Picking up rental car at the Dublin airport

Can’t say I’d want to drive in Dublin having never driven there before. I’d head back to the airport to pick up the car and depart from it, but that’s just me. Depending on which company you rent from, there may be a more convenient location.

Thanks. I was specifically wondering if there was another location outside of town when I asked about easier. I should have been clearer, instead of assuming everyone would know picking up in town would be difficult.

But I can't find if we go inside the airport to the counter, or just to the car pick up areas. Does anyone have experience with that?

We will be doing the same thing in August. I plan to return to the airport to get the car because it will be easier to get an automatic. I’ll be interested in seeing the responses to your question.

The rental car lots are on Swords Road about a half mile from the terminal. Need to ensure that your taxi driver knows that's where you're going to preclude having to double back.
And yes it's much easier to start there rather than at one of the city locations. They open early (around 5:30 AM) if you want to get an early start. The concessions in the city don't open until mid morning.

It's actually this question that first brought me to this forum four years ago. I think it was Robert who answered it then. However, I did not take Robert's advice. While talking to Conn's Ireland (a Hertz franchise) they suggested renting at their location in Dublin on the south ring road. It was good and easy advice. Just 1 left turn and we were on our way to the Rock of Cashel. Although we were technically in the City Center there was no real driving in the City Center. Having said all that, we were headed south, not north. I think for Galway or Newgrange the airport is still the easiest location.

Thank you Trotter and Robert! I was able to find the earlier posts where you discussed this, and feel like I understand the process now.

Several years ago we flew into Dublin, took the airport bus to city center, then hopped on the train to Galway. We rented a car there for 2 weeks from Enterprise. We returned it to same location and took train back to Dublin. Enterprise was great….picked us up and dropped us off again at train station. Just an option….

Excellent suggestion, marciaandcb. Thank you!

That would half work for our itinerary, so I greatly appreciate the suggestion.

We could rent in Galway and return in Dublin. Our only reason to pick up the car in Dublin is that my husband has not visited Brú na Bóinne. He is only interested if the inner chamber is back open, so if it is not, we could get the rental car in Galway on our way out of town there. And, before anyone suggests it, he will not take a guided tour of Brú na Bóinne from Dublin. :-)

If returning to the airport to pick-up your rental car make sure your taxi driver takes you to the car rental facility, not the airport itself, or you’ll have to take a shuttle there from the airport, wasting time. And buy all the insurance.

Three years ago we picked up our rental at one of the Hertz (AutoEurope) locations near our hotel. With planning and going OUT of Dublin we had no difficulties Dublin City Centre I believe, but getting confused could cost you a half a day!

Hi jopata6794. Hopefully others will fill in the blanks, but in the meantime here's what we did in the fall of 2019.

My travel partner was in charge of renting the car, but did not take care of it before we arrived. So, our first stop was at a rental counter right past the luggage pickup. We then caught a shuttle right outside the door and were taken straight to the car pickup location. We both were traveling light, which made this easier.

Returning the car was easy, too. We dropped it off at the same location as pickup, and they shuttled us to our hotel, the Maldron Airport.

What I don't know is if you have to stop at the counter if you pre-reserved your car.

Yes we stop at the rental.counter and then shuttle to their respective lot super easy. Brings back funny memory on one trip this time with just my son. When we got to rental.counter the agent asked whose name was car reserved under. My son looked.at.me and said he couldn't remember which last.name.we.used. reminded him that since we had the. same last.name as could use either one!!!