Getting Around

By Train

Iarnrod Éireann (tel. 1850/366222 or 01/836-6222; www.irishrail.ie) operates the train services in Ireland. With the exception of flying, train travel is the fastest way to get around the country. Most lines radiate from Dublin to other principal cities and towns. From Dublin, the journey time to Cork is 3 hours; to Belfast, 2 hours; to Galway, 3 hours; to Limerick, 2 1/4 hours; to Killarney, 4 hours; to Sligo, 3 1/4 hours; and to Waterford, 2 3/4 hours.

Iarnrod Éireann/Irish Rail also offers an enticing array of weekend-to-weeklong holiday packages or RailBreaks to practically every corner of Ireland, north as well as south.

In addition to the Irish Rail service between Dublin and Belfast, Translink (tel. 028/9066-6630; www.nirailways.co.uk) operates routes from Belfast that include Coleraine and Derry, in addition to virtually all 21 localities in Northern Ireland. The same organization runs the Belfast city service, called Citybus.

By Bus

Bus Éireann (tel. 01/830-2222; www.buseireann.ie) operates an extensive system of express bus service, as well as local service to nearly every town in Ireland. Express routes include Dublin to Donegal (4 1/4 hr.), Killarney to Limerick (2 1/2 hr.), Limerick to Galway (2 hr.), and Limerick to Cork (2 hr.). The Bus Éireann website provides the latest timetables and fares for bus service throughout Ireland. Bus travel is usually affordable, reliable, and comfortable. See Translink for detailed information on services within Northern Ireland (tel. 028/9066-6630; www.nirailways.co.uk/atulsterbus.asp).

Money-Saving Rail & Bus Passes -- For extensive travel by public transport, you can save money by purchasing a rail/bus pass or a rail-only pass. The options include the following:

• Eurailpass: Of the dozens of different Eurailpasses available, some are valid for unlimited rail travel in 17 European countries -- but none include Britain or Northern Ireland. Other passes let you save money by selecting fewer countries. In the Irish Republic, the Eurailpass is good for travel on trains, Expressway coaches, and the Irish Continental Lines ferries between France and Ireland. For passes that let you travel throughout continental Europe and the Republic of Ireland, first-class passes begin at $605 for 15 consecutive days of travel; youth passes (passengers must be under 26 years old) begin at $394 for 15 consecutive days of travel in second class. The pass must be purchased 21 days before departure for Europe by a non-European Union resident. For further details or for purchase, call Rail Pass Express (tel. 800/722-7151; www.eurail.com). It's also available from STA Travel (tel. 800/781-4040; www.sta.com) and other travel agents. You can also find more information online at www.eurail.com.

• BritRail Pass + Ireland: Includes all rail travel throughout the United Kingdom and Ireland, including a round-trip ferry crossing on Stena Line. A pass good for any 5 days of unlimited travel within a 30-day period costs $590 first class, $427 second class; 10 days of unlimited travel within a 30-day period costs $973 first class, $680 second class. It must be purchased before departure for Ireland or the United Kingdom. Available from BritRail (tel. 866/BRITRAIL; www.britrail.net).

By Car

Although Ireland offers an extensive network of public transportation, there are advantages to having your own car. Mainly, you'll be unhampered by imposed schedules and have the freedom to explore anywhere serendipity leads you -- a real plus in a country like Ireland, where small-town doings can be the highlight of your day, or even of your entire trip. In a nutshell, if you want to see the "real Ireland" outside the major cities, you'll want a car.

The disadvantages begin with the cost of rental and continue with each refueling. In high season, weekly rental rates on a manual-transmission compact vehicle begin at around $245 (and that's if you've shopped around) and ascend steeply -- but it's at the pump that you're likely to go into shock. Irish gas prices can be triple what you pay in the United States. And while Ireland is a tiny country by comparison, and distances between places are relatively short, the roads in the countryside can be so narrow and winding that getting from A to B rarely takes as little time as it looks.

Another potential pitfall is that rental cars in Ireland are almost always equipped with standard transmissions -- you can rent an automatic, but it will cost substantially more (about $200 per week). Driving on the left side of the road and shifting gears with your left hand can take some getting used to. Then consider that another fact of life in Ireland is cramped roads. Even the major Irish motorways are surprisingly narrow, with lanes made for the tiniest cars -- just the kind you'll wish you had rented once you're underway. Off the motorways, it's rare to find a road with a hard shoulder -- leaving little maneuvering space when a bus or truck is coming from the opposite direction. So think small when you pick out your rental car. The choice is yours: room in the car or room on the road.

Unless your stay in Ireland extends beyond 6 months, your own valid U.S. or Canadian driver's license (provided you've had it for at least 6 months) is all you need to drive in Ireland. Rules and restrictions for car rental vary slightly and correspond roughly to those in the United States, with two important distinctions. Most rental-car agencies in the Republic won't rent to you (1) if you're under 23 or over 74 (there's no upper age limit in the North) or (2) if your license has been valid for less than a year.

Note: Double-check your credit card's policy on picking up the insurance on rental cars. Almost none of the American-issued cards -- including gold cards -- cover the collision damage waiver (CDW) on car rentals in Ireland anymore.

Driving Laws, Tips & Warnings -- Highway safety has become a critical issue in Ireland during the past several years. The number of highway fatalities is shocking for such a small nation, and Ireland is ranked as the second-most-dangerous country in Europe in which to drive (second only to Greece). In the past year, the Irish government has initiated a penalty points system similar to that in most U.S. states and in Britain in an effort to rein in the Irish drivers, who seem to value speed above lives. Some particularly hideous fatal accidents in 2006 and 2007 -- one that took the lives of five young people from a wedding party -- seemed to have some impact on the government's attitude toward the country's traditionally reckless drivers. (While visitors won't have points added to their licenses, they may still be penalized with fines if they speed or commit driving infractions.)

As of 2005, all distances and speed limits on road signs in the Republic of Ireland were changed to kilometers, while in Northern Ireland they are still given in miles. Take extra care if you're driving around the borderlands -- the border is unmarked, so you can cross over from one side to the other without knowing it. There are no plans to harmonize the situation in the near future, and it's easy to get confused, particularly since the border is so ill-defined.

In light of Ireland's unfortunate highway statistics, every precaution is in order. Try to avoid driving after dark, or around pub closing time (11pm); get off the road when driving conditions are compromised by rain, fog, or excessive holiday traffic. Getting used to left-side driving, left-handed stick shift, narrow roads, and a new landscape are enough for the driver to manage, not to mention having to find his or her way to a destination, so it's helpful if you can have somebody along as a navigator. Consider driving only an hour or two on the day you arrive, just far enough to get to a nearby hotel or bed-and-breakfast and to get a feel for the roads.

Traffic in Dublin provides its own frustration. Don't even think about renting a car for your time in Dublin. The pace of traffic in the capital's city center is around 8kmph (about 5 mph) due to heavy traffic congestion. In addition, a recent change has replaced many of the large English-language street signs with small, hard-to-read bilingual signs in which the Gaelic words are easier to read than the English (much to the annoyance of the local population, as well as visitors). Add in all the one-way streets and dire lack of parking, and you're probably better off on foot.

"Roundabouts" (what Americans call traffic circles or rotaries) are found on most major roads and take a little getting used to. Remember always to yield to traffic on the right as you approach a roundabout and follow the traffic to the left, signaling before you exit the circle.

One signal that could be misleading to U.S. drivers is a flashing amber light at a pedestrian traffic light. This almost always follows a red light and it means yield to pedestrians, but proceed when the crossing is clear.

There are relatively few types of roads in the Republic. National (N) roads link major cities on the island. Though these are the equivalent of U.S. highways, they are rarely more than two lanes in each direction, and are sometimes as small as one U.S.-size lane. Most pass directly through towns, making cross-country trips longer than you'd expect. Regional (R) roads have one lane of traffic traveling in each direction, and generally link smaller cities and towns. Last are the rural or unclassified roads, often the most scenic back roads. These can be poorly signposted, very narrow, and a bit rough, but travel through beautiful countryside.

In the North, there are two Major Motorways (M), equivalent to interstates, as well as a network of lesser A- and B-level roads. Speed limits are posted. In general, the limit for urban areas is 46kmph (30 mph), for open but undivided highways 95kmph (60 mph), and for major motorways 112kmph (70 mph).

Both the North and the Republic have severe laws against drunk driving, even more so than in the U.S., and they will enforce them. The general rule is: Don't drink and drive, or you could find yourself in a lot of trouble. Both countries also enforce the mandatory use of seat belts in the front seat, and the North extends that to rear-seat passengers. It is against the law in the Republic for any child under 12 to sit in the front seat.

Road Rules in a Nutshell

1. Drive on the left side of the road.

2. Road signs are in kilometers, except in Northern Ireland, where they are in miles.

3. On motorways, the left lane is the traveling lane. The right lane is for passing (though many drivers just use it as the "fast lane").

4. Everyone must wear a seat belt by law. Children must be in age-appropriate child seats.

5. Children under age 12 are not allowed to sit in the front seat.

6. When entering a roundabout (traffic circle), give way to traffic coming from the right.

7. The speed limits are 50kmph (31 mph) in built-up areas; 80kmph (50 mph) on regional and local roads, sometimes referred to as non-national roads; 100kmph (62 mph) on national roads, including divided highways (called dual carriageways), and 120kmph (75 mph) on freeways (called motorways).

Rentals -- Try to make car-rental arrangements well in advance of your departure. Leaving such arrangements until the last minute -- or, worse, until your arrival in Ireland -- can mean you wind up either walking or wishing you were. Ireland is a small country, and in high season it can completely run out of rental cars -- but before it does, it runs out of affordable rental cars. Discounts are common in the off season, of course, but it's also possible to negotiate a decent deal for July and August if you put in enough time and effort.

Major international car-rental firms are represented at airports and cities throughout Ireland and Northern Ireland. They include Alamo-Treaty (tel. 800/462-5266 in the U.S.; www.goalamo.com), Auto-Europe (tel. 888/223-5555 in the U.S.; www.autoeurope.com), Avis (tel. 800/230-4898 in the U.S.; www.avis.com), Budget (tel. 800/527-0700 in the U.S.; www.budget.com), Hertz (tel. 800/654-3001 in the U.S.; www.hertz.com), Murrays Europcar (tel. 800/800-6000 in the U.S.; www.europcar.ie), National (tel. 800/227-3876 in the U.S.; www.nationalcar.com), and Payless/Bunratty (tel. 800/729-5377 in the U.S.; www.paylesscarrental.com).

In addition, a variety of Ireland-based companies have desks at the major airports and full-service offices in city or town locations. The leader among the Irish-based firms is Dan Dooley/Kenning Rent-a-Car (tel. 800/331-9301 in the U.S.; www.dan-dooley.ie).

When comparing prices, always ask if the quoted rate includes the 13.5% government tax (VAT), the ?15 ($20) airport pickup fee (assuming you pick up your car right upon arrival), CDW (collision damage waiver), or theft insurance. If you have your own auto insurance, you may be covered; check your existing policy before you pay for additional coverage you may not need. If you rent a car in the Republic, it is best to return it to the Republic, and if you rent it in the North, return it in the North. (Most firms charge extra for cross-border drop-offs.)

A sticky, and expensive, caveat about car rentals: If you rent with a credit card that claims to provide free protection, be sure to call your card's customer service line to make certain there are no restrictions on that coverage in Ireland. Visa does not offer insurance protection for car rentals in Ireland. And MasterCard and American Express -- even gold cards -- have limited their protection on Irish rentals. Be certain that your information is current. Always confirm the details of your coverage when you charge your car rental to your credit card. If you are renting a car in the Republic and taking it into the North (or vice versa), be sure to ask the car-rental firm if the CDW and theft insurance covers cross-border transport. If not, you may be required to buy extra insurance.

Parking -- Rule number one: Not to beat a dead horse, but you're better off without a car in Dublin. Traffic, a shortage of parking places, and one-way streets conspire to make you regret having wheels. Cork is nearly as bad.

Rule number two: Never park in bus lanes or next to a curb with double yellow lines. Dublin, in particular, cracks down hard on offenders by booting or towing delinquent cars. It will cost you around ?85 ($111) to have your car unclamped, or a whopping ?165 ($215) to reclaim a towed car -- so be extra vigilant.

In Dublin, virtually all streets are pay-to-park. Look for signs directing you to ticket machines; there should be one each block or so. Some larger towns also have multistory car parks; in central Dublin they average about ?2 ($2.60) per hour and ?20 ($26) for 24 hours. Night rates are about ?6 ($7.80) to ?9 ($12) per hour. In central Dublin, you'll find parking lots on Kildare Street, Lower Abbey Street, Marlborough Street, and St. Stephen's Green West.

Parking in most villages and small towns is easy and usually free. Look out for public parking lots -- they're often free and are clearly marked at the edge of town centers.

In Belfast and other large cities in the North, certain security measures are still in place from the bad old days. Control zone signs indicate that no unattended vehicle can be left there at any time. That means if you are a single traveler, you cannot leave your car; if you are a twosome, one person must remain in the car while it's parked. Also, unlocked cars anywhere in the North are subject to a fine, for security reasons.

By Taxi & Hackney

Taxis and hackney cabs look very much alike. Both drive you where you ask them to, and the drivers collect a fee at the end and are quite likely to entertain you with stories along the way. There are some significant differences, however. Hackneys are not allowed to wait at taxi "ranks" (stands) or display a sign atop their cars; they don't use meters; and they are not regulated by any municipal or state agency. In other words, they are private individuals doing business as drivers for hire. They agree with you on a fare in advance, which could be more or less than the regulated fee a taxi would charge, but is usually slightly less. Both taxis and hackneys advertise in the classifieds or "Golden Pages," and your hotel or restaurant will happily call one for you when you're ready to go home at the end of the night.

By Ferry

The coast of Ireland is not so razor-straight as, say, the borders of Kansas. A number of passenger and car ferries cut across the wider bays, shaving hours off land-only driving times. Ferries operate between Tarbert, County Kerry, and Killimer, County Clare; Passage East, County Waterford, and Ballyhack, County Wexford; and Glenbrook, east of Cork City, and Carrigaloe, outside of Cobh.

Additionally, because Ireland includes a number of must-see islands, getting around includes getting on a boat now and then. Some boats, including all major ferries, have official licenses and offer regular scheduled service. Sometimes, however, making a crossing is a matter of staring out across a body of water to where you want to be and asking someone with a boat to take you there. Both methods work. To supplement the boat listings in this guide, you might want to request a copy of Information Sheet 50C -- Island Boat/Air Services -- from the Irish Tourist Board.

By Plane

Because Ireland is such a small country, it's unlikely you'll be flying from place to place. If you do need to get somewhere very quickly, or driving is not an option, the main domestic carrier is Aer Arann (tel. 011/353-6170-44280 in the U.S., 818/210210 in Ireland, or 0800/587-23-24 in the U.K.; www.aerarann.com). It operates flights between Dublin and Belfast, Cork, Derry, Donegal, Galway, Kerry, Knock, and Sligo, as well as from Galway to the Aran Islands.