Route · Galway to Ennis
Galway to Ennis
55 min and 74 km south on the M18, from any address in Galway to the county town of Clare.
55 min
Typical time
74 km
Distance
M18
Main road
2 to 70
Passengers
EUR 225
From, one way
Other ways to go
Bus, train or a private driver
| How | Time | Changes | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bus Éireann 51 | 1 h 15 min | None | 14 departures a day from Galway Bus Station to Ennis Station on the Monday to Friday timetable (buseireann.ie, read 27.10.2026) |
| Private transfer | 55 min | None | Leaves at the time you choose, from your door to your door |
The route
South past Gort
Out of Galway past Oranmore, then the M18 south through Gort and into Clare. Ennis sits just off the motorway, so the drive ends almost as soon as you leave it.
Galway
Pickup · any address
Picked up from a city hotel, a house in Salthill or the university campus, at whatever hour suits you.
Kilmacduagh
Optional · near Gort
A monastic site with a leaning round tower, a short way off the motorway.
Gort
Optional · by the M18
A market town on the old Galway road. Thoor Ballylee, the tower where W. B. Yeats once lived, stands a few minutes to the north-east.
Ennis
Drop-off · any address
A hotel in the town centre, the station or a house in the county.
Vehicle
Which car for this run
Luggage decides more often than passenger count. Two people with four large cases travel better in an Executive MPV.
Executive Sedan
2 pax · 2 cases
Two travellers with hand luggage and a case each.
Executive MPV
7-8 pax · up to 10 cases
The default for families and any party with golf clubs. Every seat taken leaves less room for cases.
Minibus
16 pax
Tour groups and corporate parties travelling together.
Included
What the price covers
A fixed price for this route is confirmed in writing with your quote. Nothing is added at the end of the journey.
- Professional licensed chauffeur
- Meet and greet with a name sign
- Real-time flight monitoring
- Complimentary WiFi and still water
- Tolls and parking
- 30 minutes of complimentary waiting time
Questions
About this route
How long is the drive from Galway to Ennis?
About 55 min for 74 km, almost all of it on the M18 motorway.
Is there a bus from Galway to Ennis?
Yes. Bus Éireann route 51 runs from Galway Bus Station to Ennis Station, and the comparison above gives its timetable. A private car starts at your address, on your schedule, with no walk to the bus station.
Can we go from Galway to Ennis by the coast instead?
Yes. The road through the Burren and past the Cliffs of Moher reaches Ennis from the west. That longer drive is priced as a touring day rather than a transfer.
Do you drop at Ennis Station?
Yes. Ennis Station sits at the edge of the town centre and serves both trains and coaches. We drop at the entrance with time to spare for tickets.
Can you take us from Ennis on to Shannon Airport?
Yes. Shannon Airport is a short drive south of Ennis. A Galway pickup with a stop in Ennis and a drop at the airport is quoted as one journey.
Arriving
Where we drop in Ennis
Any address in the town or county. These come up most.
- Hotels in the town centreAny street
- Ennis StationRail and coach
- Houses across County ClareAny address
- Shannon AirportFurther south
Options
One way, return, or keep the car
One way
A city-to-town transfer, quoted as one journey with tolls and parking inside the price.
Most travellers
Return, booked together
Both directions in one enquiry, with the addresses already on file for the second leg.
Day trips and family visits
By the coast
The Burren and the Cliffs of Moher on the way south, with the same chauffeur, quoted as a touring day.
Touring parties
Reviews
What our guests say
Next step
From Galway Bay to the heart of Clare, in one car.
Tell us the date and the addresses. The price comes back fixed, for the whole vehicle.