Ireland (Lonely Planet, 9th Edition) - Fionn Davenport [634]
Ryanair (www.ryanair.com) Operates flights between Dublin and Cork.
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BICYCLE
Ireland is a great place for bicycle touring, despite bad road surfaces in places and inclement weather. If you intend to cycle in the west, the prevailing winds mean it’s easier to cycle from south to north. Both Irish Cycling Safaris ( 01-260 0749; www.cyclingsafaris.com; Belfield Bike Shop, UCD, Dublin 4) and Go Ireland ( 066-976 2094; www.govisitireland.com; Old Orchard House, Killorglin, Co Kerry) organise tours for groups of cyclists in the southwest, the southeast, Clare, Connemara, Donegal and Antrim.
Bicycles can be transported by bus if there’s enough room; the charge varies. By train the cost varies from €4 to €8 for a one-way journey, but bikes are not allowed on certain train routes, including the Dublin Area Rapid Transit (DART); check with Iarnród Éireann ( 01-836 3333).
Typical bicycle hire costs are €20 to €25 per day or €60 to €100 per week plus a deposit of around €100. There are many local independent outlets, but several dealers have outlets around the country:
Irish Cycle Hire ( 041-685 3772; www.irishcyclehire.com; Unit 6, Enterprise Centre, Ardee, Co Louth)
Raleigh Ireland ( 01-626 1333; www.raleigh.ie; Raleigh House, Kylemore Rd, Dublin) Ireland’s biggest rental dealer.
Rent-a-Bike Ireland ( 061-416 983; www.irelandrentabike.com; 1 Patrick St, Limerick, Co Limerick)
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Boat
There are many boat services to islands lying off the coast, including to the Aran and Skellig Islands to the west, the Saltee Islands to the southeast, and Tory and Rathlin Islands to the north. Ferries also operate across rivers, inlets and loughs, providing useful short cuts, particularly for cyclists.
Cruises are very popular on the 258km-long Shannon–Erne Waterway and on a variety of other lakes and loughs. The tourist offices only recommend operators that are registered with them. Details of non-tourist-board-affiliated boat trips are given under the relevant sections throughout this book.
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BORDER CROSSINGS
Security has been progressively scaled down in Northern Ireland in recent years and all border crossings with the Republic are now open and generally unstaffed. Permanent checkpoints have been removed and ramps levelled. On major routes your only indication that you have crossed the border will be a change in road signs and the colour of number plates and postboxes.
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BUS
Bus Éireann ( 01-836 6111; www.buseireann.ie; Busáras, Store St, Dublin) is the Republic’s bus line and offers an extensive network throughout the South. Private buses compete – often very favourably – with Bus Éireann in the Republic and also run where the national buses are irregular or absent. Ulsterbus ( 028-9066 6600; www.ulsterbus.co.uk; Milewater Rd, Belfast) is the only bus service in Northern Ireland.
In Belfast, the bus service is operated by Metro ( 9066 6630; www.translink.co.uk), while Dublin has Dublin Bus ( 01-872 000; www.dublinbus.ie).
The larger bus companies will usually carry bikes for free but you should always check in advance to avoid surprises.
Bus Passes
Details of special deals and passes are given in the boxed text, Click here.
Costs
Bus travel is much cheaper than train travel, and private buses often charge less than Bus Éireann. Generally, return fares cost little more than a one-way fare.
Some sample one-way bus fares include the following:
Reservations
Bus Éireann bookings can be made online, but you can’t reserve a seat for a particular service.
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CAR & MOTORCYCLE
Ireland has more cars than ever and the building of new roads and the upgrading of existing ones just hasn’t kept pace. Be prepared for delays, especially at holiday weekends. AA Roadwatch ( 1550 131 811; www.aaroadwatch.ie) provides traffic information in the Republic.
In the Republic, speed-limit