Dublin to Brussels, without flying. A train to Cork, Ireland’s brand-new ferry to France, and a very short Eurostar.
In July 2026 I went all the way from Dublin to Brussels, overland and by sea. The centrepiece was Hibernia Line, a brand-new Irish ferry from Cork to Boulogne-sur-Mer that had launched only weeks earlier, where we may well have been the only foot passengers on board.
This is the full journey: the InterCity train down to Cork, a golden-hour departure past Cobh, a full day at sea on a route almost nobody has travelled yet, a midnight arrival into a walled French town, and fast trains through Lille and on to Brussels – all without setting foot in an airport.
Is it the fastest way from Ireland to Belgium? No. Is it the best? I might be biased but for me it might be.
📍 THE ROUTE
Dublin → Cork (train) → Boulogne (Hibernia Line ferry) → Lille (TGV) → Brussels (Eurostar)
⏱ CHAPTERS
0:00 – Introduction
0:55 – Dublin to Cork by train
2:11 – Getting to the ferry at Ringaskiddy
2:43 – Boarding a brand-new ferry
5:16 – Sailing out past Cobh
7:00 – A day at sea
11:15 – Midnight arrival in Boulogne
13:29 – Boulogne in the morning
14:07 – The train to Lille
16:00 – The shortest Eurostar
16:41 – Arriving in Brussels
FULL WRITTEN GUIDES — routes, times, costs and how to book
Dublin to Brussels without flying: https://noflyroute.com/2026/07/24/dublin-to-brussels-without-flying/.
Hibernia Line ferry review (Cork to Boulogne, as a foot passenger): https://noflyroute.com/2026/07/19/hibernia-line-ferry-review/
MORE NO-FLY JOURNEYS FROM IRELAND
Madrid to Dublin without flying: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDfnvYtzpNg&t=274s.
Watch the full playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_f0OnikxqcIVTJWK7o8rO9gaS5k_CP3I.
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Credit to : No Fly Route