Does anyone know if the Great Britain plus Ireland rail pass is legitimate. I have seen it on the web, but the only place that sells the pass that I can find on the web received an F rating and very bad reviews.
I am trying in Great Britain (Edinburgh, Inverness, York, and Holyhead) then on to Ireland (Dublin and Kilkenny). The pass appears to be a good deal, but I don't trust the site. Any recommendations? I will not rent a car.
Thanks
I don't know about whichever site you are talking about but they are probably offering separate passes for the UK and Ireland as one deal. My personal warning is that a rail pass for Ireland may not be good value as the rail network is very centred on Dublin and to travel between any other two places you'll probably have to go back to Dublin and out again. For more direct long-distance public transport journeys you'll need to take buses, which are good quality but don't seem to be included in rail passes.
I took a train south and west out of Limerick. At Tralee or Killarney I transferred to a bus. I think I took a train out of Limerick to to the south coast too. If there is a train-bus pass available, it might be useful.
First, are you sure you want a pass? If you can buy advance tickets and live with the restrictions, those prices will be much less than any pass. Be sure to read this excellent discussion of the issue, from rail guru The Man In Seat 61: http://www.seat61.com/Railpass-and-Eurail-pass-guide.htm#railpass-or-point-to-point-tickets
For Great Britain, go to http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/ to see ticket options and prices.
As said above, train travel in Ireland is limited. Even Rick, still a fan of many rail passes, cautions that an Ireland one is of limited use: https://www.ricksteves.com/travel-tips/transportation/trains/ireland-rail-passes
Rick's price estimator maps are just that - estimates. Be sure to price individual tickets direct from the websites of the companies operating the trains, then compare those with pass prices, to see which is the best deal for your needs.
Since Rick doesn't sell any "Great Britain plus Ireland" pass, I assume (but don't know for sure) it's just two separate passes being sold together; so, if you really do want this, buy it yourself direct as two separate passes.
