Getting there

Like almost anything these days, the internet has made things a lot easier in researching ways to get to Ireland. Obviously there’s no way for me to know where you’re coming from, but I can highlight a few of the entry points into Ireland to assist with your trip.

By Air: Ireland has multiple international airports, the largest being Dublin on the east coast and Shannon on the west, which service flights to/from the USA as well as many other parts of the world. Many of the other Irish airports can be reached via European hubs such as London Heathrow, Spanish, Italian, French airports etc. You really need to search the current flight listings for this information. The more common airlines flying to Ireland at present are Aer Lingus, Ryanair (low cost, no frills), BMI, Air France, American, US, Delta, Lufthansa and quite a few more. The best option for finding the route and fare that suits your needs is by going to one of the main travel sites such as Expedia or Orbitz. A web search using a phrase such as “air fares” will give you more options.

By Sea: Ireland can be reached by ferry from France and the UK. This is a great option if you want to bring your car or if you are on a tighter budget. A lot of times travelling by ferry can be a lot less stress and hassle, but of course you do have to sacrifice some more time to get there. However, there are some “fast ferries” available if you are travelling from the UK. Stenaline and Irish Ferries currently provide these options. Their websites are the best point of contact for further information.

By Car: Of course Ireland is an island consisting of the Republic and Northern Ireland, so technically you can reach Ireland from another country by simply getting in your car and driving across the international border (easy!).

Not that you’ve gotten there, what if you want to leave? A vacation from your vacation! I thought it would be a good tip to mention that you can fly to so many other parts of Europe on low cost airlines for next to nothing. The one thing to be aware of is the baggage and other extra charges that low cost airlines are always trying to find or increase to fatten their wallets. Many Americans in particular will travel to Europe and want to visit many countries. Ireland is a perfect staging point for this approach to travelling, so have fun with your fare-finding.

I suppose a “Getting there” topic wouldn’t be complete without touching on what you may need to get into the country. I’m not going to go into too much detail here because I am by no means an expert on what visas are required, but more importantly because this information changes frequently, and the best points of contact are your own countries embassy and the Irish Naturalization and Immigration Service website

Next blog: Where to stay