Buses in Sligo: Every Route, Timetable & Operator
Public transport in Sligo at a glance — 18 routes across 6 operators. Use the search to find a stop, or the filters to narrow by service type.
City buses 2
Routes running inside Sligo and its immediate suburbs.
Regional buses 9
Services connecting Sligo with the towns and countryside around it.
TFI Local Link 6
Rural connections serving smaller villages near Sligo.
Trains 1
Rail services calling at Sligo.
How the network is laid out
Public transport in Sligo is built around a single interchange point. Everything else — the regional coaches, the rural links, the rail line — connects through it, which makes the centre the place to change rather than a place to avoid.
The busiest routes today
Frequency varies enormously between routes here. These five carry the most journeys today, which usually means you can turn up without checking a timetable — the rest reward planning.
| Route | Where it goes | Operator | Journeys |
|---|---|---|---|
| S2 | Strandhill – Rosses Point | Bus Éireann | 62 |
| S1 | Cartron – Sligo Town Centre – Cairns | Bus Éireann | 58 |
| 981 | Coolaney – Sligo | TFI Local Link Donegal Sli | 58 |
| 982 | Sligo – Ballyshannon | TFI Local Link Donegal Sli | 54 |
| 563 | Sligo – Dromahair | TFI Local Link Donegal Sli | 48 |
Who runs the buses
6 operators serve Sligo, and they do not share ticketing. Knowing which company runs your route matters because it decides whether a Leap Card works.
| Operator | Routes here | Coverage |
|---|---|---|
| Bus Éireann | 7 | City |
| TFI Local Link Donegal Sligo Leitrim | 6 | City |
| Ulsterbus | 2 | Selected routes |
| Barrett Coaches | 1 | Selected routes |
| Westlink Coaches | 1 | Selected routes |
| Iarnród Éireann / Irish Rail | 1 | Selected routes |
Fares and tickets
TFI services in Sligo take the Leap Card, and it is cheaper than paying cash. Private coach operators sell their own tickets, so a Leap will not cover an intercity journey.
- Leap Card — tap on as you board; the fare is deducted automatically.
- Cash — accepted on most services but at a higher fare, and exact change is often required.
- Coach tickets — book directly with the operator, usually cheaper online than at the desk.
Rural connections
6 TFI Local Link services reach Sligo from the smaller towns and villages around it. These run a handful of times a day rather than hourly, and they are frequently the only public transport those places have.
How to use this page
Find the route
Search by number, stop, suburb or operator in the box above — the search covers every stop on every route listed.
Open its timetable
Each card links to the full schedule, with departures from any stop on the line.
Check the connection
If you need to change, the transfer tool on each route page shows what you can connect to.
Trains from the city
1 rail services call at Sligo. The station sits within walking distance of the main bus stands, so bus-to-train changes are practical rather than theoretical — useful when the coach timetable does not suit.
Areas served
Between them the routes on this page call at 211 stops around Sligo, including ATU Saint Angela’s, ATU Sligo, Abbey St, Aghamore, Airport Zone 13, Archdales Xrds, Ard Nua Villge, Ardcarn. Type any of these into the search box to see which services reach them.
Getting to the airport
Airport journeys from Sligo are on this page — filter the list above by coach services to compare them. Book ahead where you can: the airport runs fill first and the walk-up fare is rarely the cheapest.
Where these numbers come from
Everything on this page is generated from the official GTFS timetable data published for Irish public transport, refreshed weekly. The journey counts reflect services scheduled to run today — not a yearly average — which is why they move from day to day. Operators set the times and can change them, so confirm before travelling.