This is a full-day rail tour through Ireland’s scenic southeast - two genuinely great stops in one long day out from Dublin. You travel by train to Kilkenny, one of Ireland’s most striking medieval cities, built largely from the dark local limestone that earned it the nickname the Marble City. Your guide walks you through its historic streets, and you’ll have some free time to explore at your own pace.
From there, it’s on to Waterford, a Viking city on the banks of the River Suir. Your admission to the Waterford Crystal visitor centre is included, where you’ll watch craftsmen at work blowing and cutting the glass that has made Waterford world-famous - the same factory that supplies the Times Square New Year’s Eve Ball. The return leg takes you back along the scenic Suir Valley route.
Kilkenny (approx. 150 minutes) - You arrive at around 09:00. Kilkenny is a beautiful small city on the River Nore, known for its black limestone buildings. The tour meets at the front gate of Kilkenny Castle, with time to explore the Medieval Mile on foot - this discovery trail runs from Kilkenny Castle to the 13th-century St. Canice’s Cathedral, taking in Rothe House and Gardens, the Medieval Mile Museum, and Butler House along the way. There are also good pubs nearby for lunch, including Paris Texas on High Street and Langton’s on John Street Lower.
Waterford (approx. 105 minutes) - From Kilkenny, the tour continues to Waterford for your visit to the Waterford Crystal visitor centre, where you can see the traditional crafts of blowing and cutting the world-famous glass up close.
Check-in is at 7:00am, 20 minutes before the 7:20am departure. The train does not wait. Look for the yellow check-in stand near the Customer Service Desk at Heuston Station - the team member will be in a bright yellow jacket. Maximum group size is 41 travellers. Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller. Service animals are allowed. A moderate level of physical fitness is recommended. The tour is conducted in English.
At Kilkenny - the Medieval Mile is your best use of time. The official walk runs from Kilkenny Castle to St Canice’s Cathedral, a kilometre and a half of medieval lanes built from fossil-flecked black limestone. The route passes the Tholsel, Rothe House, the Black Abbey and the Butter Slip alleyway. Climbing the round tower at St Canice’s Cathedral is 100 steps and gives you the whole city as a map beneath you - worth the legs if you’re steady on your feet. For lunch in your free time, Paris Texas on High Street is quick and good; Langton’s on John Street handles larger groups without fuss.
Kilkenny Castle entry is not included - the castle park is free. If you’d rather save the castle ticket for another visit, the 50-acre parkland around the castle is free to enter and gives you the formal gardens, the River Nore walk and the rose garden. The Lacken Weir river walk heads north from the castle for 2 km and brings you back in past Greens Bridge - a good way to see the city’s quieter side in the time you have.
At Waterford - the Viking Triangle is steps from the Crystal factory. If you have any time before or after the Crystal visit, Reginald’s Tower, the Medieval Museum and the Bishop’s Palace sit within a hundred paces of each other just up the Mall. The Bishop’s Palace holds the oldest piece of Waterford Crystal in the world - older than what you’ll see being made today. The continuous melt tank at the House of Waterford Crystal produces around 45,000 pieces a year, and watching the craftsmen blow and cut is genuinely skilled work, not a demo for tourists.
Try a blaa while you’re in Waterford. Walsh’s Bakehouse and Hickey’s Bakery both bake the Waterford blaa - a soft white roll with EU protected status (PGI since 2013), dusted in flour, eaten warm with butter. It’s the city’s food identity in one bread roll, and you can pick one up near the Crystal visitor centre without any detour.