Ireland (Lonely Planet, 9th Edition) - Fionn Davenport [633]
Fishguard & Pembroke to Rosslare These popular, short ferry crossings take 3½ hours (from Fishguard) or four hours (from Pembroke) and cost around £25/119; the cost drops significantly outside peak season. The fast-boat crossing from Fishguard takes just under two hours and costs around £30/135.
Holyhead to Dublin & Dun Laoghaire The ferry crossing takes just over three hours and costs from £25/95. The fast-boat service from Holyhead to Dun Laoghaire takes a little over 1½ hours and costs £25/130.
Liverpool to Dublin The ferry service takes 8½ hours from Liverpool and costs £25/180. Cabins on overnight sailings cost more. The fast-boat service takes four hours and costs up to £40/240.
The main routes from mainland Britain to the North (for a foot passenger/vehicle):
Cairnryan to Larne The fast boat takes one hour and costs £21/170. The ferry takes 1¾ hours and costs £15/120.
Fleetwood to Larne The six-hour crossing costs £122; no foot passengers are carried.
Liverpool to Belfast The 8½-hour crossing costs £40/155 (including meals) during the day and £30/235 (including cabin and meals) at night.
Stranraer to Belfast The fast boat takes 1¾ hours and costs £20/130. The ferry takes 3¼ hours and costs £16/85.
It’s possible to combine bus and ferry tickets from major UK centres to all Irish towns on the bus network, which mightn’t be as convenient as flying on a budget airline, but leaves less of a carbon footprint. The journey between London and Dublin takes about 12 hours and costs about £43 one way. The London to Belfast trip takes 13 to 16 hours and costs £38 one way. For details in London contact Eurolines ( 0870-514 3219; www.eurolines.com).
France
Two companies operated on the France–Ireland route:
Brittany Ferries ( in the Republic 021-427 7801, in France 02 98 29 28 00; www.brittany-ferries.com) Weekly service from Roscoff to Cork from early April to late September. The crossing takes 14 hours and costs up to €85/490 without accommodation.
Irish Ferries ( in Rosslare 053-33158, in Cherbourg 02 33 23 44 44, in Roscoff 02 98 61 17 17; www.irishferries.com) One to three times a week from Roscoff to Rosslare from late April to late September; the crossing time is 17½ hours. Ferries from Cherbourg to Rosslare sail two to four times per week year-round, except in late January and all of February; crossing time is 20½ hours. Both services cost up to €150/625 without accommodation.
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GETTING AROUND
Travelling around Ireland is short, simple and sweet – or maddeningly long and infuriatingly complicated. Distances are relatively short and there’s a good network of roads, but public transportation can be infrequent, expensive or both and – especially with trains – not reach many of the more interesting places.
Having your own transport is a major advantage and it’s worth considering car hire for at least part of your trip. The growing network of motorways have cut journey times considerably, but the huge network of secondary and tertiary roads are much better if you want to ‘experience’ Ireland as you travel – although it is still true that smaller, rural roads can make for difficult driving conditions.
If you opt not to drive, a mixture of buses, the occasional taxi, plenty of time, walking and sometimes hiring a bicycle will get you just about anywhere.
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AIR
Airlines in Ireland
Ireland’s size makes domestic flying unnecessary unless you’re in a hurry, but there are flights between Dublin and Belfast, Cork, Derry, Donegal, Galway, Kerry, Shannon and Sligo, as well as a Belfast–Cork service. Most flights within Ireland take around 30 to 50 minutes.
The only domestic air carriers are the following:
Aer Árann ( 1890-462 726, in Dublin 01-814 5240, in Galway 091-593 034, in Cork 021-814 1058; www.aerarann.com) Operates flights from Dublin to Belfast, Cork, Derry, Donegal, Galway, Knock and Sligo; and a Belfast to Cork route.
Aer Lingus ( information & bookings 01-886 8844, flight information