Region
Southeast Ireland
Base in Kilkenny or Waterford for 2 nights; add Wexford only if you have a car.
Key facts · Ireland
- Best months
- Apr–May, Sep
- Currency
- Euro (EUR)
- Language
- English everywhere
- Plugs
- G · 230 V
- Time zone
- GMT in winter
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.
The southeast is Ireland's history-and-beaches corner: Norman castles, abbeys, two Viking/Norman cities and long sandy strands, with none of the west's scenery. Trains and buses link Dublin, Carlow, Kilkenny, Waterford and Wexford well, but the sights between the towns need a car or a bike. Two nights in Kilkenny or Waterford covers the best of it; Wexford's beaches reward a third night with your own wheels.
Sleep
Which bed, for how many nights, and what to do from it
Where to sleep
Sleep base
- KilkennyCity guide
Medieval streets, castle, hurling; 1 h 40 from Dublin Heuston.
Best May–Sep
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Day trip
- WexfordPlanned
Town plus sheltered beaches; needs a car for the coast.
Page planned: listed so the region plan is complete.
- CarlowCity guide
Rail stop between Dublin and Kilkenny; castles and gardens nearby.
Best May–Sep
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Night sequences
- 2 nights
- Kilkenny 2, Waterford as a day trip by train
- 3 nights
- Kilkenny 2 + Waterford 1, or Kilkenny 2 + Wexford 1 with a car
- Kilkenny + Waterford + Wexford + Carlow in two days is mostly bus and train time.
- Coastal sand bars and tidal water around Tramore and the Barrow are the real hazard here; the region is lowland, so traffic is the main risk on land.
Day-trips door to door
| To | From | Door-to-door p50 | Last return | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waterford | Kilkenny | 50 min | unknown | Train via Thomastown; check evening departures before a late dinner. |
| Wexford | Dublin | 150 min | unknown | Five trains a day from Connolly, about 3 h; the town is walkable, the beaches are not. |
| Jerpoint Abbey | Thomastown | 40 min | unknown | About 3 km from the station on a busy road with no pavement; bike or car only.About 1.9 mi from the station on a busy road with no pavement; bike or car only. |
When and how
Months, arrival and passes
Seasons at a glance
Pick a month to see where to go.
| Country | JJan | FFeb | MMar | AApr | MMay | JJun | JJul | AAug | SSep | OOct | NNov | DDec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kilkenny | × | × | ok | ok | go | go | go | go | go | ok | × | × |
| Waterford | × | × | ok | ok | go | go | go | go | go | ok | × | × |
| Carlow | × | × | ok | ok | go | go | go | go | go | ok | × | × |
| Ireland (country-wide) | ok | ok | ok | go | go | go | ok | ok | go | go | ok | ok |
Computed from each country’s own data; hover a country name for the source. Advisory countries are left out.
Climate strip
| Zone | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southeast lowlandsCarlow, Kilkenny, Waterford, Wexford | cool | cool | ok | best | best | ok | ok | ok | best | ok | cool | cool |
- Southeast lowlands
- Drier and sunnier than the west; May–June and September are the picks. Beaches are busiest in July–August.
See the country page for the wider picture: best time to visit Ireland.
Get in
| From | To | How | p50 | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dublin Airport (DUB) | Kilkenny / Waterford | Bus direct, or bus/train via Dublin Heuston | ~2 h 30 to Kilkenny, ~3 h 30 to Waterford | Most flights land here; the motorway south is toll-free once clear of the M50. |
| Dublin Heuston | Waterford via Carlow and Kilkenny | Irish Rail intercity | 2 h 15 to Waterford | 5–7 trains a day; Kilkenny is about 1 h 40 from Heuston. |
| Dublin Connolly | Wexford and Rosslare | Irish Rail intercity | ~3 h | Five a day via Gorey and Enniscorthy; Rosslare Europort for ferries from Wales. |
| Cork Airport (ORK) | Waterford | Bus or car | check | Closer than Dublin but far fewer flights; Waterford Airport has had no commercial service since 2016. |
| Rosslare Europort | Wexford town | Train or bus | ~30 min | Ferries from Wales year-round, plus summer routes from the continent. |
Regional passes
Heritage Card
checkAbout €40 adult for a year (2026 estimate); pays only if you visit several Heritage Ireland sites, e.g. Jerpoint, Tintern and the JFK Arboretum.
TFI Leap Card
buyTap on Dublin commuter trains and most city buses; intercity Irish Rail tickets are bought separately.
Car hire
buyThe only practical way to reach beaches, abbeys and gardens off the rail corridors; book an automatic early.
Eat and move on
Regional food
| Dish | Where | Timing / trap |
|---|---|---|
| Blaa (soft Waterford bap) | Waterford city | Sold fresh and eaten the same day; hard to find outside the city. |
| Modern Irish and seafood | Waterford and Wexford towns | Waterford has the widest choice; book weekend dinners ahead. |
| Country-house dining | Near Thomastown and Tullow | Lunch menus cost far less than dinner; reserve. |
Go next
Dublin and the east
Train ~1 h 40 from Kilkenny, ~3 h from Wexford
Wicklow mountains and mansions on the way north.
Dublin
Train or bus, 1 h 40–3 h
Most trips start and end here.
Southwest Ireland
plannedBus 40 via Waterford and Cork, or train via Limerick Junction
Cork and Kerry for the Atlantic coast.
East Coast and Midlands
plannedTrain or bus north via Carlow and Athy
Shannon and midland stops.
Shannon Region
plannedBus 73 from Waterford via the midlands
Athlone and Clonmacnoise.
West Ireland
plannedTrain via Limerick Junction and Limerick
Galway and Connemara; a long transfer day.
Northwest Ireland and Lakelands
plannedVia Dublin or the midlands
Sligo and Donegal.
Deep dive
Photos, reading and every source