About Kilkenny

Named one of Condé Nast Traveller’s seven won­ders of Ire­land for 2026, Kilkenny is a medieval city with a remark­able cul­tural life. Home to fes­ti­vals includ­ing Kilkenny Arts Fes­ti­val, the Cat Laughs, Kilke­nomics and Savour Kilkenny, it’s a city that knows how to wel­come visitors.

With its beau­ti­ful his­toric build­ings, lively pubs, excel­lent restau­rants and won­der­ful walks, Kilkenny is a lovely place to spend a few days. The mag­nif­i­cent Kilkenny Cas­tle, dat­ing back to the 12th cen­tury, sits right at its heart.

One of the lit­tle bonuses of Sub­ti­tle is that every­thing is so close together. Our cin­e­mas, hotels, restau­rants and bars are all within easy walk­ing dis­tance, mak­ing it easy to move between screen­ings, meet friends and enjoy the city.

And at just 85 min­utes from Dublin, Kilkenny is ideal for a day trip or a longer stay.

For more infor­ma­tion, visit Kilkenny Tourism or Dis­cover Ire­land.

Vis­it­ing Kilkenny

Hotels

Pem­broke Kilkenny

4-​star bou­tique hotel located in the city cen­tre, near Kilkenny Cas­tle. It offers styl­ish rooms, din­ing, and spa treat­ments. web­site

New­park Hotel

Family-​friendly hotel sit­u­ated on 25 acres of park­land, offer­ing lux­u­ri­ous accom­mo­da­tions and a spa, just a short dis­tance from the medieval city cen­tre. web­site

Springhill Court Hotel

Ideal for fam­i­lies or groups and located close to Kilkenny’s main attrac­tions. web­site

Zuni Hotel

A chic, bou­tique hotel in the heart of Kilkenny’s medieval city cen­tre, known for its restau­rant and cock­tail bar. web­site

GET­TING HERE

Check out these handy links to help plan your trip.

Train

www​.irishrail​.ie
+353 (0)1 8366222

TRAINS TO KILKENNY

From Dublin
Route: Dublin Heuston → Kilkenny (Mac­Don­agh)
Time: ~1 hr 35 Mins (direct ser­vice)
Fre­quency: 6 – 8 trains daily

From Water­ford
Route: Water­ford Plun­kett → Kilkenny
Time: ~35 – 40 mins (direct)
Fre­quency: 6 – 7 daily services

From Car­low
Route: Car­low → Kilkenny (Via Water­ford Line)
Time: ~35 – 40 mins
Fre­quency: sev­eral daily services

From Kil­dare
Route: Kil­dare → Kilkenny (Water­ford line)
Time: ~1 hr 10 mins (direct or via short con­nec­tion)
Fre­quency: reg­u­lar Inter­city services

From Laois
Route: Port­laoise → (change at Kil­dare) → Kilkenny
Time: ~1 hr 45 mins total
Note: One easy change via the Dublin-​Waterford route

Bus

www​.jjka​vanagh​.ie
+353 (0)818 333222
www​.buseire​ann​.ie
+353 (0)1 8366111

From Dublin
Oper­a­tors: Bus Éire­ann × 4, JJ Kavanagh & Sons, Dublin Coach
Time: ~1 hr 45 mins
Depar­tures: Dublin Air­port, City Cen­tre (Cus­tom House Quay /​Red Cow)
Fre­quency: Every 1 – 2 hours

From Water­ford
Oper­a­tors: Bus Éire­ann 365, JJ Kavanagh
Time: ~45 – 60 mins
Depar­tures: Water­ford Bus Sta­tion, Par­nell Place
Fre­quency: Hourly or better

From Car­low
Oper­a­tors: JJ Kavanagh, Bus Éire­ann
Time: ~40 mins
Depar­tures: Car­low Bus Park /​Bar­rack Street
Fre­quency: Sev­eral times daily

From Wex­ford
Oper­a­tors: Bus Éire­ann (change at Water­ford), JJ Kavanagh (lim­ited direct routes)
Time: ~2 hrs 15 mins
Fre­quency: Mul­ti­ple daily via Water­ford connection

From Laois (Port­laoise)
Oper­a­tor: JJ Kavanagh
Route: Port­laoise → Kilkenny
Time: ~1 hr 15 mins
Fre­quency: 4 – 5 daily depar­tures
Notes: Con­ve­nient, cen­tral drop-​off in Kilkenny city; walk­a­ble to all fes­ti­val venues

From Kil­dare (Naas /​New­bridge)
Oper­a­tor: JJ Kavanagh
Route: Kil­dare towns → Kilkenny
Time: ~1 hr 20 mins
Fre­quency: Sev­eral daily depar­tures
Notes: Stops near cen­tral Kilkenny; per­fect for arriv­ing relaxed before films

Air

www​.aer​lin​gus​.com
www​.ryanair​.com
www​.fly​wa​ter​ford​.com

Ferry

www​.irish​fer​ries​.com
www​.ste​naline​.co​.uk

Car

Car Hire: www​.bud​get​south​east​.com
Direc­tions: www​.aaroad​watch​.ie/​r​outes