Trains vs Auto

William
I did it by train and would not recommend it. It limits what you can see, as you suspect. Much of the charm of Ireland is in the small towns and countryside. I do not like driving on trips to Europe - always prefer trains - but I would make exception for a return trip to Ireland and drive it.

For a car, figure twenty bucks a day; plus eight per gallon and you'll get about forty miles per.

The rail system in Ireland is not very extensive, but it is supplemented by a system of buses that go most anywhere.

I cannot imagine 'seeing' Ireland without a car, but I really like to drive and be on my own schedule. There are just too many places that would not be as easily accessible without a car. I think some of my best memories were driving in very rural areas where there was not another person or car in sight (just the sheep)... I was there in Feb. so there were even fewer tourists than normal.

The really good parts of Ireland are in the small towns in the countryside. The train system is virtually non existent and the buses we saw in rural Ireland are few and far between. Absolutely use a car.

A few years ago I started planning a trip to Ireland for my then wife and me. I picked a bunch of places I wanted to see - mostly well known, mainline places - and then started looking for transportation to them. I found that all the places I wanted to see were well served by bus.

So my advice is this. Figure out what you really want to see, then see if it is accessible by public transportation. If it is, why use a car?

If there is just one or two places you want to go to that are not accessible by public transportation, rent cars just for those places. Don't rent a car for the whole trip unless no place you want to go to is accessible by public transportation. It's just more expensive, and you'll spend your time watching the road (that's not independence, to me).

I would rather spend my time watching the roads than waiting for the bus. My brother went to Ireland and used public transportation only. He admitted that he saw far less that way and did not make the best use of his time. Time is money. There are places you just can't go without a car. To get one for a day here and there is not that practical because unless you are getting one in a city it could be hard to find a place to rent it. Based on his first hand experience we did rent a car. I rented an automatic, as I didn't feel comfortable trying to drive a stick and concentrate on driving on the left. If you can drive a stick, all the better.

Have you come up with an itinerary? It would be easier to advise you if we knew where you were hoping to go.

Check the car rental price/duration carefully. There's a dividing line somewhere at about four days where that price is about the same as a week. No sense buying tickets when you'd have essentially paid for the car anyway and it's hard to burn through a heck of a lot of gas in Ireland.

Ex: If it's twenty a day for a week, that's one forty for the period. Whereas five days might be thirty per for one fifty. It varies. Check.

Also, you're going to have to pay for the cdw since the credit card won't cover it, even if you get the car in Northern Ireland somehow.

I did a little bit of both although only bus was in Dublin. The trains I took were clean and on time but were not convenient to,towns we were staying in, we have found car much better as could stop when and where we wanted. The price will go up when you add the CDW and automatic which I highly recommend. Have been driving manual for years but somehow could not manage manual very well, always seemed to go from first to fourth for some reason when shift was on my left side. No reason to have a car in Dublin but as Ed said, a shorter rental might drive up cost. As someone else mentioned, time is valuable especially on vacation so would prefer to not be waiting for train,bus,

Good point Gail. No need for a car in Dublin. We flew into Dublin, picked up a car and left town. We returned the car when we got back to Dublin and used public transportation there.

And if at all possible, try to pickup your rental car at a city location as you're leaving town.

Every auto rental I've ever received in airports have had extra fees and taxes vs. those picked up off airport property. And some of the up charges have been ridiculously expensive.

Ireland is especially one of those self-drive locations.

Cars are cheaper up at DUB than they are in town.

I used train and bus on my last visit to Ireland. I think you would be better off renting a car. One advantage of car travel is that you can find b&bs along the road. It would save time, too, since public transit is not always run frequently. Parking problems may be the downside so car rental.

Thanks all for the valuable information. I believe we will rent a car for the island tour and use public transportation while in Dublin.
Bill

My husband and I have done both and have decided we are now train travelers! It is nice not to worry about parking and the car rental agencies taking advantage of you. Sit back and enjoy the view!