I just got back from a 30 day self guided tour of Ireland and Northern Ireland and I did it all solo by bus. Surprisingly I had no problems. The buses ran great... on time... easy connections. I was amazed. If anyone has any questions please contact me. I followed Rick's tour pretty closely and even managed to go to some places he says you should skip without a car. I took a lot of bus tours. I will say that they would have been much better by car (not an option for me as I don't drive) simply because you get very little time to spend at each place. One thing I did with some of these tours was use them to get me where I wanted to go. So you book a day trip but then you just don't return. That eliminates the need to find public transportation. But, as I say, the buses were fine. Very easy. I made sure not to book long journeys.... I stopped off and slept over so I wouldn't be on a bus all day. Anyway, just wanted to post something a report that I had a great trip and learned a LOT and stayed in all places that were in Rick's book and they were all excellent.
Posted by
Lynnwood, Washington
8879 posts
Yeah! I am so glad to hear your trip was a success and that you were so creative in solving transportation issues. Public Transport works well for people who are organized and patient. It sounds like you are both.
Last Summer I found a way to get my sister and myself from Galway to Ashford Castle and back by public transport so she could do the Hawk Walk there. People said it couldn't be done, but we did it. It involved a bus ride, a boat cruise, time at the Castle, more boat cruise and bus back. There is a certain sense of satisfaction when you solve the transportation puzzle.....
Posted by
1 posts
This is great news, I am travelling to Ireland in July. I will be travelling mainly by bus and was wondering if I should buy tickets in advance online or just at the station/ from the driver prior to departure, can you help me with what works best? Are there any discounts for purchasing online in advance?
Posted by
OP
San Francisco, California, USA
162 posts
Don't bother buying bus tickets ahead (except for bus tours which you definitely should book ahead).
You only save a euro or two on town to town bus travel. You put your bag underneath, hop on and pay the driver in cash and get change. Easy! But I would look at schedules and know the number of your bus and when and where it stops ahead of time. I had all that figured out before I left and had no surprises. Be aware you may have to change buses but this is okay. Just tell the driver your final destination and you only need to pay once. Save that ticket for the next bus.