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Draft data. Times, fares and step counts are desk estimates awaiting field checks. Unknown times stay unknown. How we verify

Major city · Ireland

BrayBré

Give Bray one full day: DART out from Dublin, walk the 90-min Cliff Walk to Greystones, bus or train back. Sleep here only if you want a seaside base for Wicklow.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
EUR
Best months
May–Sep
avoid Nov–Feb (wet, windy, many seasonal places shut)
Airport
DUB
Nights
1
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
Rules in force · 8Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window…
  • Europe ↗Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window, counted across all 29 Schengen states together — not per country; the Entry/Exit System now logs each crossing, so an overstay is detected automatically.
  • Europe ↗On the first Schengen entry since EES began, non-EU travellers give four fingerprints and a face photo at the border instead of a passport stamp; there is nothing to apply for or pay in advance.
  • Britain and Ireland ↗Neither the UK nor Ireland is part of Schengen: days spent here do not count towards the 90/180-day Schengen limit, and a Schengen visa does not admit you to either country.
  • Britain and Ireland ↗The island of Ireland runs on two currencies: euro in the Republic, pound sterling in Northern Ireland and Great Britain. Carry a card that pays in both without fees.
  • Britain and Ireland ↗Both islands drive on the left. Speed limits are in miles per hour in the UK (including Northern Ireland) and in kilometres per hour in the Republic of Ireland.
  • Ireland ↗Ireland is in the EU but not in the Schengen area; it sets its own entry rules and a Schengen visa is not valid for Ireland. Check Irish immigration for your passport.
  • Ireland ↗Ireland and the UK form the Common Travel Area, with no routine checks on the land border. Visitors who are not Irish or British must still meet UK rules (including the UK ETA where it applies) to enter Northern Ireland.
  • Ireland ↗Driving is on the left; rural roads are narrow with hedges and few passing places.

Bray is a Victorian seaside town at the northern edge of County Wicklow, 50 minutes by DART from central Dublin and effectively part of the city's commuter belt. The reason to come is the coast: the 1.5 km Esplanade, Bray Head (241 m) and the Cliff Walk to Greystones. Most travellers do it as a day trip; a night here buys you an early start on the Wicklow mountains and a quieter evening than Dublin.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Bray, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • Coffee€3–4.50 (≈ US$4–6)
  • Sit-down mealPub main course€15–22 (≈ US$18–30)
  • BeerPint of stout€5.50–7 (≈ US$7–9)
  • Budget bedHostel or guesthouse bed, a night, per person€35 (≈ US$45)
  • Mid-range bedSeafront hotel double room, a night, per room€150 (≈ US$180)
  • High-end bedSeafront hotel double room, a night, per room€220 (≈ US$300)

A day, not counting the bed: Budget €60 (≈ US$70) · Mid €110 (≈ US$130) · High €200 (≈ US$250)

Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

The Cliff Walk to GreystonesBray Head and the EsplanadeVictorian seaside architectureKillruddery House and Gardens
Airports
DUB Dublin Airport (Aircoach 702 runs about every two hours between the airport, Bray and Greystones; otherwise bus or taxi to the city centre and DART out.)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Bray: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

9°C

3°C

13 rd

Feb

9°C

3°C

11 rd

Mar

10°C

4°C

11 rd

Apr

12°C

5°C

10 rd

May

15°C

7°C

10 rd

Jun

18°C

10°C

9 rd

Jul

20°C

12°C

10 rd

Aug

20°C

12°C

10 rd

Sep

18°C

10°C

10 rd

Oct

14°C

8°C

12 rd

Nov

11°C

5°C

12 rd

Dec

9°C

3°C

13 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

The town is walkable: Daly station to the Esplanade is about 5 min, and the Esplanade runs 1.5 km south to Bray Head. DART trains link Bray with Dublin, Dún Laoghaire, Dalkey and Greystones; Dublin Bus E1 runs to Dublin every 10 min at peak and operates 24 h. Local buses cover the suburbs; a car is only worth it for the mountains and Glendalough.

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Greystones

go

Door to door: About 1.5 h one way on foot

Cliff Walk over Bray Head, about 90 min; DART or bus back

The classic Bray outing. One way on foot, return by train.

Glendalough

go

Door to door: About 40 min

St Kevin's Bus from Bray, twice daily, about 40 min via Roundwood

Monastic site and round tower in a valley; the bus allows about four hours there. At weekends it can fill up from Dublin.

Enniskerry and Powerscourt

go

Door to door: About 20–30 min

Car or taxi, about 20 min; no direct rail

Formal gardens and a waterfall; the house is now a hotel.

Wicklow town

caution

Door to door: About 40 min by train

Five mainline trains a day from Bray, or the N11 by car

Worth it only if you are already heading down the coast.

Dublingo

Door to door: About 50 min

DART every 10–20 min from Daly station

The default base; Bray works as a day trip in either direction.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Strand Road / seafront

Hotels and guesthouses facing the Esplanade; walk to the harbour, the beach and the Cliff Walk steps.

Main Street and town centre

Cheaper rooms, restaurants and the Saturday market; 10–15 min walk downhill to the seafront.

Dublin city instead

The DART runs every 10–20 min from Connolly, Tara Street and Pearse, about 50 min; many travellers sleep in Dublin and day-trip.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
€60–90 (≈ US$70–110) excl. bed
Mid
€90–150 (≈ US$110–180) excl. bed
High
€150 (≈ US$180)+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Seafront hotel double room1 × 1 night × €150€150
Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × €110€220
DART Dublin city centre to Bray, one way2 × €4 · check; short hop zone fare€7
Aircoach 702 Dublin Airport to Bray, one way2 × €12 · check€24
eSIM, about a week of data2 × €15€30
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurge€43
Trip total≈ €237 per person per day, bed included€474≈ US$600

2026 estimate in euro; flights excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee€3–4.50 (≈ US$4–6)
Pub main course€15–22 (≈ US$18–30)
Pint of stout€5.50–7 (≈ US$7–9)
Fish and chips€12–18 (≈ US$14–25)
DART fare, Dublin city centre to Bray€3–4 (≈ US$4–5) (check)
Killruddery House and garden, adult€15.50 (≈ US$19); garden alone €10.50 (≈ US$13) (check)
Squirrel's Scramble treetop coursefrom €20 (≈ US$25) (check)

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Bray is a low-risk town; the real hazards are the sea and the headland. Swim at the south end of the beach, not the eroded north end, and treat the Cliff Walk as a hill walk, not a promenade.
  • The north end of the beach suffers erosion and pollution; swim or paddle at the south end.
  • The Cliff Walk path crosses Bray Head and can be muddy, windy and slippery after rain; wear shoes with grip and check conditions before setting out.
  • The east–west roads over the Wicklow mountains are narrow and winding and clog on fine weekends.
  • The M11/N11 coast road is very busy at rush hour.
  • Oldcourt Castle is unstable and may be fenced off.

Emergency numbers

Emergency (police/Gardaí, ambulance, fire, coast guard, mountain rescue)
112
Emergency (alternative)
999

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

BrayBré

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

Chuig an seoladh seo, le do thoilTo this address, please

Emergency

  • Emergency (police/Gardaí, ambulance, fire, coast guard, mountain rescue)112
  • Emergency (alternative)999

Embassy

No embassies in Bray; most are in Dublin. US citizens: the US Embassy is in Dublin (check the address). UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand: embassies or high commissions in Dublin.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • DART Dublin Connolly → Bray: about €3–4 (≈ US$4–5), about 50 min (check)
  • Aircoach 702 Dublin Airport → Bray: about €12 (≈ US$14), about 1 h (check)
  • St Kevin's Bus Bray → Glendalough: about 40 min, twice daily (check)

Say or show

  • Dia duit — Hello (jeea gwit)
  • Go raibh maith agat — Thank you (guh rev mah agut)
  • Le do thoil — Please (leh duh hull)
  • Sláinte — Cheers (slawn-cha)
  • Cé mhéad é? — How much is it? (kay vade ay)
  • Cá bhfuil an leithreas? — Where is the toilet? (kaw will un leh-rass)

English is spoken everywhere; Irish is not needed in Bray.

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Bray. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: May–Sep · avoid Nov–Feb (wet, windy, many seasonal places shut) · month by month →
  2. 1 airport and 3 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 5 day-trips, door to door
  6. 5 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for DUB: Aircoach 702 timings field-checked, DART fallback, overnight rung.
  2. Four walking clusters with rescue anchors: harbour and Esplanade, Bray Head and the Cliff Walk, Main Street, Killruddery.
  3. Place pages with verified cutoffs (Killruddery, Festina Lente garden, Mermaid Arts Centre) and eat pages with last orders.
  4. Cliff Walk condition fixture so the go/caution gate can go green.

Meanwhile

Back to Ireland

Sources