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ferry UK to Ireland - Holyhead to Dun Lao...

flying into London and renting a car. Want to drop it off and take the ferry over to Ireland and pick-up and new rental. Will fly out of Dublin home. Flying between London and Dublin is a option but baggage restrictions seem to be problematic (size & number). Has anyone else taken the ferry with drop off and pick up of a rental car?

Posted by
237 posts

Can you elaborate more on your plans? You mention that you can fly out of London or ferry out of Holyhead which are two very different plans. You can fly to Dublin from many cities in England including Liverpool, Manchester, Edinburgh so it doesn't have to be London. You would probably need to drop the car in Liverpool to train Holyhead and you could fly from Liverpool instead. Although I think Ryan Air has Liverpool to Dublin locked up and they are the worst airpline for baggage concerns. If baggage is really your concern how much are you taking? Less is really more when it comes to packing - there are several suggestions about how to pack light and the benefits of that. If you just want to ferry for the romance of it then I think that's fine but then why the concern about the options? =Tod

Posted by
9 posts

Let me be more clear. Forget the issues of baggage, flights, and which airport is best.
What are the critical issues,if any if I drop a rental in Holyhead, ferry to Dun Laoghaire, and pick-up another rental in Dun Laoghaire?

Posted by
237 posts

There appears to be Hertz at the port terminal in Holyhead and at least a couple of different companies near the port on the other side so it certainly seems doable. If you wanted more options you could also turn the car in a different city and take the train to the port itself. That might give you more options for rental companies and you wouldn't need to have the car the whole time. If you're flying out of Dublin are planning on doing that last? If so don't take the car - turn it in at the airport and bus into the city you really don't want or need a car in the city. Sounds like a great trip!
=Tod

Posted by
9110 posts

Yes, you can do what you plan with the rentals. There's a bit less hiking at Holyhead if you use Hertz. There are no critical issues - - it's simple and straight forward. Assuming Tod is correct about it being Hertz at the terminal and the other outfits are the ones down the road (and that there is no shuttle for them). What I did was spur of the moment. Had a rental car, got rained out of hiking in Wales, and decided to duck behind the front and go goof off in Belfast. I did not turn in the first car since that would have meant multiple short term rentals, just left it in the terminal lot, scooted across, and snagged another one for a few days. The whole operation was effortless. I just can't remember which agency was where since I had no interest in that aspect.

Posted by
27 posts

We have taken the ferry from Holyhead. It was so good, we have done it twice. We left one rental car and picked up another in Ireland. We used Hertz because their counter is in the ferry terminal. Great service and nice ferry ride but chilly in May. Have a good time.......
Ann

Posted by
1 posts

I too am doing a road trip from London to Dublin and then to Dingle, and the back to Dublin for ferry ride back to England and then London.

2 options:

  1. Take English rental car onto Ferry and back again, or
  2. Leave English rental car in Holyhead, rent a second car in Ireland, and then pick up English rental car in Holyhead a week later.

What are pros and cons of the two options? Thanks in advance.

Posted by
9110 posts

If you're going to leave it for a whole week, you might be better off tuning it in at Holyhead and getting another one when you get back. Do the math.

The super big con is that taking a car off of Great Britain onto Ireland voids the insurance. Ruin it and you have to bring the wreckage back and fix it to boot. Lots of people have said they've done it. The ferry operators don't care. There's no governmental checks within the CTA.

Summary: really dumb move.

Posted by
33882 posts

This thread, an old one, is on a closed section of the Helpline

Posted by
9110 posts

Saw that, but how'd he get to it to tag on?