Travelling by Bus

Ireland has a very well developed nationwide bus service and for this reason getting around Mayo is very easy by bus.

The national bus carrier, Bus Eireann, has an extensive selection of public bus services throughout the West of Ireland and Mayo. Bus Eireann offers many open-road visitor bus passes that allow unlimited travel on bus services for several days.

From June to September, each Tuesday, Bus Eireann also organises guided bus tours, available out of Ballina, Westport, Castlebar to Achill Island.

Bus Éireann is introducing a number of timetable changes on Sunday 13th March 2016. These will some routes in the Mayo Region.

In summary:

Route 440 – Westport/Ireland West Airport Knock

  • Existing 1215 Westport/Ireland West Airport Knock will depart 1205 to improve Dublin connection.

  • Existing 1445 Ireland West Airport Knock/Westport will depart 1500 to improve connection at Charlestown.

Route 446 – Blacksod/Ballina

  • Earlier departure (0805) from Belmullet in order to give morning connection from Ballina to Sligo and Castlebar/Westport.

  • Later departure (1820) from Ballina to Belmullet to ensure connections are in.

  • Intermediate run time changes along the route.

Route 450 – Westport/Louisburgh

  • 1600 Westport/Louisburgh will depart 1610.

Route 456 – Ballina/Westport/Galway

  • New 1010 Ballina/Westport service.

  • New 1640 Westport/Ballina service.

  • All 456 services will operate via Westport, giving Westport a better frequency.

  • The 1345 Galway/Ballina 456 service will depart Galway at 1300.

  • Existing 1430 Ballina/Castlebar 456 service will operate at 1440 and continue to Westport after Castlebar.

  • Locations currently served by route 456 on one day per week – Roundfort, Carnacon, Hollymount and Belcarra - will be served by a new 442 service on Tuesdays, linking these locations with Castlebar.

Note the existing route 66 service at 1700 Castlebar/Swinford/Charlestown service will not operate. Customers will have other connecting options available at 1700 from Castlebar.

Route 458 – Ballina/Sligo/Enniskillen

  • A new timetable will be introduced. There will be an additional weekday service in each direction on the Sligo/Ballina section of the route and also additional Sunday services on Sligo/Ballina and Sligo/Enniskillen.

  • Departure and arrival times will be changing for many services. The 0710 Ballina/Sligo will operate through to Sligo and will arrive Sligo town at 0845. The current 1545 service departing Sligo to Enniskillen will now depart at the earlier time of 1445.

Note the route number 66 will become route 458 – Ballina/Sligo/Enniskillen and will offer improved connections to and from Dungannon and Belfast.