A few friends and I are trying to squeeze Ireland into a visit to Europe (4 days tops), and would like to experience as much of the island as possible. Since we're so crunched for time, does public transportation or a car make the most sense? Thanks for any suggestions!
Posted by
Bloomington, IL, USA
9363 posts
The best way to see Ireland is by car. Public transportation can be limited in some areas, and you're at the mercy of their schedule.
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32219 posts
Jared,
The public transportation is a bit "limited" in Ireland compared to other parts of Europe, but with only four days I don't think you'll have time to "experience as much of the island as possible". You might want to focus on Dublin and day trips (including Belfast if desired).
While a car is certainly an option, driving in Ireland can be "challenging". You might want to check some of the Posts in the "To The North" section for comments on that subject.
Good luck and happy travels!
Posted by
dallas, tx, usa
1358 posts
A car is far more convenient, but the roads are narrow and winding. Difficult to drive. Traffic is slow in some places.
But still the best way to see Ireland. Buy a good road map there, not here. Learn the traffic laws and obey the speed limit.
Posted by
Saskatoon, Sk, Canada
6 posts
I rented a car in Ireland, yep some of the country roads are a bit narrow, and twisty. Not to mention you're driving on the opposite side of the road than what we're used to. There's also lots of 'round a bouts'. I rented a GPS from Avis with the car, I think it was about 10 euro extra per day, but well worth every penny. Ireland by car is totally great, there's so much to see and it's beautiful. The nice thing about car rental is you can stop whenever the urge hits you. We spent a fair amount of time around Cobh and Cork on the southern coast. Absolutely great.
Posted by
Everett, WA
1290 posts
With only four days, don't try to cover too much territory. Driving in Ireland can be much slower than driving in the States. One alternative to the suggestion to stay in Dublin and day trip is to fly in and out of Shannon airport. Then you could rent a car and stay in the west area. If it were me, I would visit the Cliffs of Moher and then head to Dingle. If you are younger and want more of the city activites, I would do the Cliffs and head to Galway (I liked that town better than Dublin myself) and try to get out to the Aran Islands. Have a great trip. Either of those would give you a great "taste" of Ireland without sacrificing too much time by driving.