Greenway Coach Ireland

Getting Groups Into and Around Galway

Galway has no airport of its own, so airport transport for almost every group programme starts with a road transfer of an hour or more. Choosing the arrival airport well is the biggest decision an organiser makes here.

Which airport to fly into

Shannon (about 90 km) and Ireland West Airport Knock (about 86 km) both take roughly 1 h 15 min by road. Dublin Airport has the widest choice of flights but sits about 210 km away, around 2.5 hours. For delegates arriving on different flights, it usually costs less time to pick one airport and fix two or three pickup windows than to collect from several.

Coming from Dublin, the M6 passes the M4 Kilcock to Kinnegad and N6 Galway to Ballinasloe toll points. Add a comfort stop to any schedule that starts with a transatlantic arrival.

Mercedes-Benz V-Class passenger van, front view
Mercedes-Benz V-Class passenger van, front view

Hotels and the city centre

Hotel options cluster around Eyre Square, the docks and Lough Atalia, Salthill, and Oranmore to the east. Shop Street and the Latin Quarter are pedestrianised, so an evening dinner there means a set-down on the edge and a short walk in. Eyre Square sits next to the rail and bus stations, handy as a single gathering point.

Airports serving Galway

Conference and event venues

  • Galway Racecourse, Ballybrit — Grandstand and enclosure spaces used for conferences and large events

Hotel and pickup areas

  • Docks / Lough Atalia
  • Oranmore / east of the city
  • Eyre Square / city centre
  • Salthill

Race week and stadium events

Galway Racecourse at Ballybrit hosts the summer festival and autumn meetings, and its grandstand spaces are also hired for conferences. The redeveloped Dexcom Stadium reopened in January 2026 for Connacht Rugby, and Pearse Stadium in Salthill is home to Galway GAA. On those dates, book early and allow extra time for every leg.

Questions

Do we need a booking to take a coach to the Cliffs of Moher?

Yes. Every coach, and every group of ten or more, needs an advance booking. Coaches get their own park entrance and are allowed on the cliffs side of the road. The drive from Galway is about 1.5 hours.

How long do we allow for an Aran Islands day?

The ferry leaves from Rossaveal, about 45 minutes from Galway. Give us the sailing times and the operator will set the pickup to match.

Can you handle an incentive group touring Connemara after a Galway conference?

Yes. Kylemore Abbey is about 1.5 hours out and Cong with Ashford Castle about 50 minutes. Send the day plan with the venue times and we will arrange the vehicle through a licensed operator.

What goes into a Galway transfer request?

The arrival airport, flight times, headcount with luggage, hotel, venue times and any excursion bookings you already hold.

Services

Vehicles