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Road trip and Ferry advice

Hello,

I could use some trip advice especially with hire cars for our family of 3's trip to England, Scotland and Ireland. We arrive in London 7/12 and plan to take the train to York for 2 nights then hire a car there. We road trip from there to Edinburgh for 2 night/3 days then to Loch Lomond for 3 nights, the Isle of Skye for a night and want to catch the car ferry to either Larne or Belfast via Cairnryan. We plan to spend the night somewhere in Northern Ireland then drive to Kilkenny where we'll be for a week. We travel back to London for 5 nights and fly home to the U.S. on 8/3. My issues are with car travel from Scotland to Ireland and then Ireland back to London. Trying to find out if it's possible to rent the car in York and return to Dublin and fly back to London. Or is it better to pick the car up at Heathrow and drive the entire route rather than take the train to York and pick up car there and return car to Heathrow? Ideally we would like to train from Heathrow to York, drive through Scotland, car ferry to Ireland and return the car in Dublin and fly back to London. I would appreciate ANY and ALL help. Thank you!!!

Posted by
5429 posts

Have you checked to see which rental companies allow you to take your rental car via ferry to Ireland? Some don't allow ferry travel. Have you checked to see which rental companies (that allow ferry travel) allow drop offs in Ireland? And what that drop off fee would be?

I wonder if it wouldnt be better to drop off your rental car in Cairnryan and pick up a new rental in Ireland. Then fly back to London.

Posted by
11569 posts

Are you even allowed to take a rental car on a ferry? To another country?

Posted by
1895 posts

As the other 2 posters before me have written check with your rental company.

We are renting a car in Inverness to drive to Isle of Skye. The rental company told me in plan language, we are NOT allowed to take the rental car on a ferry...we have to take the bridge over.

You should double check with whatever rental company you chose to make sure you are, or are not allowed to ferry your car.

Seems like the questions you are asking are best answered by the rental company. Costs of renting in one city and dropping over in another will incur additional charges. We have a drop off fee since we are renting in Inverness and returning in Edinburgh.

Costs will help you determine what your best options will be for renting your car. If you are willing to pay for convenience or if that cost is beyond your idea of your budget.

Posted by
6113 posts

Is this for next month or 2018? You have left certain items very late if it is for next month.

Take the train from London to York, then York to Edinburgh and hire a car at the end of your stay there, as it's a liability in Edinburgh. Book trains asap as the best fares were available weeks ago and prices only head in one direction.

Have you booked accommodation on Skye, as you may struggle to find accommodation at this late stage, particularly for just a one night stay? In case of inclement weather and due to the size of Skye, a 3 night stay here works best.

I am not aware of any hire companies that will permit you to take a hire car across to Ireland and if they do, it will be very expensive. Take two separate rentals in each country. Fly back to London. Book flights asap - the best prices and most flexibility were available 6+ months ago.

I wouldn't attempt to go anywhere in Scotland in July without having prebooked accommodation.

Posted by
4 posts

Thank you for your input, everyone.

Our trip is this July. I have our accommodations booked so we're good there. We are taking the train from London to York but hiring a car there as we have friends in Bamburgh and want to drive to Edinburgh. We're canceling our Northern Ireland portion of the trip to avoid the international one-way drop fee of a hire car. We are having to make two different car hires because I have not found an agency that will allow a ferry crossing.

I really appreciate the help!

Posted by
1692 posts

The ferry issue comes up a lot. The ferry issue is usually on an international (some issue with NI) ferry, internal UK ferries to the Scottish islands and the Isle of Wight in England is often forgotten. These islands are all part of the GB insurance jurisdiction, but whilst on the ferry you come under the ferry company's insurance.

I have yet to see a realistic reason why you cannot take a CalMac out to the islands. Even Iona if you have the right permit.

Posted by
4 posts

Quick update. I continued to do more research at different hire car agencies and it is possible to rent a car in the UK and drop in Northern Ireland via Enterprise car agency. They do charge a one-way drop fee but travel on the ferry is no problem. My new issue is getting from Northern Ireland to Southern Ireland to pick up a new hire car for the week we will spend there.

Thanks again for all your input.