Mountain pass · 6 mi off the route
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Road trip route · Ireland
Dublin to Killarney drive time, distance, costs & the best stops
- Drive time
- 3 hr 48 min
- Distance
- 188 mi
- Fuel (est.)
- £32
- Tolls (est.)
- £4
The Dublin to Killarney drive
The drive from Dublin to Killarney covers 188 miles (303 km) and takes about 3 hr 48 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.
It's split between the M8, the M7 and the N72, with no single road carrying more than 31% of it. You pass Droichead Nua on the way.
It's flat. Nowhere along the way did we measure the road higher than about 148 m above sea level. 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 £32 one-way plus roughly £4 in motorway tolls. Prices shift monthly, so treat these as ballpark figures.
At 188 miles this is longer than 48% 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 Nua35 min in
- 188 miKillarney
How high it goes
Roads you'll be on
- M859 mi · 31%
- M747 mi · 25%
- N7239 mi · 21%
- N7322 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 · 11 mi off the route
Moll's Gap
Mountain pass · 12 mi off the route
Sally Gap
Mountain pass · 16 mi off the route
Ballaghbeama Gap
Best stops between Dublin and Killarney
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.
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 Killarney FAQs
How long is the drive from Dublin to Killarney?
Driving from Dublin to Killarney takes about 3 hr 48 min nonstop, covering 188 miles (303 km). Add time for breaks: most drivers stop every 2 hours.
How much does it cost to drive from Dublin to Killarney?
Fuel for a typical petrol car (~40 mpg) costs roughly £32 one-way. Expect around £4 in motorway tolls. Estimates are indicative: prices change monthly.
Can I drive from Dublin to Killarney in one day?
Yes, at about 3 hr 48 min of driving, Dublin to Killarney is a comfortable one-day drive with a couple of breaks.
Which roads do you take from Dublin to Killarney?
The fastest route uses the M8 (about 59 mi), the M7 (about 47 mi), the N72 (about 39 mi), the N73 (about 22 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 Killarney?
Top-rated stops in the drive corridor include Rock of Cashel, Mondello Park, Lough Tay (Guinness Lake): see the full list of 3 stops on this page.
More drives from Dublin & Killarney
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.