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Kylemore Abbey Castle, Ireland

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Getting around in Ireland

Air: 

Aer Lingus (www.aerlingus.com) serves destinations in Europe, the Middle East and the USA; Ryanair (www.ryanair.com) is a low-fares airline serving many European destinations. The Aran Islands are served by Aer Arann (www.aerarannislands.ie) via a 15-minute flight from Connemara Regional Airport (located 27km/17 miles west of Galway city), but also operates services to other airports including Donegal, Kerry and Dublin. Charter flights are also available.

Domestic airports include Galway (GWY), Sligo (SXL), Carrickfinn (CFN) and Kerry (Farranfore) (KIR), as well as various small airstrips.

Side of road: 
Left
Car hire: 

Car hire is available from all airports and seaports, as well as major hotels. All international hire companies are represented in Ireland, as well as local operators. Drivers must be 21 or over. A full licence from the driver's home country is required, and the driver will normally be required to have had at least two years' experience.

It is advisable to book hire cars in advance, especially in the peak season, and a child seat should be ordered in advance also. Advise the car hire company if the car will be driven into Northern Ireland.

Taxi: 

Service is available in major cities. Taxis are metered in Cork, Dublin, Galway and Limerick. In other areas it is advised to agree on a fare beforehand. Cruising taxis are infrequent. Taxis are available at hotels, rail and bus stations or taxi stands.

Coach: 

Regulations: 

Speed limits are 50kph (30mph) in towns and cities, 80kph (50mph) on local roads (this is displayed on white signs) and 100kph (60mph) on national roads (this is displayed on green signs). Seat belts should be worn at all times.

Documentation: 

EU nationals taking cars into the Republic of Ireland require: motor registration book (or owner's authority in writing); full EU driving licence or International Driving Permit; nationality coding stickers; and insurance cover valid for the Republic. A Green Card is strongly recommended, as without it, insurance cover is limited to the minimum legal requirement in Ireland - the Green Card tops this up to the cover provided by the visitor's domestic policy.

Getting around towns and cities: 

As well as an extensive bus service, Dublin has a fast suburban rail service - Dublin Area Rapid Transport (DART) - travelling from Malahide in the north to Greystones in the south. Dublin also has its own tram system, LUAS, which is a high-speed service with convenient stop locations throughout the city.

Rail: 

Rail services in Ireland are run by Iarnród Eireann (Irish Rail) (tel: (1) 836 6222; www.irishrail.ie) and express trains run between the main cities. There are two classes of accommodation, with restaurant and buffet cars on some trains. Children under five travel free. Children aged five to 15 pay half fare.

Rail passes: 

A range of rail-only and combined rail and bus tickets are available for unlimited travel within the Republic of Ireland.

InterRail One-Country Pass: Offers travel for three, four, six or eight days in one month within Ireland. Travel is not allowed in the passenger's country of residence. Travellers under 26 years receive a reduction. Children's tickets are reduced by about 50%. Supplements are required for some high-speed services, seat reservations and couchettes. Discounts are offered on Eurostar and some ferry routes. Available from Rail Europe (www.raileurope.co.uk/inter-rail).

By water: 

Ferry services run to the various west coast islands; enquiries should be made locally.

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