Getting around the central east and south is facilitated by the transportation available in and around Dublin. Kildare, with its wealth and steady urban growth, is already referenced as another burb of the capital. Trips to Kilkenny and Tipperary, however, have their own, old-world feel and while not right outside the capital, make excitingly rewarding destinations.

Train

Irish Rail (01 836 6222, www.irishrail.ie) has scheduled routes to Kildare and takes thirty-five to forty minutes. If you are heading on Irish Rail (056 772 2024) to Kilkenny, you can depart the Dublin Heuston Station and get off at the McDonagh Station. Depart the same station in Dublin to take the Irish Rail (052 21 982) to the Tipperary Station, off of Bridge Street, which is on the Waterford and Limerick train route.

Bus

Getting to Kildare by bus is possible on Bus éireann (01 836 6111, www.buseireann.ie) and Dublin Bus (01 873 4222, www.dublinbus.ie), which serves Maynooth. Bus éireann (056 776 4933) runs services to Kilkenny from Dublin, dropping passengers at the McDonagh Station. The same bus continues onward to Clonmel, County Tipperary. Other buses are available to Thomastown and Bennettsbridge. The bus station in Tipperary, off of Abbey Street, is a pick-up and drop-off point for the Limerick/Waterford line, serving Cahir and Cashel.

Car

To get to Kildare by car, take the N7 or the N4 from Dublin. Depending on where you are coming from, numerous routes run from Dublin toward Kilkenny; the more-direct N78 makes the trip quick, as does the N9. Getting to Tipperary from Dublin is best done on the N76 to Clonmel or the N8 to Tipperary Town.