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Ireland/UK Travel

Posted by (Virginia) on

I have been considering a 2016 trip to England and my initial idea was to simply fly into Gatwick, and then travel to Telford/Ironbridge Gorge, York, and then London and flying back from Gatwick.

However, each of the flights I have researched stop over in Dublin before continuing to London. It would be ashame to travel through Dublin without visiting. So I am now thinking I could spend a few days in Dublin, take the ferry to Holyhead and then the train to Telford, York and finish in London. From London, I could either fly out from Gatwick or go back to Dublin via Holyhead.

Speed of travel isnt so important, trains and ferries would be more interesting, and I get a tiny little bit of Ireland and Wales in this way. But is it a reasonable plan? And what should I expect at customs/border in Dublin and Holyhead?

Posted by
11294 posts

As far as the airlines are concerned, London has six airports - Heathrow, Gatwick, City, Luton, Stansted, and Southend. If you want to go to London without stopping in Dublin, look at flights to Heathrow, as it gets the vast majority of nonstop flights from North America. Or just use LON on booking sites like Kayak, as this will pull up "all London airports" rather than a specific one.

Of course, you can certainly stop in Dublin if you wish. Alternately, depending on your plans, Manchester Airport has some nonstop flights to North America as well, so it may work better than leaving from London if you end in York.

Posted by
860 posts

Thanks guys for the comments, especially as I tend to wonder and ramble on aloud.

Harold -- at the moment I am looking strongly at Aer Lingus flying out of Dulles. As I look at their current schedules they all tend to stop over in Dublin on the way to Gatwick. I wasnt concerned with a stop over, rather thinking should I look at this as opportunity.

Ray -- yup, no intent to go where I do not want to go. And while time is money and there are places I want to go, getting to them is as much the adventure for me.

I appreciate yall's thoughts, thanks.

Posted by
5450 posts

It is a change of plane at Dublin rather than a stop over. What you are suggesting doing is just an open jaw flight arriving at one airport and departing from another. Nothing unusual in that.

You are unlikely to have to show more than your passport for immigration inspection on arrival at Dublin, presuming you aren't carrying declarable items for customs. Presuming again that you are not a visa national, there will be no formalities at all entering the UK by sea at Holyhead.

Returning you would clear USA customs in Dublin.

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