One of the characteristics that equal all Irish people is that they drive on the left. No doubt that it will generate a bit of confusion when driving around the island. The roundabouts, the lane of incorporations, the slow-moving lane – we were stopped by a police biker because we were going by the fast lane too slow – … not to mention that you will have to turn the car several times when you realize that the steering wheel is not where you expect and that the first times you change gears you will hit the door: the lever is on the other side.
But there is good news, the pedals and steering wheel controls – turn signals, lights, and windshield wipers … – are in the same position. Not everything was going to be complications.
The good news is that the Irish in general are very understanding behind the wheel. They drive with caution, sometimes you will think that even too slowly, and rarely alter – they must be accustomed to tourists bundling it on their roads. They have used the best car insurance for security as well. The best way to enjoy the nature of the island is by car, to stop where you want, makes renting a car a good idea too. Here you can see car rental prices in the Republic of Ireland and here in Northern Ireland.
If you are of any European Union country, you can drive in Ireland with your country card on trips of up to six months. If not, you need an international driving license. As before, Brexit can change the situation in Northern Ireland.
The maximum speed on motorways/highways is 120 km / h; 100 km / h on national roads; 80 km / h on local roads and 50 km / h in cities, always in the Republic of Ireland. You can find more details on the information website for Irish citizens. In Northern Ireland, as in the entire United Kingdom, speed is measured in miles per hour. Do not get overwhelmed, you will not have to do any mental calculation to see if you are exceeding the limit, the speedometers of the cars also mark it in that unit. The maximum speed on motorways/highways is 70 mph; 60 mph on roads with two lanes; 50 mph on single lane roads and 30 mph in cities.
Regarding gasoline prices, it is higher than in other European countries, around € 1.30 – € 1.40 per liter on the island. When you rent a car at Dublin airport, the toll on the first highway – the airport exit – will be charged directly to the card when you pick up the car. In the rest, it is paid per route and there are several toll stations. You can almost always pay by card; very rarely only coins are accepted.
Tips for Traveling Through Ireland by Public Transport
From what we have read and heard, the public transport network in Ireland does not reach much of the tourist places – in the middle of nature – or it does so with a very low frequency. One of the examples is to reach the cliffs of Moher. We were told by a Swiss guy we picked up when hitchhiking to arrive. There were only a couple of buses and they arrived every few hours … Forget about watching the sunset. In any case, if you do not dare to drive on the left, there are several bus companies – we use one of them to go from Dublin to Belfast – that travel the country. They reach more places than trains, which leave a lot of territories uncovered, and are cheaper.
