Famous road · 11 mi off the route
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Road trip route · Ireland
Cork to Galway drive time, distance, costs & the best stops
- Drive time
- 2 hr 38 min
- Distance
- 122 mi
- Fuel (est.)
- £21
- Tolls (est.)
- £2
The Cork to Galway drive
The drive from Cork to Galway covers 122 miles (197 km) and takes about 2 hr 38 min without stops. That makes it a comfortable one-day drive. Leave in the morning and you'll arrive with the day ahead of you.
Two roads do the work. Roughly 44% is on the N20 and another 28% on the M18. You pass Limerick and Ennis on the way.
Expect gentle hills rather than climbs. The high point is around 151 m near Cork. The Corkscrew Hill is 11 mi off the route if you have time for a detour.
Expect fuel for a typical petrol car (~40 mpg) to cost around £21 one-way plus roughly £2 in motorway tolls. Prices shift monthly, so treat these as ballpark figures.
At 122 miles this is longer than 24% of the 144 routes covered here, short enough to fold into a bigger itinerary without losing a day.
The road, mile by mile
Towns within a few miles of the fastest route, with the time it takes to reach them without stopping.
- StartCork
- 60 miLimerick1 h 17 min in
- 82 miEnnis1 h 46 min ingood place to stop
- 122 miGalway
How high it goes
Roads you'll be on
- N2053 mi · 44%
- M1834 mi · 28%
- N1813 mi · 10%
- N678 mi · 7%
Famous roads on or near the drive
From the 500-plus passes and driving roads drivers collect in the Plan Your Road Trips app. None are on the fastest route, but these are close enough for a detour.
Best stops between Cork and Galway
Within ~30 km of the driving route, worth the detour.
Natural Wonders
The Burren
Unique lunar-like karst landscape of 250 square kilometres where Mediterranean and Arctic-Alpine flowers grow side by side in limestone pavements.
Ancient Ruins
Poulnabrone Dolmen
A striking 5,000-year-old portal tomb standing stark against the limestone pavement of the Burren.
What you need for this drive
Rules for each country on the route, in the order you meet them.
Ireland
- Motorway
- 120 km/h · 50 in town
- Tolls
- Barrier tolls and the M50 eFlow barrier-free toll
- Drives on
- the left
Checked against national road authorities and the ECB reference rates. Rules change — confirm before you travel.
Famous drives in Ireland
Legendary routes you could bolt onto this trip, with real distances and stop counts.
Cork to Galway FAQs
How long is the drive from Cork to Galway?
Driving from Cork to Galway takes about 2 hr 38 min nonstop, covering 122 miles (197 km). Add time for breaks: most drivers stop every 2 hours.
How much does it cost to drive from Cork to Galway?
Fuel for a typical petrol car (~40 mpg) costs roughly £21 one-way. Expect around £2 in motorway tolls. Estimates are indicative: prices change monthly.
Can I drive from Cork to Galway in one day?
Yes, at about 2 hr 38 min of driving, Cork to Galway is a comfortable one-day drive with a couple of breaks.
Which roads do you take from Cork to Galway?
The fastest route uses the N20 (about 53 mi), the M18 (about 34 mi), the N18 (about 13 mi), the N67 (about 8 mi). It passes Limerick, Ennis.
Where should I stop on the way from Cork to Galway?
If you stop every couple of hours, Ennis comes up about 2 h in. All are just off the main road.
What other drives can I plan on Plan Your Road Trips?
We publish drive times, distances and fuel estimates for 144 routes across Europe and beyond, including 6 other drives in the same country. Browse them all on the routes index.
More drives from Cork & Galway
Planning a bigger trip? Try the free Ireland road trip planner, browse every destination we cover, take it with you on the road, or read the driving in Ireland guide.