milliebest

My husband and I are in our seventies and I am an anxious passenger in any car. Don't let the age fool you- we are very active with no handicaps but we just don't like the hassle of a car unless we have to. We have done some great trips using public transportation with limited use of a car. We did Scotland, Wales and the Uk. The only time we had a car was for one day in the Cotswalds. We did Greece including Crete, Santorinii,Naxos, Mykonos and Athens with only a car for three days in Crete. I am trying to decide whether to do Ireland on our own or do a tour. We don't usually do tours. The only two tours we ever went on were to China and India. We are adventurous - love to hike, enjoy nature, eat, spend time with the locals and museums and we travel light usually just a backpack. I was thinking of flying into Dublin and out of Shannon . My question is can a "car-less couple " see the key sights in about 20 days by choosing several main cities (accessible by public transportation) and do day trips from these cities?

flpab

I am one that says yes. I have done public transportation in Ireland twice and will be doing it again in May. We are flying into Dublin, taking the bus from the airport to Belfast. Doing the Black cab tour, taking a smaller tour bus to Giants causeway and taking a train to see a motorcycle race. Back to Dublin. Many day tours and the train goes up and down the coast stopping at some of the nicest villages. We have taken the go bus to Galway and done day tours from there. Tony can tell you how to get out of Shannon as I have never flown in or out of there. The train system in Ireland is good as well as the bus system. I did the bus from Cork to Kinsale for the day. Not a bad trip at all since we both like to look and had lunch and enjoyed a few pints. It sounds like we are drunks but we aren't and if we do drink we don't drive so the public transportation is good for us. We have driven but it is just more fun for us this way. There are some great day tours that will take you to out of the way places.

Tony2phones

Best part of 3 weeks should let you see most of the Island, bus's are fairly good, trains are fine but limited.

It depends where you want to go what you want to see and do, Then When?

Shannon is a great option in and out but you would need to be in the town the night before your departure. Not a problem the Oakwood Arms in Town is a good option and the Park Inn at the airport is fine if you have an early departure, especially checking in 3 hours early and Pre Clearing US customs?

So mind at rest? just give a few clues and you will get as much help as we can give.

http://www.journeyplanner.transportf..._TRIP_REQUEST2 is a good site for public transport but it helps to have a little local knowledge of the most practical options at times.

AlessandraZoe

We have been to Ireland four times.

We have YET to rent a car--and we can't abide bus "tours", so don't be thinking that's how we tour.

In fact, we've been to Europe at least once a year since 1999,often three to four times per year, and we've only rented a car once or twice. My husband HATES driving abroad, and my driving has always been, to put it mildly, unreliable.

Yes, for most of our trip times in Ireland, we were cycling. But we always spent time before and after off the bikes traversing the country by every other means possible.

Simple fact: Bus systems are superb in Ireland. Trains are doable, but like Tony2phones says, links are limited via train.

When we could not link up via bus or train, we went to town tourist centers and asked if we could hire a driver from point A-Z. The fares were always reasonable--much cheaper than renting a car, and as my husband always said, at least the driver knew which side of the road to drive on.

So be assured, it's certainly doable--and even better, it's very enjoyable!
Happy planning,
AZ

milliebest

Sounds great! Thanks for the encouragement . Now I will try to narrow down what we want to do. My problem at this stage is I want to see everything. I keep saying we can go back again if we like it but there are so many places I want to go. At 72, we are doing catch up because we never travelled when we were young. We have been blessed with good health so I can't complain.

PalenQ

My question is can a "car-less couple " see the key sights in about 20 days by choosing several main cities (accessible by public transportation) and do day trips from these cities?>

Definitely yes and Northern Ireland too! Ireland has a great bus mnetwork and a skeletal train system that is useful too - look into the Irish Rambler pass that covers both trains and buses.

I've done it several times sans car and once with a car - car is easier in the remote sparesly populated West Coast areas but if you plan well enough you can also take buses to the hotspots there.

Check these superb sites for info on touring Ireland by public transports - www.seat61.com; www.ricksteves.com and www.budgeteuropetravel.com - check the latter's free online European Planning & Rail Guide's chapter on Ireland for lots of suggested igtineraries by train and bus.

Don't miss the West Coast - the Dingle Peninsula is easy to get to by train (Tralee) and then bus to Dingle, a nice well-equipped base from which buses and mini-buses scoot around the wild desolate awesomely beautiful Dingle Peninsula.

And I think Ireland has a low maximum age to rent a car and you may be over it anyway!

PalenQ

http://www.discoverireland.ie/

Irish Tourist Board offers a lot of good info and also lots of short excursions various places.

PalenQ

http://www.buseireann.ie/inner.php?id=352

A Tourist Travel Pass from the Irish bus network and also you can buy one-day excursions at a great price from them too!

soogies

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