Planning a Trip

Getting There

Irish Rail (tel. 1850/366222; www.irishrail.ie) provides daily train service to Wexford and Rosslare Pier. It serves O'Hanrahan Station, Redmond Square, Wexford.

Bus Éireann operates daily bus service to Wexford and Rosslare, into O'Hanrahan Station and Bus Depot, Redmond Square, Wexford (tel. 053/912-2522; www.buseireann.ie).

If you're driving from Dublin and points north, take the N11 or N80 to Wexford; if you're coming from the west, take the N25 or N8. Two bridges lead into Wexford from the north -- the Ferrycarrig Bridge from the main Dublin road (N11) and the Wexford Bridge from R741. The Ferrycarrig Bridge takes you into town from the west. The Wexford Bridge leads right to the heart of town along the quays.

Ferries from Britain run to Rosslare Harbour, 19km (12 miles) south of Wexford Town. Stena Line (tel. 01/204-7777; www.stenaline.com) handles service from Fishguard, Wales. Irish Ferries (tel. 0818/300400; www.irishferries.com) has a route between Rosslare and Pembroke, Wales. (Irish Ferries also provides service from Le Havre and Cherbourg, France.)

If you're traveling between County Wexford and County Waterford, there's a waterborne shortcut. The Passage East Car Ferry Ltd., Barrack Street, Passage East, County Waterford (tel. 051/382488; www.passageferry.ie), 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. The shortcut saves about an hour's driving time between the cities. Crossing time averages 10 minutes. It offers continuous drive-on, drive-off service, with no reservations required. Fares are €8 one-way and €12 round-trip for car and passengers; €2 single trip for foot passengers and €3 round-trip; and €2 one-way and €3 round-trip for cyclists. It operates April to September Monday to Saturday 7am to 10pm, Sunday 9:30am to 10pm; and October to March Monday to Saturday 7am to 8pm, Sunday 9:30am to 8pm.

Visitor Information

The Wexford Tourist Office is on Crescent Quay, Wexford (tel. 053/912-3111). Seasonal offices, open April to September, are found in Enniscorthy town center (tel. 054/34699) and at New Ross town center (tel. 051/421857).

Town Layout

At the edge of the River Slaney, Wexford is a busy, compact town with quaint narrow streets -- successors of the 9th-century market trails -- lined with 18th-century houses and workaday shop fronts. Four quays (Custom House, Commercial, Paul, and the semicircular Crescent) run beside the water. Crescent Quay marks the center of town. One block inland, Main Street is a long, narrow thoroughfare that you can easily walk. Wexford's shops and businesses are on Main Street and the many smaller streets that fan out from it.

Getting Around

Wexford Town is so small that it has no public transportation. Bus Éireann (tel. 01/703-2420; www.buseireann.ie) operates daily service between Wexford and Rosslare. Other local services operate on certain days only to Kilmore Quay, Carne, and Gorey.

The best way to see the town is to walk it. Park your car along the quays; you'll probably need to pay to park, so look for parking meters on the street (marked with big blue P signs) and have some coins ready. You pay in and get a receipt to put in your car window ("pay and display"). There is free parking off Redmond Square, beside the train and bus station. You'll need a car to reach most attractions out of town.

If you need to rent a car, contact Budget at Waterford Airport, Waterford (tel. 051/843747) or Hertz, Ferrybank, Wexford (tel. 053/915-2500), or Rosslare Harbour, Wexford (tel. 053/913-3238).

If you want a cab, call Wexford Cabs (tel. 053/912-3123) or Wexford Taxi Services (tel. 053/914-6666).

Fast Facts

If you need a drugstore, try John Fehily/The Pharmacy, 28 S. Main St., Wexford (tel. 053/912-3163); Boots the Chemist, 56 Main St., Wexford (tel. 053/914-7851); or Fortune's Pharmacy, 82 N. Main St., Wexford (tel. 053/914-2354).

In an emergency, dial tel. 999. The Garda Station (police) is on Roches Road, Wexford (tel. 053/916-5200). Wexford General Hospital is on Richmond Terrace, Wexford (tel. 053/915-3000).

Like most towns in Ireland, Wexford offers free Internet access in its public library (tel. 053/912-1637), in Selskar House, off Redmond Square just in from Commercial Quay. Its hours are Tuesday 1 to 5:30pm, Wednesday 10am to 4:30pm and 6 to 8pm, Thursday and Friday 10am to 5:30pm, and Saturday 10am to 1pm. The demand is so great, however, that it's advisable to call in advance to reserve time on a PC.

The weekly Wexford People covers town and county events and entertainment.

The General Post Office on Anne Street, Wexford (tel. 053/912-2587), is open Monday to Friday 9am to 5:30pm (from 9:30am Tues) and Saturday 9am to 1pm.