My daughter and I will be leaving Ireland on Tuesday 5/28. Currently we have a short 1 night stay in Galway (after a night on Inishmore) and are booked to stay our last night 5/27 in Trim (30 mins from Dublin airport, recommended in RS Ireland guide). Our flight doesn't leave until 4:20pm (16:20) on 5/28 -- I am tempted to cancel the night in Trim, stay the extra night in Galway (giving us little more time in that area) and then leave Galway for the Dublin airport at around 8-9am on 5/28. The drives looks to be 2.5 - 3hrs -- and I would pad it even more... But I still think we would arrive at the airport by 12:30 -- giving us nearly 4 hours before departure.
Thoughts from those with more experience in that area? Thank you!
Posted by
4958 posts
I would not have a problem with that. There was nothing difficult about the drive, in my recollection, nor such a distance that it could not be covered in the morning.
Posted by
Colorado Springs
2980 posts
I'm pretty risk-averse and so would lose sleep the night before I had to complete a 3 hour drive across the island in order to make a flight home, even if it was on modern motorways with little chance of traffic disruptions or delays. It's just hard-wired into my DNA apparently.
Also, Galway isn't our favorite town in Ireland. There's much more to keep you occupied in the vicinity of Trim - including Malahide, Howth, and all of the attractions in and around the Boyne Valley before grabbing a leisurely lunch and turning in your rental car with plenty of time to get checked in for your return flight ... without the added (and frankly unnecessary) stress of a cross-country trip on getaway day.
Posted by
52 posts
Agree with Robert on the timeline. We've made 4 self-driving trips to Ireland and always stay a cab ride from the airport the night before [Swords, for example], just to be on the safe side; lots can happen on those Irish roads. You can return your car the evening before, use the car rental day you saved on the cab fares, get an anxiety-free good night's sleep, and have a leisurely breakfast before heading to the airport. That said, it ultimately depends on how risk-averse you are.
Posted by
OP
2 posts
Super - these were very helpful replies! Thank you!
Posted by
1583 posts
If you decide to stay in Galway the night before leaving I would aim to be out the door and on the road no later than 7.30. The M50 ring road can be a disaster just about any time of the day. And remember, you have to allow time to drop off the car and shuttle to the terminal. If you happen to end up with extra time you can always browse the duty free shops. Be aware you'll still need to clear US immigration which is after the main duty free shopping area.
Posted by
Atlanta
5194 posts
As one who respect Murphy's Law, we always stay within a cab ride the night before an international flight. I'd rather have some extra time and be "bored", than stressed out about missing a flight.
Posted by
Olympia, WA, USA
6713 posts
I'm conservative too, I wouldn't do it from Galway, though I have no experience driving in Ireland so can't be confident about that. I haven't been to Trim but that's the choice I'd make, with time to see the castle and town. I try to stay at the airport with a morning flight, but with a 4:20 departure that would be too cautious for me. Trim seems like a good compromise. Keep in mind that clearing US immigration in DUB means extra pre-flight time, with a nice payoff when you land.
Galway is a nice city, and your choice may depend on how much time you've had there before Inishmore. If that post-Inishmore night is your only time in Galway, you may want to chance staying there. If you've had some time there before the island, then I'd say head for Trim.