Car rental cheaper in North or South??
May 8th, 2007, 10:20 PM
#1
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Car rental cheaper in North or South??
I'm trying to decide whether to fly into Belfast or Dublin. Belfast is closer to my husband's family but is $300.00 more. Dooley car rentals would charge approx $150.00 less from Dublin than Belfast (International). But according to a guidebook quote noted online it's "cheaper" to rent a vehicle in Northern Ireland than in the Republic of Ireland. I know the money's different but I'm assuming the rate will be converted into USD. Anyone have any knowledge about this question??
Thanks.
Thanks.
May 9th, 2007, 02:47 AM
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I have rented in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Considering what the exchange rates are I thought the rates were lower in the Republic. Prices depend on many different things though. You will have to compare the same car, insurance and exra charges in both places. Then convert the charges to dollars to see what is best. If you rent in one country and drop in another there is most likely a large drop-off fee. If you rent and return in the same country generally there is no fee if the car rental company has a depot there.
May 9th, 2007, 05:11 AM
#3
you also have to figure in that your credit card will probably cover the insurance in NI but probably won't in the Republic.
Unless you use AutoEurope or some other booking agency - you don't want the rental converted to $. AutoEurop deals in $ so that is OK. But for an "in-country" firm - you will save money if billed in £ or €
Unless you use AutoEurope or some other booking agency - you don't want the rental converted to $. AutoEurop deals in $ so that is OK. But for an "in-country" firm - you will save money if billed in £ or €
May 9th, 2007, 05:11 AM
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Before you decide, check airfares into both places. The last time checked, it's more expensive to fly into Belfast. If you are fresh, it's probably about a 4 hour drive (through beautiful scenery) from Dublin to Belfast. It's about 120 miles but that takes into account getting "misdirected" and getting used to driving on the "wrong side of the road". If you're flight will come in early in the a.m. and you don't sleep well on planes, please consider spending the first night in/near Dublin (Skerries and Ardgillan Caste is a nice area to get rested up a bit). We didn't do that the last trip and are SO lucky we didn't have an accident. We are flying into Dublin and renting a car to drive to Cookstown NI and will return it in Dublin. We are paying E21 to take the car over the border with irishrentalcars.com but it was still cheaper than any other agency. Be sure to get CDW which happens to be included in our rental.
May 9th, 2007, 07:10 PM
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Thanks everyone for the input. My husband grew up in Ireland so he's in charge of driving on the other side of the road. We typically fly via Aer Lingus into Dublin and drive up so we're familiar with the route but flying into Belfast would save us about 2 hours each way. Unfortunately there's too much of a difference in price in both the airfare and the rental car to justify flying into Belfast.
Gunny-my sister in law works in Cookstown at the stationary/bookstore on the street where the stalls are every weekend. I think it's called Sheehy's (or something like that).
Gunny-my sister in law works in Cookstown at the stationary/bookstore on the street where the stalls are every weekend. I think it's called Sheehy's (or something like that).
