Bantry is an idyllic harbour and market town situated along Ireland’s award-winning Wild Atlantic Way. A hub for the communities on West Cork’s three peninsulas — Mizen, Sheep’s Head and Beara — and with Whiddy Island on its doorstep, the town is an anchor for a region rich in natural heritage and coastal amenities.
Getting to Bantry is simple by road and public transport links that connect the town to locations including Cork City, Killarney, and Cork Airport, which serves a wealth of international destinations. Transport links also support transfers to Bantry from Dublin and Limerick.
Cork Airport (1 ¼ hr drive) has regular bus connections to and from the city. It offers daily direct flights from Paris, Amsterdam and the UK, and regular direct flights from Portugal, Spain, Germany and more.
Dublin Airport (348 km/4 ¾ hr drive) serves a wide range of European and intercontinental destinations, and hourly bus connections run to Cork City.
Kerry Airport (75km/1 ¼ hr drive) serves destinations in in the UK, France and Germany.
Shannon Airport (180km/2 ¾ hr drive) serves a range of US and international destinations.
Contact Cremin Coaches – a local family-run company which provides private transport services for the West Cork/South East Kerry region.
Cork City has a mainline rail terminal at Kent Station with regular services to Dublin. There is no onward train connection to Bantry, but you can use nearby bus or coach services to complete your journey.
Image Credit: Fáilte Ireland/Roamer
Bantry’s bus connections are improving all the time, delivering improved services from Cork as well as great connections to local towns and villages.
You can use the Transport for Ireland route planning service to plan your trip door to door.
You may also find it helpful to check the following websites:
Ferries dock at Ringaskiddy – part of the Port of Cork – about 1.5 hrs drive from Bantry. The port, which has excellent transport links with Cork city, offers weekly sailings to Roscoff in France.
Rosslare Port, about 3hrs 40mins drive from Bantry, operates ferry routes to the UK and mainland Europe.
Use our handy Bantry area map to find your way around our festival and events venues, and discover great places to eat, drink, and visit.
Our harbour town is a hub of creative activity during festival time. It is also a fantastic base for exploring wonderful West Cork walks or taking trips on the pristine waters of Bantry Bay.
Stroll through Bantry’s Friday market, where you’re sure to bump into writers and musicians alongside the locals, explore Bantry House Gardens or take a dip at the Abbey. Or wander further to Gougane Barra and Garinish Island, and you’ll soon see why West Cork is called ‘a place apart’.
From the grandeur of Bantry House to stylish apartments, cosy B&Bs, and traditional cottages, you’ll find wonderful options for places to stay in Bantry and West Cork when you visit for West Cork Music’s festivals and events.
Opt for accommodation in the heart of Bantry town, or choose a coastal retreat in the surrounding countryside to make the most of your West Cork break.
