Planning a Trip

Getting There

Little Waterford Airport, off R675, Waterford (tel. 051/875589; www.flywaterford.com), is served by Aer Arran (tel. 011/353 81821-0210 in the U.S., 818/210210 in Ireland, or 0800/587-2324 in the U.K.; www.aerarann.com) from Manchester in northern England, and Luton in London.

Irish Rail offers daily service from Dublin and other points into Plunkett Station, at Ignatius Rice Bridge, Waterford (tel. 051/873401; www.irishrail.ie).

Bus Éireann operates daily service into Plunkett Station Depot, Waterford (tel. 051/879000; www.buseireann.ie), from Dublin, Limerick, and other major cities throughout Ireland.

Four major roads lead into Waterford: N25 from Cork and the south, N24 from the west, N19 from Kilkenny and points north, and N25 from Wexford.

The Passage East Car Ferry Ltd., Barrack Street, Passage East, County Waterford (tel. 051/382480 or 051/382488; http://homepage.eircom.net/~passferry/main_frame.htm), operates a car-ferry service across Waterford Harbour. It links Passage East, about 16km (10 miles) east of Waterford, with Ballyhack, about 32km (20 miles) southwest of Wexford. This shortcut saves about an hour's driving time. The crossing time averages 10 minutes. It's continuous drive-on, drive-off service, with no reservations required.

Visitor Information

The Waterford Tourist Office is at 41 The Quay, Waterford (tel. 051/875788; www.waterfordtourism.com). It's open April to September, Monday to Saturday 9am to 6pm; October, Monday to Saturday 9am to 5pm; November to March, Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm. The year-round office in The Courthouse, off the Square in Dungarvan (tel. 058/41741), keeps comparable hours. The seasonal tourist office on the Square at Tramore (tel. 051/381572) is open from mid-June to August, Monday to Saturday 10am to 6pm.

City Layout

Waterford is a commercial city focused on its waterfront. The city center sits on the south bank of the Suir. Traffic from the north, west, and east enters from the north bank over the Ignatius Rice Bridge and onto a series of quays (Grattan, Merchants, Meagher, and Parade), although most addresses simply say "The Quay." Shops and attractions are concentrated near the quay area or on two thoroughfares that intersect it: The Mall and Barronstrand Street (changing their names to Broad, Michael, and John sts.). These streets were once rivers flowing into the Suir and, in fact, the original waterways continue to flow roughly 15m (49 ft.) beneath today's pavement.

Getting Around

Bus Éireann operates daily bus service within Waterford and its environs. The flat fare is €1.10 ($1.45). Taxi stands are outside Plunkett Rail Station and along the Quay opposite the Granville Hotel. If you need to call a taxi, try Rapid Cabs (tel. 051/858585), Metro Cabs (tel. 051/857157), or Waterford Taxi Co-op (tel. 051/877778).

To see most of Waterford's sights (except the Waterford Crystal Factory), it's best to walk. You can park along the quays, and pay at the nearest machine. You'll need a car to reach the Waterford Crystal and County Waterford attractions outside of town.

To rent a car, contact Budget Rent A Car, Waterford Airport (tel. 051/ 873747).

Fast Facts

If you need a drugstore, try Gallagher's Pharmacy, 29 Barronstrand St. (tel. 051/878103); or Mulligan's Chemists, 40-41 Barronstrand St. (tel. 051/875211).

In an emergency, dial tel. 999. Garda Headquarters (tel. 051/305300) is the local police station. Holy Ghost Hospital is on Cork Road (tel. 051/374397), and Waterford Regional Hospital is on Dunmore Road (tel. 051/848000).

Among the resources for gay travelers is the Gay and Lesbian Line Southeast (tel. 051/879907). The Waterford Gay and Lesbian Resource Centre is at the Youth Resources Centre, St. John's Park (tel. 087/638-7931).

The Voyager Internet Cafe, 85 The Quay (tel. 051/843843), isn't actually a cafe, but it does provide high-speed access with all the peripherals. Charges are €1.20 ($1.55) for 10 minutes, €3.60 ($4.70) for half an hour. Open Monday to Saturday 10am to 9pm.

The General Post Office on Parade Quay (tel. 051/317312) is open Monday to Friday 9am to 5:30pm, Saturday 9am to 1pm.