Mountain pass · 6 mi off the route
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Road trip route · Ireland
Dublin to Cork drive time, distance, costs & the best stops
- Drive time
- 3 hr 2 min
- Distance
- 157 mi
- Fuel (est.)
- £27
- Tolls (est.)
- £3
The Dublin to Cork drive
The drive from Dublin to Cork covers 157 miles (252 km) and takes about 3 hr 2 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.
About 54% of it is on the M8, and most of the rest on the M7 and the R810. You pass Droichead Nua on the way.
Expect gentle hills rather than climbs. The high point is around 161 m near Cork. The The Vee is 6 mi off the route if you have time for a detour.
Expect fuel for a typical petrol car (~40 mpg) to cost around £27 one-way plus roughly £3 in motorway tolls. Prices shift monthly, so treat these as ballpark figures.
At 157 miles this is longer than 36% of the 144 routes covered here.
The road, mile by mile
Towns within a few miles of the fastest route, with the time it takes to reach them without stopping.
- StartDublin
- 29 miDroichead Nua34 min in
- 157 miCork
How high it goes
Roads you'll be on
- M885 mi · 54%
- M747 mi · 30%
- R81017 mi · 11%
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.
Mountain pass · 12 mi off the route
Sally Gap
Best stops between Dublin and Cork
Within ~30 km of the driving route, worth the detour.
Ancient Ruins
Rock of Cashel
Spectacular group of medieval buildings perched on a limestone outcrop in Tipperary, including a round tower, Romanesque chapel and Gothic cathedral.
Racetracks
Mondello Park
Ireland's only permanent motorsport circuit, located in County Kildare and the home of Irish national racing since 1968.
Mountain Passes
Wicklow Gap
High mountain pass on the R756 across the Wicklow Mountains between Hollywood and Glendalough, following the medieval pilgrims' route of St Kevin's Road through wild granite moorland.
Mountain Passes
The Vee
V-shaped hairpin pass on the R668 climbing to 610m through the Knockmealdown Gap between Clogheen and Lismore, ablaze with rhododendron in late May. Overlooks Bay Lough and the Golden Vale patchwork below.
Scenic Viewpoints
Lough Tay (Guinness Lake)
A dark lake with a pale sand beach at one end, viewed from the R759 above; used as the Viking village in the series Vikings.
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.
Dublin to Cork FAQs
How long is the drive from Dublin to Cork?
Driving from Dublin to Cork takes about 3 hr 2 min nonstop, covering 157 miles (252 km). Add time for breaks: most drivers stop every 2 hours.
How much does it cost to drive from Dublin to Cork?
Fuel for a typical petrol car (~40 mpg) costs roughly £27 one-way. Expect around £3 in motorway tolls. Estimates are indicative: prices change monthly.
Can I drive from Dublin to Cork in one day?
Yes, at about 3 hr 2 min of driving, Dublin to Cork is a comfortable one-day drive with a couple of breaks.
Which roads do you take from Dublin to Cork?
The fastest route uses the M8 (about 85 mi), the M7 (about 47 mi), the R810 (about 17 mi). It passes Droichead Nua.
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.
What are the best stops between Dublin and Cork?
Top-rated stops in the drive corridor include Rock of Cashel, Mondello Park, Wicklow Gap: see the full list of 5 stops on this page.
More drives from Dublin & Cork
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.