Getting to and around Ireland

The best way to see Ireland is by car, especially as many sights of interest are not served by public transport. However, car rental is expensive; in the high season it can often make good sense to arrange a package deal before you leave home. The Irish, like the British, drive on the left. Don't be fooled by Ireland's size: getting around by public transport is not as easy as you might like to think. Distances may be short, but in Ireland getting from A to B never follows a straight line. Rail fares are particularly expensive, there are notable gaps in the routes, and the frequency of both bus and train services can leave a lot to be desired. Winter bus schedules are drastically reduced, with many routes simply disappearing after September. Apart from Ireland's wealth of walking and hiking opportunities, cycling is a great way to get around - if you can ignore the hills, poor road surfaces and wet weather. Tourist offices all have regional cycling maps to help you plan your tour; West Cork in particular is ideal.

Getting around Dublin

Dublin is a compact city and best explored on foot, particularly given the traffic chaos which prevails most of the time. Rush hours (8 a.m.-9.30 a.m. and 5 p.m.-6.30 p.m.) are one big beeping, grunting, fuming, angry mess, and the public transport system leaves a lot to be desired.

The public transport options for the city and suburbs are: Dublin Bus serving the city centre and suburbs, or the DART (Dublin Area Rapid Transit) light rail line which runs from Bray in Co Wicklow to Howth in north Co Dublin. In fairness to the Dublin Bus (Bus Átha Cliath) network, the service has vastly improved in the last 10 years.

Bus lanes run through much of the city centre to help the flow of buses. However, these lanes are not plentiful, and buses often have to contend with the same traffic problems as other road-users.

Getting around Ireland  from Dublin

Bus Eireann serves the outlying regions and the rest of the country, as does the national train service Iarnrod Eireann.

Taxis are a slightly more expensive option for travellers and their availability varies considerably.

Most major bus routes run very regularly, but for journeys to outlying areas you are advised to consult a Dublin Bus timetable. Timetables are available in tourist offices, or the Dublin Bus offices at 59 Upper O'Connell Street, Dublin 1. The Dublin Bus passenger information phone number is: 353 1 873 4222.

The DART is Ireland's only light rail system and, unfortunately, it has only one line. The distinctively clean, green, DART runs from Bray (which is in neighbouring Co Wicklow) in the South to Howth in North Co Dublin. Areas the DART passes through include Dun Laoghaire, Blackrock, Lansdowne Road, the city centre, Raheny and Sutton. The Dart runs every five minutes at rush hours and every 15 minutes at other times.

For travel out of Dublin, you may need to take the provincial bus service run by Bus Éireann. Buses serving all regions of the country leave from Busárus on Store Street. Timetables are available from Busárus, and the passenger information number is: 353 1 836 6111.

Alternativelyl, Iarnrod Eireann provides a countrywide train service. Trains going north leave from Connolly Station on Amiens Street (near Busárus), while south and west-bound trains leave from Heuston Station on King's Bridge.