25/2026
Monday - Sunday : 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
- 10/26/2026 - 10/31/2026
Monday - Saturday : 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Itinerary
1
The English Market
1 hour • Admission Ticket Free
2
Cork City Gaol
2 hours • Admission Ticket Not Included
3
St. Anne's Church
1 hour • Admission Ticket Not Included
4
University College Cork (UCC)
2 hours • Admission Ticket Not Included
5
Crawford Art Gallery
2 hours • Admission Ticket Not Included
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Infants must sit on laps
- Surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- Most travelers can participate
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 6 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.0
based on 203 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
Joan_A, Jul 2026
This was a comfortable and very informative trip around the inner city and some outskirts. The tour guide/ driver was hilarious and reallyl gave us a good laugh as well as good information, I think her name was Ann. Her humour has helped me remember the information.
richard_p, Jul 2026
Great commentary on a beautiful sunny day in cork from a witty english lady. She added to a pre recorded commentry.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Dear Guest,
Thank you for your lovely review.
We are delighted to hear that you enjoyed your tour and that the beautiful sunshine made your visit to Cork even more memorable. It's wonderful to know that our driver's live commentary and sense of humour added to the experience alongside the recorded commentary.
Our drivers enjoy sharing their local knowledge and personality with guests, so we will be sure to pass on your kind words. We know they will be delighted to hear that they helped make your day so enjoyable.
Thank you for choosing Cork City Tours.
Mario_U, Jul 2026
Great way to get to know a city!
The tour bus schedule was very convenient and we were able to move around the city comfortably. The drivers weee friendly and cordial.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Dear Guest,
Thank you for your wonderful review.
We are delighted to hear that you found our hop-on hop-off tour to be a great way to get to know Cork. It's fantastic that the timetable suited your plans and allowed you to explore the city at your own pace.
We're also pleased to hear that our drivers made such a positive impression with their friendly and welcoming service. We will be sure to share your kind comments with the team, who will be delighted to know they helped make your visit more enjoyable.
Thank you for choosing Cork City Tours.
Justin_R, Jun 2026
My wife and I have done these in many different cities. It is a great way to get an overview of what the city has to offer. Then you can figure out how to want to focus the rest of your time in Cork. This one uses speakers instead of head phones so it was hard to hear in some spots where outside noise was high.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Dear Guest,
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback.
We are delighted to hear that you and your wife enjoyed the tour and found it to be a great introduction to Cork. We agree that a hop-on hop-off tour is one of the best ways to discover the city's highlights and plan how to make the most of the rest of your visit.
We also appreciate your comments regarding the onboard audio. We are sorry to hear that it was difficult to hear the commentary in some areas due to outside noise. Guest feedback like yours is invaluable and helps us identify opportunities to improve the overall experience for everyone travelling with us.
Thank you again for choosing Cork City Tours
Patricia_M, Jun 2026
Gained a lot of knowledge about Cork which was good as we had never been there before, The driver was also very helpful.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Dear Guest,
Thank you for your lovely review.
We are delighted to hear that your tour gave you a great introduction to Cork and helped you learn more about the city's rich history and culture. There is so much to discover, and we're pleased we could be part of your first visit.
It's also wonderful to know that our driver made such a positive impression with their helpfulness. We will be sure to pass on your kind comments, as they will be greatly appreciated.
Thank you for choosing Cork City Tours.
Michael_H, Jun 2026
My wife and I arrived in Cork to take this tour with hopes that it would spark interest in hoping off to further explore. That did not happen. The tour covers the city well enough. The guided audio is the pre-recorded type that is paused and skipped based on the location of the bus. It would also say things like “looking to the left you can see the such and such building” followed then be a brief history or relevant explanation, but it sometimes wouldn’t describe the building so you weren’t sure which one it was mentioning.
This tour did not do much to make our visit to Cork a memorable experience.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback following your recent tour with us.
We are pleased to hear that you felt the tour provided a good overview of Cork city. However, we are disappointed to learn that the experience did not leave the lasting impression you had hoped for during your visit.
We appreciate your comments regarding the audio guide. The timing and references to points of interest are designed to align with the bus route, but we understand that on occasion it can be difficult to identify specific buildings or landmarks being discussed. Your observations are valuable and will be shared with our team as we continue to review and enhance the tour experience for our guests.
Our goal is not only to showcase Cork's rich history and culture but also to inspire visitors to further explore everything the city has to offer. We are sorry that we fell short of this expectation during your visit.
Thank you again for your feedback. We appreciate your comments and wish you many enjoyable travels in the future.
James_B, May 2026
We arrived by cruise ship and took the train to Cork, which cost 27 euros round-trip for four people. The HOHO stop is across the street from the train station. Easy to find. The ride is narrated in English; there is no need for headphones.
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with Cork City Tours. We’re delighted to hear you found it so easy and convenient to travel from the cruise port into Cork and connect with our Hop On Hop Off tour right across from Kent Train Station.
It’s great to know you enjoyed the live English commentary on board and found the tour informative and easy to follow without the need for headphones. We hope you had a wonderful time exploring Cork
Carla_E, May 2026
Easy process once you navigate your way to the first bus stop. Driver was very knowledgeable and helpful explaining all the stops and history of the area. Definitely recommend!
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you for your lovely review and recommendation. We’re delighted to hear you enjoyed your experience with Cork City Tours.
It’s great to know our driver’s knowledge and commentary helped bring the city and its history to life for you along the way. We always aim to make the tour both informative and enjoyable for our guests.
We appreciate you choosing Cork City Tours during your visit
Sherri_A, May 2026
Great way to see Cork...even in the rain! Our female driver would add her own commentary to the pre-recorded tape. She was hilarious!
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you for your fantastic review. We’re delighted to hear you enjoyed discovering Cork with us — rain and all!
It’s wonderful to know our driver’s sense of humour and personal commentary made the tour even more entertaining and memorable for you. Our team loves sharing the stories and character of Cork with visitors in their own unique way.
Carolyn_N, Apr 2026
March, April and October there is only one bus and driver. Meaning if you want to get off at a stop, you have to wait 90 minutes for the same bus to come around again. Ridiculous. They should tell you that. It’s a pre recorded tour so no live tour guide, no personality.
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We are sorry to hear that the tour did not fully meet your expectations.
During our quieter seasonal periods in March, April, and October, the Hop On Hop Off service operates on a reduced timetable with one bus in operation. This seasonal schedule is available on our website, at our stops, and on board the bus to help guests plan their day and make the most of their time in Cork.
Our onboard commentary is pre-recorded to ensure all guests receive consistent information about Cork’s history, landmarks, and attractions throughout the tour. While this differs from a fully live-guided experience, our drivers are always happy to assist guests with questions and local recommendations whenever possible.
We genuinely appreciate your feedback as it helps us continue to improve the experience we provide. We do hope you still enjoyed seeing some of Cork during your visit and thank you again for travelling with Cork City Tours.
Twyla_A, Apr 2026
We enjoyed it. The fuel protests definitely effected our usage and experience but our driver was great.
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We’re pleased to hear you still enjoyed your experience overall despite the disruption to our route.
We truly appreciate your understanding during what was an unusual situation, and we’re delighted to know our driver helped make the tour enjoyable with great service throughout the day.
Thank you again for travelling with Cork City Tours
Winston_H, Apr 2026
Speaker on bus was too loud and hard to understand.
Drivers was very nice.
Basically, if they could improve the speaker quality so we could understand what they were saying it would be helpful and easy for them to do.
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We’re pleased to hear you found our driver friendly and welcoming during your tour.
We’re sorry to hear that the onboard audio quality affected your experience. Your comments regarding the speaker volume and clarity are very helpful, and we will certainly pass this feedback on to our team as we continually work to improve the comfort and enjoyment of our tours.
We truly appreciate your suggestions and thank you again for choosing Cork City Tours.
Charity_P, Oct 2025
We had the absolute best time with our sassy bus driver. She gave a great tour. Would highly recommend!
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you for your fantastic review. We’re thrilled to hear you had such a great time on the tour.
It sounds like our driver’s fun personality and lively commentary made the experience even more memorable — we’ll be sure to pass along your lovely feedback. Creating an enjoyable and entertaining atmosphere for our guests is something we take great pride in.
Thank you again for the recommendation, and we hope to welcome you back on board with Cork City Tours again soon.
Lillian_J, Sep 2025
We arrived by train to Cork station. There is a stop outside the train station. We waited past the scheduled 10:25 arrival time only to have the first bus drive right past us. There were seats available on the bus. We took a taxi to the first stop. There was a line. We barely made it onto this bus with standing room only. This driver stopped at the train station stop. We hopped off after four stops and walked to our other activity. We passed by the first stop during our walking tour. There was an entire bus full of people waiting to board and already full bus. There were not enough buses running to accommodate the demand. We will not be taking the hop on hop buses in future.
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We're very sorry to hear about your experience and understand how frustrating it must have been — especially after arriving at the train station and planning your day around the tour.
We want to assure you that you were not ignored. We received your email over the weekend when our office was closed, which unfortunately delayed our ability to respond and assist in real time. We do try to make this clear in our contact information, but we understand this may have added to your frustration.
As the only open-top sightseeing operator in Cork, we do experience periods of high demand, particularly during peak days and cruise arrivals. While we aim to run as frequently and reliably as possible, there are times when buses fill quickly and delays can happen — particularly in city traffic.
We're genuinely sorry this was your experience and that we weren’t able to meet your expectations on the day.
KentRichardson, Aug 2025
Beautiful route and great driver. We asked for recommendations for a fun pub and she sent us to perfect pub with local patrons who were quite friendly.
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Thank you so much for your lovely review! We're delighted you enjoyed the scenic route and had such a great experience with your driver — she has a knack for recommending the perfect local spots!
We’re so glad you got to enjoy a fun pub with friendly locals — it’s those authentic little moments that really make a trip memorable.
Alan_D, Aug 2025
A little unclear about meeting place Stop 1. Expected at least a slight pause. Like pause at City Goal.
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us. We’re really glad you joined the tour, and we appreciate your honest feedback.
We’re sorry to hear that Stop 1 was a bit unclear — we’ll definitely look at how we can make the meeting point easier to locate for future guests. We also appreciate your note about pausing at key landmarks like the City Gaol. While we do our best to keep to schedule, we understand how a brief pause can enhance the experience, and we’ll take this on board.
Eddie_B, Aug 2025
Great experience. Very friendly and accommodating bus driver.
Would recommend. Great for kids. Lots to see.
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Thank you so much for your lovely review! We're delighted to hear you had a great experience and that the tour worked well for kids too — it's always a joy to see families enjoying the sights together.
We’ll be sure to pass your kind words along to our driver — being friendly and accommodating is what we aim for every day!
Thanks again for the recommendation
Roger_K, Jul 2025
worth doing to understand the town. inexpensive and there is a stop at the train station so you do not need to get a taxi into Cork.
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Thanks a million for your review! We're delighted you found the tour a worthwhile way to get to know Cork — that’s exactly what we aim for.
It’s great to hear you made good use of the stop at the train station too — such a handy option, and a great way to avoid the extra cost of a taxi.
We really appreciate you sharing your experience
Dana_L, Jul 2025
This was a great way to see the most of the area and know where we wanted to revisit once done with the bus. The only challenge was knowing where to meet it when we first got off the train. I wish there had been a pointer with the tickets that indicated the exact location.
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Thank you so much for your lovely review — we’re delighted to hear the tour helped you get a great overview of the area and plan where to explore next. That’s exactly what our hop-on, hop-off experience is all about!
We really appreciate your feedback about locating the stop after arriving by train. That’s a very helpful suggestion, and we’ll certainly look into it.
Mary_L, Jul 2025
Lot of good Information but not overwhelming
Drivers were friendly
Timing between buses was excellent
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Thank you so much for your kind review! We're delighted to hear you found the information just right — informative without being overwhelming — and that our friendly drivers helped make your experience even more enjoyable.
It’s also great to know the timing between buses worked well for you. We do our best to keep things running smoothly so guests can relax and explore at their own pace.
Timea_M, Jul 2025
One bus has a very squeaky brake and the female navigator's voice is hardly understandable.. i have noticed other business had mmorel information than this bus and the iaudio ser up made it clear and undersable rhe jjurney.
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback — we truly appreciate it. We’re very sorry to hear that parts of your experience didn’t meet expectations.
We’ll certainly look into the issue you mentioned with the audio quality and the squeaky brakes — that's not the standard we aim to deliver. Clear, engaging commentary is a big part of the tour, and we want every guest to enjoy both the journey and the stories that go along with it.
Karen_S, May 2025
24 hours valid yes but you must start on day u order and nb the bus stop schedule is nonstop at viator but elsewhere. Bus schedule is short too. So if u arrive midday, better to use public transit. I misunderstood the communications with the bus tour people and so wasted $100 trying to use it the next day but within 24 hrs of the time it would have been valid. Too many private busses around. Very confusing
Response from Host, Jun 2025
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience — we truly appreciate your feedback and are sorry to hear the tour didn’t meet your expectations on this occasion.
We completely understand how frustrating it must have been to miss out on using your ticket. Our 24-hour pass is valid from the time of first use, but service hours can vary by season, which can impact plans for late arrivals.
Unfortunately, we’re unable to display our full timetable on third-party booking platforms like Viator, but it is always available on board the bus and on our official website to help guests plan their visit with ease.
Just to note — we are the only red open-top sightseeing bus in Cork, making us easily recognisable among the other private buses operating in the city.
Donald_D, Apr 2025
It had limited run times, only one bus running and only a few stops. If you got off it was over an hour until the next bus came. I’ve had better hop on hop off in other cities because of more stops and more buses to catch if you got off.
Response from Host, Apr 2025
Thank you for your review and for giving us a solid 4 stars — we really appreciate you taking the time to share your experience.
We’re sorry to hear the limited timetable impacted your enjoyment. During quieter seasons, we do run a reduced service with one bus operating on a 90-minute loop, and we understand that can affect flexibility when hopping on and off.
Timetables are always available onboard and online, and we’re continuously reviewing our schedule to ensure it suits as many visitors as possible.
That said, we’re very glad you chose to explore Cork with us and hope the sights, stories, and atmosphere gave you a good feel for the city. We’d love the opportunity to welcome you back again in the future — perhaps during the busier months when the full timetable is in swing!
Rick_K, Oct 2024
The tour was great and I would definitely recommend. Lots of good local information and places to see. Great way to get your bearings of the city.
Response from Host, Apr 2025
Thank you so much for your kind words! We’re thrilled to hear you enjoyed the tour and found it such a helpful way to get your bearings around Cork.
Melissa_W, Oct 2024
It was not even an hour long and the driver was as miserable as anything!
Asked the driver questions and we felt we were intruding on him
As he really was the most miserable driver EVER!!
Response from Host, Apr 2025
Thank you for your feedback. We're sorry to hear the experience didn’t meet your expectations and that you didn’t feel the usual warm welcome we aim to provide. We’ll be sure to share your comments with our team, as we’re always looking to improve. We appreciate you taking the time to let us know.
Denise_M, Oct 2024
It is absolutely not worth paying for this hop on hop off bus. If you hop off, you’ll have to wait an hour and a half to hop back on because it is only one bus that runs. You are much better off just walking and sightseeing on your own.
Response from Host, Apr 2025
Hello....thank you for taking the time to leave a review and sorry to hear it fell short of your expectations. If you took our tour in October you would be waiting 1.5 hours as we run a 90 minute service during quieter times. To assist our customers we advise them to check our website for tour timetables.
Taylor_R, Oct 2024
Getting the lay of the land... we were only in Cork for a day so the Hop-on-Hop-off was a good idea. We took the full loop and listened to the commentary. It was raining, but we sat up top under the roof and had a great view of everything.
Response from Host, Apr 2025
Thank you so much for sharing your experience! We're thrilled you made the most of your day in Cork with our hop-on, hop-off tour — it's such a great way to get a real feel for the city, even when the Irish weather brings a bit of rain!
Fair play to you for sitting up top and taking it all in — there’s nothing like those panoramic views, rain or shine. We’re delighted you enjoyed the full loop and found the commentary helpful in getting to know Cork’s history and highlights.
Thanks again for choosing to spend part of your visit with us
Mustafa_K, Oct 2024
Visiting the Jail was a very different experience. I would highly recommend to take a day off for this tour.
Response from Host, Apr 2025
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your feedback! We’re thrilled to hear you enjoyed your visit to the Gaol (Jail) – it really is a unique and powerful experience, isn’t it?
We completely agree that it’s worth setting aside the time to fully take it all in. There's so much history to discover, and it’s wonderful to know you would highly recommend it to others.
Charlene_H, Sep 2024
Excellent tour guide and driver! She had a great sense of humor too! We truly appreciated your helpful tips in navigating around Cork.
Response from Host, Apr 2025
Thank you so much for your lovely review! We're delighted to hear you had such a great experience with your driver – a good sense of humour and helpful local tips can really make all the difference when exploring somewhere new, especially a vibrant city like Cork!
We’ll be sure to pass on your kind words to her – she’ll be thrilled to know she helped make your visit even more memorable.
Lynda_I, Sep 2024
Route around town is an hour long, and the busses operate every 45 minutes or so.... Not bad if you just want to ride around the city... May be problematic if you get off and then miss the next bus and have to wait a total of 1.5 hours to hop back on. Guide was friendly and helpful, commentary was okay.
Response from Host, Apr 2025
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback with us. We’re delighted to hear you enjoyed the tour and that our guide made a positive impression with their friendly and helpful approach.
We do appreciate your comments regarding the timing between buses. You are correct, during September we operate a 45-minute service, and full timetables are available both online and onboard to help guests plan their day around the city more comfortably. We completely understand how important timing is, especially when hopping on and off to explore.
Thank you again for choosing to tour Cork with us.
From $25.59
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
Compare Similar Experiences
Current
Hop On/Hop Off Cork City Sightseeing Tour
203
1 hour 30 minutes
Free Cancellation
From
$25.59
Customers Who Bought This Tour Also Bought
Explore Similar Things to Do
- Shore Excursions
- Full-day Tours
- Historical Tours
- Day Trips
- Tours, Sightseeing & Cruises
- Private and Luxury
- Cultural Tours
- Private Sightseeing Tours
- Cork
- Shore Excursions - Cobh
- Full-day Tours - Cobh
- Historical Tours - Cobh
- Shore Excursions - Killarney
- Full-day Tours - Killarney
- Historical Tours - Killarney
- Full-day Tours - Kenmare
- Historical Tours - Kenmare
Attractions in Cork, Ireland
- Elizabeth Fort Tours & Tickets
- Cork City Gaol Tours & Tickets
- Kinsale Tours & Tickets
- University College Cork Tours & Tickets
- Midleton Distillery Experience Tours & Tickets
- Fitzgerald’s Park Tours & Tickets
- Butter Museum Tours & Tickets
- Charles Fort Tours & Tickets
- Drombeg Stone Circle (Druid's Altar) Tours & Tickets
- Gougane Barra Tours & Tickets
- Mizen Head Tours & Tickets
- Blarney Castle & Gardens Tours & Tickets
- The English Market Tours & Tickets
- Blarney Stone Tours & Tickets
- St. Fin Barre's Cathedral Tours & Tickets
- Cork St. Anne's Church Tours & Tickets