5 weeks in Ireland in Oct., but can't find transport to Isle of Man! Ideas?
 

Hi there!

I am traveling to Ireland in October, and will be over there through the 2nd week in November. I REALLY want to be on the Isle of Man the last week in October, but after hours of research, I can't find any transportation over there! I will be renting a car, so was hoping for the ferry, but they don't seem to run that late in the year.

Does anyone have some insider/ native tips or tricks? I thought that there had to be some way for the islanders to get off island, but can't see to figure that out either.

Any help would be GREATLY appreciated! Thanks! :)

1) The route may be seasonal - hence no sailings (this is possible as the IOM Steam Packet Company is showing sailings only to England for the next week
2) Winter timetables may not have been loaded
3) Your hire company may not allow you to take a car onto a ferry without additional cost
4) The ferry isn't going to be cheap even if it is running
5) There are flights between Dublin & IOM

6) Most locals would fly or take a ferry to England - few have the need to go to Ireland

My friend lives on the IOM, shows dogs and takes her lorry and dogs to England and Ireland winter spring summer and fall on the ferry. It has to be running. Just not loading right now. I can ask her later today. Are you trying to go from Belfast or Dublin? She moans about how horrible they are all the time though so...

"I will be renting a car, so was hoping for the ferry"

You will Not be able to take an Irish car to the Isle of Man unless paying a small bit short of a kings ransom to do so with one of the couple of companies who might? just allow it..

Fly and rent a car on the island.

I am hoping to leave from Dublin, and if I can't take a car over there, I'll just walk, as I walk all over here. :)

The Douglas to Dublin sea route has, in the last few years, sadly become the least used of all ferry routes from the Isle of Man. Official statistics issued by Douglas Harbour show this.

The Douglas to Dublin route only operates during the summer and at Christmas. There used to be a sailing or two around Halloween up until a few years ago but this no longer runs.

The only option is to fly or to take a Dublin to Holyhead ferry and catch the Isle of Man ferry at either Liverpool or Heysham. A reasonably economical way of doing this would be to buy a SailRail ticket from Dublin to Liverpool or Heysham which will include the ferry and train (Stena Line and Irish Ferries have info on these on their websites). Then buy a separate ticket from either Liverpool or Heysham to the Island.

It would be good to have a sailing from here as the end of October coincides with the Mid-Term break when children are off school.

Hoping the information above may help in some small way.