My father and I want to visit Ireland, Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man, Wales, and Scotland in under three weeks. First off, is this manageable? We were considering a multi-segment trip, arriving first in Dublin (since flights looked cheaper last we checked) and then eventually flying home from a Scottish airport. What's the best mode of transportation for getting from Ireland to Ulster at a leisurely pace? Can we rely on buses or trains? Could we then take a ferry to the Isle of Man (to visit friends) and another ferry to Wales? Would you guys suggest reserving a rental car before arriving in Wales? We're planning to spend the most time there. I'm not sure how expensive gas is in Britain. Would trains then be the best way of getting from Wales to Scotland? As you can see, we're in the early stages of planning and would really appreciate any tips from those with more knowledge of this area. Thank you all! Kat
Florida, USA
Posted by
Bellingham, WA, USA
94 posts
Ireland: depends on what you want to see as to whether renting a car or relying on public transport would be best. I just got back from Ireland and noticed there were extensive bus routes, but not always to some attractions. Driving can be challenging if you are not use to narrow roads, driving on the left and fast drivers. Automatics are more expensive. Gas was running about 1.45 euros per liter with diesel a few cents cheaper. Fly to the Isle of Man on Aer Arran; the earlier you book the cheaper it is. Hopefully friends will provide transport once you are there. Where in Wales are you headed? Again flying a budget airline may be cheaper and certainly would be faster. Definitely reserve car in advance if you want automatic as there are limited number available. Again you will encounter very narrow roads. Fuel is expensive. Train service from Wales to Scotland is good between larger cities. National Rail has a good info website for planning.
Posted by
Wadebridge
37 posts
I would reserve the rental car before arriving, and consider a smaller car as some of the roads you are driving on in Wales might be narrow. Petrol is about 140 p a litre at the moment. You can get a train from Wales to Scotland - see the Trainline site - it'll probably mean a change in Crewe. I think you can rely on buses and trains in that if they are meant to run they do run and pretty much on time, ok always about ten minutes late, however lots of places do not have any public transport.