We are flying into Dublin, and after a few days, will be renting a car to drive to Cork County, Dingle, Cliffs of Moher, etc. Recommendations for best location to pick up a rental car that would help us avoid Dublin traffic?
Posted by
Eastern Iowa, USA
8050 posts
I just used the airport location (and a number of people on here as well). It has good access to to the beltway (M50) around Dublin, connecting most of the major roads out into the rest of Ireland.
Being an airport, there are also good frequent connections between the town center and the airport.
Posted by
Bend, OR
1035 posts
Since Dublin airport is outside of town, I would suggest picking up your rental there. We thought freeway access was very easy.
Posted by
Colorado Springs
2980 posts
The airport is a good choice - the concessions there have the largest selection of vehicles in the country so you'll have the best chance of getting exactly what you want, including cars with automatic transmissions. The default rental in Ireland is a manual shifter so take care when you make your reservation.
We've always rented from the airport ourselves. Getting on the M-50 is a pretty easy introduction to driving on the left.
Another contributor here has recommended the Hertz location on South Circular road as an alternative- would be handy if you're heading south out of Dublin, and it's a straight shot out of town so you miss all of the downtown traffic. It's operating hours are a bit more restrictive than the airport offices but it might be worth checking out.
Be aware that the airport rental car lot isn't located at the terminal but about a half mile away along Swords Road. You'll want to ensure that your taxi driver drops you at the correct location.