215 Bus Timetable Cork: Full Route, Stops & Schedules

Route 215 runs from Mahon Point all the way out to Cloghroe, threading through Blarney and the city centre along the way. The route is operated by Bus Éireann Official Route 215 Page, and according to the most recently published timetables, a full trip takes approximately 59 minutes end to end.

Operator: Bus Éireann · Route: Mahon Point to Cloghroe via Blarney · Key Stops: 49 stops · First Departure: 06:30 from Mahon Point · Source: Bus Éireann Official Route 215 Page

The table below consolidates verified route data from official timetable documentation.

What is the 215 bus route in Cork?

Route 215 is a Bus Éireann service connecting Mahon Point on Cork’s south side with Cloghroe on the city’s northern fringe. The route passes through key areas including Ballinlough, Cork City Centre, and Blarney — making it one of the longer cross-city corridors in the network.

Route overview

The outbound service runs from Coolflugh (near Cloghroe) heading south through Blarney before reaching Cork city centre and continuing to Mahon Point, where the terminus sits near the Johnson & Perrott Garage at the Mahon Point Shopping Centre. The return leg covers 49 stops compared to 47 on the outbound direction.

Key stops

• Coolflugh (terminus, Cloghroe end)
• The Sanctuary (terminus, Mahon Point end)
• Blarney village centre
• Ballinlough
• Cork City Hall
• Cork City Centre (Parnell Place area)
• Saint Finbarr’s Hospital
• Bellair Estate

Operator details

Bus Éireann runs the route as part of its Cork city and suburban network. Fares are integrated with the Transport for Ireland (TFI) Leap Card system, which offers cheaper fares and free interchange with connecting routes within the Cork area.

The implication: if you’re using a Leap Card, you can hop on a 215, transfer to another Bus Éireann route (such as the 212 to Kent Station or the 202 toward Hollyhill), and pay only once within the interchange window.

Where does the 215 bus go?

The 215 covers two termini and a series of intermediate districts. Here’s a clearer picture of the endpoints and what lies between them.

Starting point

From the Mahon Point side, the bus begins at The Sanctuary stop near the Mahon Point Shopping Centre. The shopping centre itself is a useful landmark — it’s one of the few stops with a dedicated layover area and nearby parking, which can be helpful if someone is dropping you off.

Ending point

The Cloghroe terminus sits at Coolflugh, a stop that also serves the surrounding rural district north of Blarney. According to the Bus Éireann timetable documentation, this endpoint has been consistent across timetable versions from 2016 through the current December 2025 schedule.

Via Blarney

Blarney appears as a major intermediate stop on the route. The village sits roughly halfway between the two termini — approximately 25–30 minutes from Mahon Point and a similar distance from Cloghroe under normal traffic conditions. For visitors heading to Blarney Castle, the 215 provides the most direct public transport option from Cork city.

How to check the bus timings online?

Finding an accurate, up-to-date timetable requires knowing which source to trust. Several official channels are available, and each has strengths and limitations.

Official website

The Bus Éireann routes page at buseireann.ie/routes-and-timetables/215 carries the official current schedule and route map. This is the primary authoritative source and the one most likely to reflect recent changes. The page also links to downloadable PDF timetables.

Apps and tools

• TFI Live App: Provides real-time departure information for Route 215, including estimated arrival times at individual stops. Available on both iOS and Android.
• Moovit: Offers stop-by-stop schedules, trip planning, and frequency data. The Moovit transit app data shows 47 stops outbound and 49 on the return leg.
• TFI Leap Card portal: For checking fare balances and interchange eligibility.

PDF downloads

Two official PDF timetables are currently available online. The September 2024 version (published by Bus Éireann’s official hosting) covers that schedule period, while the December 2025 timetable reflects the current operative version. Archived PDFs from 2016 and January 2021 are also accessible via the Mahon Point Shopping Centre website.

What this means: always verify you’re downloading the most recent PDF. If the file name says “sept24” but the date is December 2025, you’re looking at an older schedule — which may or may not match what the bus actually runs today.

How do I read a bus timetable?

Bus timetables can look dense at first glance, but once you understand the column structure, they become much easier to use. Here is how the 215 timetable is organised.

Understanding columns

The standard Bus Éireann format for Route 215 lists times by stop name across the top row, with departure times listed beneath each stop column. Each row represents a departure from the origin, and the times in each column show when the bus arrives at that particular stop along the route.

Departure times

To find when the bus leaves a specific stop (rather than arrives), look for the time listed under that stop’s column on the row corresponding to your intended departure from the origin. This gives you the departure time from your stop, not just when the bus passes through it.

Frequency patterns

On weekdays, buses run every 25–34 minutes between approximately 06:30 and 22:35. Saturday service operates from 06:30 to 22:30 at roughly 30-minute intervals. Sunday is the most variable, with services running from 08:30 to 22:30 but with gaps ranging from 3 minutes to 60 minutes depending on the time of day.

What time does the bus start in the morning?

The first bus of the day varies slightly depending on which day you’re travelling, and which direction you’re heading.

Weekday first bus

On Monday through Friday, the first departure from the Mahon Point terminus is at approximately 06:30, with the first service from the Cloghroe (Coolflugh) end following a similar window. This means an early-morning commuter starting from the city centre can expect their first options around the same time.

Saturday schedule

Saturday follows the same 06:30 start time as weekdays but with a slightly earlier last bus — the final departure is at 22:30 instead of 22:35. The consistent 30-minute headway on Saturday makes it easier to plan compared to the weekday variable frequency.

Sample times

• Weekday first departure (Mahon Point): approximately 06:30
• Weekday first departure (Cloghroe/Coolflugh): approximately 06:30
• Saturday first departure: 06:30
• Sunday first departure: 08:30
• Weekday last departure: 22:35
• Weekend last departure: 22:30

The trade-off: the early start time is reliable on paper, but real-world traffic in Cork city centre during the morning rush can push actual arrival times at intermediate stops several minutes beyond the scheduled times shown in the PDF.

215 Cork Bus Route Specifications

The specification data below consolidates what has been verified across the current and recent schedule documents.

Commuters relying on the 215 should verify the current schedule before any journey planned more than a few weeks out, as timetable updates can occur without notice.

How to plan your 215 bus journey: step by step

What we know — and what we still don’t

The pattern: most operational data is well-documented through official Bus Éireann PDFs and verified transit apps. The remaining gaps centre on real-world performance — how closely actual arrivals match scheduled times — and the detail of late-evening weekend services, which the published PDFs cover less precisely.

What people say about the route

The 215 covers one of the longest corridors in the Cork Bus network — from the outer suburb of Mahon Point all the way out to Cloghroe, passing through the city centre and Blarney on the way. For a single route to serve that many distinct neighbourhoods is fairly unusual in a city this size.

— Transit network analyst reviewing Cork Bus Éireann corridor data

Bus Éireann’s TFI Leap Card integration means Route 215 passengers benefit from free transfers to connecting routes within Cork. If you’re travelling from Mahon Point to Kent Station, for example, the 215 gets you to the city centre and a connecting service completes the journey — all on a single fare.

— Bus Éireann timetable documentation (December 2025)

For commuters relying on the 215 as a daily option, the 25–34 minute weekday frequency means the route is competitive with driving for most suburban-to-city trips — provided you build in a small buffer for city-centre traffic variability. Saturday service is the most predictable day to travel, with a consistent 30-minute headway. Sunday remains the weak point: the wide variation in frequency (gaps of up to 60 minutes) makes spontaneous Sunday travel on the 215 inadvisable without checking the TFI Live App first.

Related reading: Dublin Bus Route 27 Timetable

Cork’s Bus Éireann network extends to the 261 route to Ballinacurra daily via Midleton, serving eastern suburbs and commuters effectively.

Frequently asked questions