Dawn3333

Hi Folks...

Please advise best, cheapest way to travel to/from US to Scotland onto Ireland. I have heard flying into London, England for a night and taking a train into Scotland (Glasgow). Then from Glasgow via train again into Dublin. From Dublin, fly home. People are suggesting trains due to beautiful sights and ease. I am wondering if flying straight from US to Glasgow and Glasgow to Dublin and home is the smartest? Seems like alot of planes and trains the other way but I may be wrong.

Our ititnerary is flying out on a Thurs arriving in England, then onto Glasgow for 5 days. From Glasgow to Dublin for the next 5 days. We have picked Glasgow due to some sights/museums we want to see and Dublin due to locality/airport. We can fly straigtht to Glagow if suggested. Again, others say fly into England, stay a night and take train to Scotland. Train again to Ireland. Fly back to US.

Or fly straight to Glasgow, train to Dublin, fly back to US and skip England altogether? Whew, I am getting confused. I say this only because we have all been to England and don't NEED to go there but if worth it, will.

We have our "must sees/dos" and B & B accomodations in Scotland/Ireland tentatively "pen"ed in but I just cannot figure out how to get from one place to the other.

We are NOT renting a car, all walk or city transporation, we are BIG walkers....(3) of us.

Oh, nothing is concrete so any suggestions of your "must sees" are appreciated.

Our interests are art, gardens, distillery tour, at least a castle or two, pubs, shops...really up for anything...wanna take it all in....

Thanks for your input and sorry so jumbled.....

D.

Tony2phones

I would fly into Glasgow out of Dublin (vice/versa) or Into Dublin and do Scotland as a side trip which would give options.

BigRuss

Last check, there is no train from Glasgow to Dublin because there's no tunnel or bridge connecting Eire with Britain. You're best off flying from Glasgow to Dublin. You're also best off flying from the US to Glasgow and from Dublin to the US.

That said, if you're going to Scotland and Ireland and the only places you'll visit are Glasgow and Dublin, you should reconsider a lot of your itinerary.

Dawn3333

Thanks for info....will fly into/from Glasgow and Dublin. By changing itinerary...what do you mean? I just picked these 2 cities due to ease of airport. I see soooo many quaint things in both cities to visit and thought about day trips to other surrounding places. What are your thoughts, please....offer me ideas!

D.

Tony2phones

The thing is that most people visiting Scotland consider Glasgow and Edinburgh. Both cities are worth visiting and there are good day tours which run from either. I would not spend 5 days in Glasgow alone.

Ireland is two separate nations on one island, Six counties of Northern Ireland part of the UK and the Republic of Ireland. The Republic consists of Dublin which might as well be part of the UK and the greener more expansive rest of Ireland. Dublin as a base for 5 days would mean lots of long day trips.

You can travel between Scotland and Ireland via several airports and you might consider entering and leaving each country by different airports to maximise your exposure and get a better feel for each nation.

Weegie

With five days in Scotland and Glasgow as a base I'd spend the first and last day in Glasgow and book the three day Rabbies tour to Skye in the middle.

http://www.rabbies.com/tours_scotlan...our.asp?lng=en

This will give a nice time in the city and a taste of the Highlands to go along with it.

BigRuss

First: I'd make Edinburgh my base, not Glasgow. The two are so close that you can take a train to Glasgow to see whatever museums you want but Edinburgh (Castle, Palace, Royal Mile, Calton Hill, various museums, etc.) is a top city in Europe. Most travelers prioritize Edinburgh over Glasgow (we certainly did). Glasgow doesn't have a "castle or two." Edinburgh does. Both have easy train connections to Stirling and Perth (Stirling Castle and Scone Palace, respectively). And a comparison of Edinburgh to Dublin is ridiculous because Dublin's not in Edinburgh's class.

Second, Dublin as a base for Ireland is not great because the larger volume of attractions are in the South and West of the country and Dublin's on the east coast. The trains are not particularly fast either, so there's no equivalent of a London to Dover fast train, and the trains operate on a hub and spoke system with really only one real hub. Check out the Irish rail map here: http://www.eurosis.org/cms/files/loc...ercity_map.gif

Good luck on "taking it all in" in five nights in either country. We barely saw 1/3 or 1/4 of what interested us in Scotland in an 11-day trip.

Dawn3333

Thanks so much for all this info. I will definitely check it all out.....and rethink my flights and itinerary! Very helpful, thanks again!

jaja

Perhaps fly from Scotland to Cork or Shannon, spend your time in the southwest of Ireland, and then fly home from Shannon? Although you seem to want what Dublin has to offer so maybe not.

Dawn3333

Jaja...we are game for anything as we know nothing. Will check into this...thank you.

flpab

I recently got great prices on RT Dublin tickets. We then got a cheap rt flight (Ryan air or Aer lingus} to Edinburgh. We rented a great apartment in the city. It is so easy to do public transportation there and the train ride to Glasgow is quick. I wish we didn't do the day tour to the highlands. It was a long day in the bus. We just didn't see all we wanted to see in the city. I wish that new tram would be finished there. It will be fab. I LOVE Dublin and five days there is still not enough. You can do day trips to Newgrange, hope on the train and take a ride to Howth or south to another village. There is so much history there and one day I will attend a game at Croke Park. I will always do public transportion from now on, the go bus from Dublin To Galway is 25 rt and a two hour ride. Drops you off in the city. Day tours from there are good, not on the bus for long periods.

flpab

http://www.flipkey.com/edinburgh-condo-rentals/p121899/

Our apartment in Edinburgh.

I like Buswells hotel in Dublin. It was quiet at night but still close to everything. I have stayed in Temple bar twice and regret it everytime. Had to sleep with earplugs. When I make reservations I like this area closer to Trinity. Also like the area by Christ Church.

jaja

I don't see where you told us what time of year you are looking at, but if you are in Dublin in the summer you could look into the b&b accommodation available at Trinity College.