Flights
Dublin has direct flights across Europe and North America, and is one of the few European airports with United States preclearance — you arrive in the US as a domestic passenger. Cork, Shannon and Knock serve the south and west. Ferries link Dublin and Rosslare to Britain and France, useful with a vehicle.
Getting around
The country is small — Dublin to Galway is two and a half hours — but the rail network is radial: almost everything runs through Dublin, and cross-country journeys are slow. Intercity coaches are cheap and frequent. For the west coast and the peninsulas a car is effectively necessary; roads are narrow and driving is on the left.
When to come
May, June and September are the best months: long days, fewer crowds, and the greenest landscapes. July and August are busiest. Whatever the month, expect rain and sun in the same afternoon — the practical advice is layers and a waterproof, not an umbrella.
Orders of magnitude
| Hotel night in Dublin | €130 to €250 — the city is expensive and often full |
|---|---|
| Hotel night elsewhere | €80 to €150 |
| Restaurant meal | €20 to €40 |
| Dublin–Galway by coach | Around €15 to €20 |
What holds everywhere
- Insurance covering medical costs and repatriation stops being optional as soon as local healthcare is limited. Check it actually covers the destination: many policies exclude areas under adverse travel advice.
- Carry cash. In much of the world cards work in the big cities and nowhere else. Check the ATM situation and your bank's charges before leaving.
- Leave margin on connections. A tight transfer on a thinly served route is expensive: the next flight may be tomorrow, or in three days.
- The real budget runs over two years, not one trip: repeated flights, paperwork, translations, legalisations, any support sent. It is always underestimated.