We are thrilled to offer discounted fan buses to Belfast for the BKT URC quarter-final Connacht V Ulster on Friday, May 5th.
For just €25 per person, from Galway and Athlone to Kingspan Stadium, you can get there and home again hassle-free!
Coaches will depart from The Sportsground at 1pm and Athlone Arcadia at 2.15pm. The buses will arrive at the stadium at 6.15pm, leaving ample time for fans to settle before the 7.35pm kick-off.
The return trip will leave the stadium at 10.15pm. Please note that spaces are limited and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.
To secure your spot, simply visit our website at www.citylink.ie and select your preferred departure location.
Irish Citylink, one of Ireland’s leading providers of inter-city coach services has announced that it is set to continue its partnership as the “Official Transport Partner to Galway GAA” for a further three years. The extension of the transportation company’s contract with Galway GAA is testament that community is at the heart of everything for the team at Irish Citylink as it continues to explore how to positively impact the communities it serves. The announcement comes as the GAA season is set to begin this weekend.
(Pictured left to right: Sean Kenny (Senior Football), Conor Whelan (Senior Hurling), Robert Finnerty (Senior Football).
Irish Citylink, which will celebrate 20 years in operation in April, has remained at the top of its league thanks to their commitment to improving the communities it serves which provides its passengers consisting of students, regular work commuters, sports fans, holiday makers and more with reliability of service and comfort, at an affordabl
“Irish Citylink are delighted to be extending our partnership with Galway GAA as the Official Transport Partner. Our top of the range luxury coaches and frequent direct services are a perfect match for these top class hurling and football teams. We were extremely proud to have driven these teams to success in 2022 and look forward to continued success in this partnership over the next three years”.
Ciara Rosney Head of Marketing and Public Relations at Irish Citylink.
Irish Citylink is a leading provider of inter-city coach travel since 2003. The company’s distinctive blue and yellow coaches have come to be associated with luxurious, reliable and affordable coach travel. Over the years, the transportation company has grown its network of routes, and with the recent acquisition of GoBus in 2022, it can now provide more flexibility to its customers with a combined 44 daily services connecting Galway with Dublin City and Dublin Airport as well as their routes serving Limerick, Cork, Clifden and Ballina, 364 days a year.
“Galway GAA are delighted to extend our Official Transport Partnership with Citylink for a further three years. Citylink have provided an excellent service to our teams in 2022 and we look forward to working with them into the future. Citylink have shown a strong commitment to the promotion of GAA in the county and are an outstanding fit as our Official Transport Partner “.
Mark Gottsche, Operations & Finance Manager, Galway GAA.
The countdown is on until the holidays are here, and we are looking forward to when we get time to spend with those we hold dear. Days out with our loved ones can bring so much cheer this time of year, so we have found some fun-filled festive activities in Galway for you to try!
The Famous Galway Christmas Market
As we all know, the Galway Christmas market is one of the best things in Galway this time of year to feel that holiday spirit. Containing various stalls with an array of crafts and gift ideas, along with mountains of good food and drink options to choose from.
Enjoy a magical walk through the enchanted light gardens with friends and family, which can make for the perfect insta photo!
Festiva Afternoon Tea at the G Hotel
Next up is the G-Hotel’s Festive Afternoon Tea. With the weather being so cold, inside is where you want to be! Treat yourself in the run-up to the holidays with the delicious, savoury, and sweet treats they have to offer. Indulge in a selection of delicate sandwiches, including the festive-inspired sausage stuffing, walnut & sage croquette with a cranberry gel and turkey coronation & cranberry sandwich. Ooo, that sounds good!
The g’s pastry team have also curated a host of treats for the occasion, such as the traditional Christmas pudding, baileys and a salted caramel yule log. Why not go wild and absolutely spoil yourself with a refreshing glass of Taittinger Champagne? It’s exactly what you deserve.
Elftown
If you’re looking for something the whole family can enjoy, look no further than Elftown for a truly magical experience. A 2-hour Christmas experience set over 3 different buildings, with the mystical journey set over 4 floors.
And, at the end of your journey, you and your family get a private visit with Santa! Who is the most realistic and authentic Santa you will find in all the land. Children will be amazed when he knows a little secret about each child.
Every child will receive an Elf Town branded gift pack with an official invite from Santa to Elf Town this year. They have a unique Golden ticket and map of Elf Town addressed to the children and delivered by reindeer post before your booking date. All are included with your ticket purchase.
Last-minute stocking fillers from the Sock Society
If you’re looking to do some last-minute shopping to fill your stockings, we recommend hunting down a pair of the Sock Societies socks. Designed right here in Galway, these are the coolest, most colourful and funny socks you could find! These guys know exactly how to bring your feet to life and would make the perfect gift.
Don’t miss out on the festive fun! Book your journey NOW at Irish Citylink or Gobus to enjoy any of these festive activities with your loved ones over the holiday season!
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Irish Citylink and Gobus turn a coach pink in support of the Irish Cancer Society’s Care For Your Pair Campaign this October! The Care For Your Pair campaign was created by the Irish Cancer Society to spread the word about the importance of breast health and raise funds for breast cancer patients and their families across Ireland this Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Irish Citylink and Gobus have livered a pink Care For Your Pair coach to support the Irish Cancer Society in creating awareness around the Care For Your Pair campaign, showing-support for people impacted by breast cancer throughout the country. Each year, the public’s generosity helps the Irish Cancer Society provide vital care and support for families affected by breast cancer. Irish Citylink would like to say a huge thank you to Abbey Signs for sponsoring the Care For Your Pair livery.
Irish Citylink and Gobus invite their passengers and the general public to donate to the Care For Your Pair fundraiser by scanning the QR codes across the Citylink and Gobus fleet of coaches. These QR codes will be in place from the 17th of October until the 1st of November. You can also donate via our social media channels @citylinkireland and @gobus.ie or by visiting the fundraiser on our websites at citylink.ie or gobus.ie.
Pictured: Ciara Rosney, Faoshyat Azeez and Frances Cahill
“We are delighted to be able to create awareness and raise vital funds for the Irish Cancer Society’s Care For Your Pair campaign. In supporting such an important cause, we wanted to present the message to as many people as possible and therefore our fleet of coaches that transport thousands of passengers per week was the way to do so. With your much-appreciated support, we hope to raise as many vital funds as possible to support those affected by breast cancer.”
Ciara Rosney,Head of Marketing and Public Relations at Citylink and Gobus.
“On behalf of Irish Citylink and GoBus we are delighted to be contributing to this amazing organisation. You hope you will never need to call upon the service but if you do, you will see how much work they do in terms of the research, provision of vital information and more importantly the support they offer with counselling and transport during a very difficult time in a person’s life. Being involved in this campaign was extremely important for all the team in Irish Citylink and Gobus and we hope that we can raise vital funds to help the Irish Cancer Society continue their already amazing work in some small way.”
Frances Cahill, General Manager at Irish Citylink at Citylink and Gobus.
Pictured: Frances Cahill, General Manager at Irish Citylink at Citylink and Gobus with Claire Bowman, Corporate Partnerships Manager at the Irish Cancer Society.
The Irish Cancer Society are a community of patients, survivors, volunteers, supporters, health and social care workers and researchers who work together to transform the experiences and outcomes of people affected by cancer through advocacy, support services and research. The Irish Cancer Society listen to patients and their loved ones and support them by providing free information and care. They also fund life-saving cancer research helping find new ways to ensure that we have less rick of getting cancer, best treatment if we do, and most hope of thriving afterwards.
“We at the Irish Cancer Society would like to extend our sincere thanks and gratitude to the Citylink and Gobus team for the incredible support and creative thinking demonstrated through this initiative in support of our Breast Cancer Awareness campaign, Care For Your Pair. Not only does this initiative give an additional platform to promote the important message of being breast aware but it also allows the public to donate on board Citylink and Gobus coaches throughout the month of October to support our breast cancer services. This support helps us to further our mission and ensure everyone affected by breast cancer will have access to world-class treatment, services and support. The Irish Cancer Society typically receives only 3% of its funding from the Government, therefore we rely on the generosity of our supporters to fund our vital breast cancer research and free care, counselling and transport for breast cancer patients and their families. On behalf of everyone who benefits from these services, thank you for your support”
Claire Bowman, Corporate Partnerships Manager at the Irish Cancer Society.
Pictured: Jessica Harkin, Content Specialist for Citylink and Gobus
If you have any questions about breast cancer, contact the @irishcancersociety ’s Support Line and talk to their cancer nurses. 📱 Freephone 1800 200 700 📧 [email protected]
It’s that time of year again – School’s back, and I’m sure all the students are super excited to get back to class and study for another year!
We’re living in a weird time – students are having a major struggle to get accommodation, and even transport is getting challenging to organize. School is either starting this week or in the coming days/weeks, and it’s a real stress point. Citylink proudly serves many towns and cities around the country, including major third-level institutes – for example, NUIG, University of Limerick, MTU, TUS, and ATU.
Citylink prides itself on the volume of services it provides to communities across Ireland. These volumes of services can make it easier for students who are going to commute to/from school this year.
We give students the option of regular services and offer a “10 Journey Ticket” on our Galway-Dublin Multi-Stop service (763). We are also delighted to announce that from Sunday, September 4th, 2022, we will be offering our BEST EVER DISCOUNTED FARES with discounts of up to 85% across ALL routes for Young Adult/Student Leap Card Holders.
Not to toot our own horn, but that’s pretty amazing!
To find out more about how YOU can avail of these amazing discounts, click here .
We want to ensure that young people have an affordable and reliable way to get to and from college, work, or social outings without breaking the bank! So, Irish Citylink & Gobus are giving THREE lucky Students/Young Adult Card Holders an ENTIRE year of free travel with a Golden Free Travel Card!
For a relatively small island, Ireland is blessed to have several airports for passengers to travel through. Each of the four provinces has at least one international airport, which makes Ireland a very well-connected country. In recent months, now that travel has returned to near normal, major airports across the world have seen delays and disruptions. However, cork Airport, Ireland’s second-largest airport, was ready to adapt and grow and is still expanding services, offering a lot of international routes.
Citylink proudly serves Cork Airport as part of the 251 Galway-Limerick-Cork Route, offering times to compliment outgoing and incoming flights. Our team recently took a trip down to Cork Airport to see how handy it is to get through the airport – From Door to Departures.
Citylink services pull up right outside the terminal building of Cork Airport. If the bus was any closer, it’d be on the tarmac with the plane! When you disembark the bus, you’re just a few metres away from the entrance to the building. Cork Airport is pretty compact. Everything is there for you as you walk through the main doors. You have your check-in desks in front of you, cafes and shops to the left, seating areas dotted along the building, and cool displays showing local bars and restaurants.
When you start making your way through the airport and get through security, it will literally take a couple of minutes to get from the front door to your departure gate (not including a stop in Duty-Free, mind you).
A trip through the airport is not complete until you spend some time in Duty-Free. When you get through security, you’ll find yourself in “The Loop.” Alcohol, perfumes, chocolates, and Clonakilty sausages and rashers are the perfect items to be shopping for before boarding your plane.
On our trip through the airport, we were amazed at how quick and convenient the airport was and how easy it was to navigate, which, for any traveler, is very reassuring.
The same can be said for inbound passengers to Cork Airport. You disembark the aircraft, and you’re nearly immediately at passport control. Once you’ve finished up there, you simply turn around the corner, and you’re at baggage claim! Before you know it, you’re passing through the doors to the arrivals lounge – back to where your journey through Cork Airport began.
Citylink offers 8 daily services to and 8 daily services from Cork Airport, bringing you to/from the airport’s front door.
Now that Cork Airport is adding more departures – including new routes to Rome and Newcastle, maybe a winter break is on the cards? We sure are tempted anyways!
Athlone is the gem in the centre of Ireland. With Dublin to the east and Galway to the west, Athlone is the perfect middle point. Loaded with great shopping and beautiful surroundings, it’s the ideal place for a day trip or to visit for a weekend.
Athlone is served by Citylink’s Multi-Stop 763 Route, which provides services from Athlone to Dublin, Galway, and many towns between the two. Citylink has recently joined as proud Athlone Chamber of Commerce members and enjoys being part of the community. For those unfamiliar with Athlone, we thought we’d give you an idea of what you can do and see in this beautiful town in the heart of Ireland.
Food & Drink
Athlone is lucky to have a great selection of food and drink places to choose from, from fine dining to little coffee shops – all of which are perfect for a trip to the town. Here are some great spots we’d recommend.
Poppy Fields is a cute place to go for breakfast. Poppy Fields’ menu boasts a great selection of foods, with four Hot Specials available daily to compliment the regular menu. They also offer healthy options every day, which are really delicious. In addition, Poppy Fields makes its own bread, scones, and cakes and offers an all-day breakfast option.
Lunch is essential when you’re roaming around and shopping. We love Bastion Kitchen in Athlone. They offer a vast range of healthy options, which are so tasty. Not only is it a great place to pop in for a bite, but they also have a range of sustainable items for sale, so you can take the Bastion Kitchen journey with you! Check out their site for their range of goods.
There are so many options when it comes to dinner and drinks! Our team members have a few options for eating: Dead Centre Brewing, Gertie Browns (Hatter’s Lane), or Il Collesseo for dinner. Dead Centre is more chill vibes, and who doesn’t love a pizza and craft beer combo. Their selection of beers is really cool too! Then you have Gerties/Hatters or Il Collesseo, which are excellent for a more formal-style, sit-down meal.
Shop Til You Drop
Athlone has some top-quality shopping – from boutique stores to shopping centers, full of great outlets. Golden Island is a firm staple of the Athlone retail scene and offers shoppers some great choices from Penneys, Born, Park Jewellers, and more! In addition, you’ll find great shopping spaces in the center of town, including Athlone Towncentre, a mall with a whole host of shops and cafes.
There are a lot of neat boutiques around the town, so it is well worth spending a couple of hours wandering around, popping in and out – you’ll definitely find a good bargain for yourself!
Get Active!
Many outdoor activities require good weather – which can be hard to come by in Ireland. Nevertheless, we’ve decided to mention a few outdoorsy things and fun activities you can do in Athlone!
Bay sports, just on the outskirts of Athlone, is pure fun for all the family with its giant inflatables out in the water at the Hodson Bay Hotel. If you’ve ever seen the show “Total Wipeout” and wanted to try it out, this place would be perfect for that. Hodson Bay is a great spot for leisure and water activities.
Nearby, for the golfers, is Athlone Golf Club, a great course to play and take in the sights and sounds of the Midlands.
If you start discovering Athlone, be it for a day of shopping at Golden Island, to sample the delicious cuisine at Dead Centre Brewing, or to enjoy some of the outdoor activities, be sure to share your pictures and #DiscoverAthlone
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With the acquisition of GoBus, Irish Citylink will become one of the largest private land transport companies in Ireland.
Irish Citylink, a wholly owned subsidiary of ComfortDelGro group headquartered in Singapore, has successfully completed the purchase of GoBus from its present owners. The acquisition marks a significant step forward for the company in expanding its network throughout Ireland.
On reviewing the market to identify companies that offer an excellent level of service, it was imperative to choose a company whose values and reputation aligned with the core values and level of service Citylink is known for. GoBus epitomizes these values that are important to our company and passengers.
David Conway, Regional Director of Irish Citylink, commented, “Having navigated the challenges of COVID-19 and as we are rebuilding and expanding the range of services we offer to the traveling public, the addition of the GoBus network will enable us to provide significantly more options to both Citylink and GoBus customers. This enhanced network of services will encourage more people to travel via public transport and support our greater green agenda of moving towards a sustainable public transport network”.
The acquisition of GoBus fits into Citylink’s strategy to become the largest operator of intercity coach services in Ireland. GoBus’ convenient services and fleet of modern and comfortable coaches, alongside Citylink’s premium and reliable services, provide major opportunities for the company to become the largest intercity coach operator in Ireland.
When asked about the acquisition, Frances Cahill, General Manager of Irish Citylink, commented, “This is just the beginning – The acquisition of GoBus brings so many new opportunities to the business in terms of employment, funding for local sponsorships, and the services we can provide for our passengers. We are absolutely delighted to bring two reputable transport providers together to provide an expanded network of routes and an even better customer experience for our current and future passengers!”
The stories behind Irish Citylink and GoBus
Irish Citylink first began right in the heart of Galway almost 20 years ago. The company’s distinctive blue and yellow coaches have become synonymous with high-quality, reliable, and affordable coach travel. In the beginning, Citylink ran up to 12 daily services between Galway and Dublin. Since then, they have expanded their business and network of routes to over 100 daily direct, express, and multi-stop services across all routes. Over 150 people are employed in the provision of Irish Citylink’s services in Galway, Dublin, Limerick, and Cork.
GoBus was established in 2009 and operates frequent and flexible coach services across three main routes serving Galway, Dublin, Cork, and Ballina. GoBus prides itself on offering flexibility and the best in comfort and safety on board.
Pairing GoBus with Citylink’s mission to connect Ireland’s towns, cities, villages, and airports across the nation by providing reliable travel is both ambitious and vital. Particularly as the need for public transport increases each year.
Irish Citylink operates a range of services in Galway, Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Clifden, Loughrea, Athlone, Ballinasloe, and more. The company currently carry over 28,000 passengers per week across all routes which is forecasted to surpass 35,000 later this year. With these numbers in mind, it is clear that transport is an essential and vital service in today’s society. With this acquisition, Irish Citylink is determined to create a reality where transport is more accessible in Ireland than ever before!
For more information on how this acquisition will affect Irish Citylink and GoBus’ customers, please click here.
Nothing beats the post Christmas blues like a quick Spring getaway to look forward to. There are a multitude of amazing destinations at our doorstep in Europe, waiting to be explored. Keep reading to find out about our Top 5 picks for a Spring City Break in Europe.
1.Amsterdam
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
The capital of the Netherlands, Amsterdam, is well known for it’s artistic heritage, narrow houses with gabled facades and being the world’s 2nd most bicycle friendly city in the world. Amsterdam’s nickname is “Venice of the North” attributed by the large number of canals which form a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Originating as a small fishing village in the late 12th century, Amsterdam became one of the most important ports in the world in the Dutch Golden Age of the 17th century and became the leading centre for finance and trade.
Exploring the cities canals by foot, enjoying a walk on Blijburg beach and learning about Amsterdam’s history at Stadsarchief (City Archives) are a few of the many amazing things you can do to make the most of your time in this wonderful city.
Berlin is a world of culture, politics, media and science. It is the capital and largest city in Germany bursting with fascinating history. It’s 3,748,148 inhabitants make it the second most populous city of the European Union after London.
Among the city’s main features are the many lakes in the western and southeastern boroughs formed by the Spree, Havel, and Dahme rivers. Due to its location in the European Plain, Berlin is influenced by a temperate seasonal climate. About one-third of the city’s area is composed of forests, parks, gardens, rivers, canals and lakes.
The city has numerous orchestras, museums, and entertainment venues, and is host to many sporting events. It’s Zoological Garden is the most visited zoo in Europe and one of the most popular worldwide. The city is also well known for its festivals, diverse architecture, nightlife, contemporary arts and a very high quality of living.
The “City of Love” as it is well-known globally is the perfect place to visit with your loved ones to overcome the Christmas blues. Paris, France’s capital city, is a major European city and global centre for art, fashion, gastronomy and culture.
Paris is especially known for its museums and architectural landmarks: the Louvre was among most visited art museums in the world in 2019, with 9.6 million visitors. The historical district along the Seine in the city centre is classified as a UNESCO Heritage Site, and popular landmarks in the city centre included the Cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris, now closed for renovation after the April 15, 2019 fire.
Paris received 24.5 million visitors in 2018. It was ranked as the second most visited travel destination in the world in 2018, after Bangkok. The football club Paris Saint-Germain and the rugby union club Stade Français are based in Paris. The 80,000-seat Stade de France, built for the 1998 FIFA World Cup, is located just north of Paris in the neighbouring commune of Saint-Denis.
Venice is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto region. It is situated on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400 bridges. It was a major financial and maritime power during the Middle Ages and Renaissance, and a staging area for the Crusades and the Battle of Lepanto, as well as an important centre of commerce – especially silk, grain, and spices, and of art from the 13th century to the end of the 17th.
The lagoon and a part of the city are listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Parts of Venice are renowned for the beauty of their settings, their architecture, and artwork. Venice is known for several important artistic movements – especially during the Renaissance period.
Although the city is facing some challenges (including an excessive number of tourists, problems caused by pollution, tide peaks and cruise ships sailing close to the buildings), Venice remains a very popular tourist destination, a major cultural centre, and has been ranked many times the most beautiful city in the world. It has been described by the Times Online as one of Europe’s most romantic cities and by The New York Times as “undoubtedly the most beautiful city built by man”.
Things to do:
Grand Canal – Canal, basilica and palace
Rialto Bridge – Ornate footbridge over the Grand Canal
St. Mark’s Square – Landmark basilica dominated square
Budapest, Hungary’s capital, is bisected by the River Danube. The Széchenyi Chain Bridge connects the hilly Buda district with flat Pest. Budapest is a global city with strengths in commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and entertainment. It is Hungary’s financial centre, and was ranked as the second fastest-developing urban economy in Europe.
Among Budapest’s important museums and cultural institutions is the Museum of Fine Arts. The central area of the city along the Danube River is classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and has several notable monuments, including the Hungarian Parliament, Buda Castle, Fisherman’s Bastion, Gresham Palace, Széchenyi Chain Bridge, Matthias Church and the Liberty Statue.
Things to do:
Buda Castle – Castle home of Hungarian art collection
No matter where you decide to travel in Europe, you are guaranteed to find some delicious cuisine, historic landmarks, fantastic nightlife, beautiful scenery and much more!
Travelling to Dublin Airport? Travel in luxury with Citylink. Our coaches offer on board toilets, Free WiFi, charging points, generous luggage allowances, comfortable seats and friendly and helpful drivers. Have any queries about our services? All information about our services can be found on www.citylink.ie
