ssander

Our trip to Ireland is getting closer. Questions about toll roads:

Do all the toll roads take cash?

If not, does a rental car automatically come with an electronic transponder(?)...if so, does that mean the rental company bills our charge card when they get the bill? (That's how it worked for us in Florida...though the cameras read our license plate, rather than the car having a transponder.)

How much money are we talking about with tolls? Is there an estimate a Fodorite can give in terms of €/mile or €/km.

NOTE: Trip is Dublin -- Cahir -- Killarney Nat.Park -- Kenmare -- Kilkenny (with a short day-trip from Kilkenny -- -- Dublin -- Probably about 800 km.

What does petrol cost these days?

Any other driving tips I should know about?

Thanks.
ssander

flanneruk

There's a full explanation at https://www.eflow.ie/driving-in-ireland/

Hire cars don't come with transponders: toll booths don't currently take cards, but you can buy an e-toll card. Personally, I'd say cards are a faff for a visitor: just keep a bit of cash handy.

There are no long toll roads: most tolls are just a few euro. Rates at http://www.etoll.ie/driving-on-toll-roads/toll-rates/

On the Dublin M50 ringroad (essential for travelling from Dublin airport to most of the rest of the country), payment is based on Number Plate Recognition and there's no toll booths. You may prepay, or pay online or by phone by 8 pm the following day.

Petrol's about €1.30/litre: diesel (the commonest default hire car fuel) about €1.20. Obviously, if a garage is next to a Tesco, the price will be a lot lower: out in the country a lot higher. Currently diesel ranges between €1.04 and €1.60

ssander

Flannerunk...

Thanks so much...this info and the links have been extremely helpful.

Now, if I can just master driving on the left...which I haven't done since our trip in 1970 when we were much, much younger. I will add time to my drive-time estimates based on slower-than-usual, cautious speeds.

ssander

Tony2phones

Hertz rental cars have Transponders for the M50 toll and you will be billed after the event the money will be taken from the Credit card you use. I do not know if the transponder works on other toll routes I have never asked, perhaps you should if renting through ConnsIreland or direct from Hertz.

Toll booths do take credit cards but best to have cash its quicker easier.

If driving the Iveragh (ring of Kerry) do that counterclockwise and include the Skellig loop.

If you are a US/Can driver. Dont overcompensate for the narrower roads stay in the middle of the lane rather than dumping your passenger into walls and ditches. Your average speed will be at best 40mph (60kph) and on scenic routes/through towns under 30 (45kph). Don't worry if you check the rearview and it looks like you are towing someone, friendly folk like to keep close but do please pull in if you are towing a trail of followers, we tend to drive a little faster than visitors.

ssander

Tony...

Thanks for the info. We are renting from Enterprise, and they say they do not have transponders, so I'll just pay at a local shop each evening.

I made list of pay-places near our hotels for the two days we'll be on the M50--leaving and returning to Dublin. The other days involve toll roads with traditional toll booths.

I'm a crazy-fast driver at home...but I will definitely keep it slow in Ireland and pull over to let others pass when appropriate.

We are being driven around the Ring of Kerry by a tour/taxi.

The info I got from you and Flan is very comforting...takes a lot of worry away.

ssander

Alec

It's very easy to pay in local shops etc, as most are agents for etoll. You need to write down your rental car's registration number and give it to the cashier, together with what you are paying for, such as single toll on M50 (this is because you can pre-pay your toll beforehand, such as when you are going to the airport to turn in your car and you don't have time to stop at a shop to pay).

Tony2phones

You can't drive fast on the M50 its a moving car park and Dubs can't drive anyway, they have no lane sense and according to a recent survey, attitude, so be careful