IRELAND | Travel | Transport
Ireland is an island of 69.947 sq. km with a coastline extending over 5.631 km. The country is divided into four historic provinces: Ulster (9 counties) in the north, Munster (6 counties) in the south, Leinster (12 counties) in the east, and Connacht (5 counties) in the west. Ireland is the westernmost country of the European Union with a coastline on the Atlantic Ocean. It is separated from Great Britain by the North Channel in the northeast and the Irish Sea in the east.
Travelling to Ireland
Visa
For trainees of the European Community, a visa is not required (Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein and Switzerland through a separate agreement). For trainees of other Countries, a visa or other entry requirements are nexcessary. Alternatively, contact the Irish consulate in your home country or the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs.
Getting there
You can travel to Ireland by car, plane, ferry, bus or train. The choice depends on where you are travelling from and your own preference. There are low fare airlines such as Ryanair and Aer Lingus operating out of the 4 International and 7 regional Irish airports .
Travelling within Ireland
Transport in Ireland has improved phenomenally in the last 20 years. It is quite easy to travel around the country on public transport. There is beautiful countryside and coastline to be explored.
It is very rude to skip a queue, don't do it! When you get on a bus in Dublin you must have the exact fare as no change is given (you can buy tickets in advance). You can buy tickets in newsagents with the Dublin Bus logo outside.
Train: Iarnród Éireann is the national train service.
Tram: The LUAS (from the Irish word for speed) is a Dublin suburban tram service that connects serveral suburban areas of Dublin to the city center.
Bus: Bus Éireann provides a regional bus service for all of Ireland, Busaras is the central bus station located in Dublin.
The DART is the Dublin suburban train service and Dublin Bus provides city and suburban bus services for the Dublin area. Shuttle buses from the Airport serve the main city centre railway stations. There are also bus links to other major cities directly from Dublin Airport.
Cycling: Special cycling paths, as you can find in many European countries, are very limited in Ireland. Cycling is not allowed on motorways and can be dangerous on country roads and city streets because of the volume of traffic, so be careful! Wear suitable clothes (wind and rain) and bright clothes if you are cycling after dark!
Walking: If you are walking after dark on country roads where there are no footpaths, walk in single file, face the oncoming traffic and if you are walking after dark, wear bright clothes. Walking on city or town streets when pubs and clubs close (after midnight) can be dangerous. Many visitors in Ireland are not accustomed to walking on cliffs or on rocks beside the sea. This can be dangerous because of sudden winds and waves.
Taxi: You do not have to tip a taxi driver.
Renting a car: To rent a car in Ireland, you must have a full driver's licence which has been valid for a minimum of one year prior to renting a car, a valid credit card for a deposit, and you must be between the ages of 25 and 75 years old.
Signs
All official signs have to be in both English and Irish, so road and street signs are generally in both. Since 2004, all distance and speed signposts are indicated using Kilometers (rather than Miles as they used to). You should know 5/8 mile = 1 kilometer. Although all the signs will change, people may still use miles to describe distance.
Student discounts
To benefit of student travel prices, you must have an ISIC card with a Travelstamp. The Travelstamp is only available at Irish student travel agencies. Another option to et a discount for public transportation is the TFI Leap Card. Considerable savings can be made on regional bus and rail travel with student travel discounts.