Getting Around

Getting Around by Water

Ferry services run to the various west coast islands; enquiries should be made locally.

Rail Passes

A range of rail-only and combined rail and bus tickets are available for unlimited travel within the Republic of Ireland.

InterRail One-Country Pass: offers travel for three, four, six or eight days in one month within Ireland. Travel is not allowed in the passenger's country of residence. Travellers under 26 years receive a reduction. Children's tickets are reduced by about 50%. Supplements are required for some high-speed services, seat reservations and couchettes. Discounts are offered on Eurostar and some ferry routes. Available from Rail Europe (www.raileurope.co.uk/inter-rail).

Getting Around by Road

Traffic drives on the left. The network links all parts of Ireland. Ireland changed all road signs from imperial to metric measurements in 2005.

Bus: Internal bus services are run by Bus Eireann (Irish Bus) (www.buseireann.ie), which has a nationwide network of buses serving all the major cities and most towns and villages outside the Dublin area. Bus services in remote areas are infrequent. An ‘Expressway’ coach network complements rail services. Several independent bus companies, which are often cheaper, faster and more frequent than Bus Eireann, operate regular, scheduled services to and from Dublin. Further information can be found in local papers. The central bus station is in Store Street, Dublin.

Passes: A variety of special passes are available, including the Irish Rambler, which offers unlimited travel for three, eight or 15 days. Irish Explorer offers unlimited intercity and suburban rail services, as well as the Bus Eireann Expressway and local and city services. The Emerald Card offers services in Northern Ireland as well as in the Republic of Ireland.

Coach tours: Many companies offer coach tours, varying in length and itinerary. Full-day and half-day guided tours are organised from the larger towns and cities. These run from May to October. Full details are available from Bus Eireann and CIE Tours International.

Taxi: Service is available in major cities. Taxis are metered in Cork, Dublin, Galway and Limerick. In other areas it is advised to agree on a fare beforehand. Cruising taxis are infrequent. Places to get taxis are at hotels, rail and bus stations or taxi stands.

Car hire: Available from all air - and seaports as well as major hotels. All international hire companies are represented in Ireland, as well as local operators. Age requirements vary from a minimum of 21 to a maximum of 70 years. A full licence from the driver’s home country is required, and the driver will normally be required to have had at least two years’ experience. It is advisable to book hire cars in advance, especially in the peak season, and a child seat should be ordered in advance also. Advise the car hire company if the car will be driven into Northern Ireland.

Regulations: Speed limits are 50kph (30mph) in towns and cities, 80kph (50mph) on local roads (this is displayed on white signs) and 100kph (60mph) on national roads (this is displayed on green signs). Seat belts should be worn at all times.

Documentation: EU nationals taking cars into the Republic of Ireland require: motor registration book (or owner’s authority in writing); full EU driving licence or International Driving Permit; nationality coding stickers; and insurance cover valid for the Republic. A Green Card is strongly recommended, as without it, insurance cover is limited to the minimum legal requirement in Ireland – the Green Card tops this up to the cover provided by the visitor’s domestic policy.

Getting Around Towns and Cities

Extensive bus services operate in Dublin. There is a fast suburban rail service - Dublin Area Rapid Transport (DART), travelling from Malahide in the north to Greystones in the south. Buses in the city are run by DublinBus. Dublin also has its own tram system, LUAS, which is a high-speed service with convenient stop locations throughout the city. Taxis can be hailed or hired at a taxi rank: the three main taxi ranks in the city are O'Connell Street, Dame Street and St Stephens Street.

Journey Times

The following chart gives approximate journey times (in hours and minutes) from Dublin to other major cities/towns in Ireland.

Getting Around by Rail

Rail services in Ireland are run by Iarnród Eireann (Irish Rail) (tel: (1) 836 6222; www.irishrail.ie) and express trains run between the main cities. There are two classes of accommodation, with restaurant and buffet cars on some trains. Children under five travel free. Children aged five to 15 pay half fare.