Ireland without a car in 2 weeks?
 

Hi,

Does this seem possible using public transportation? I don’t want to drive, it is a solo trip, and I’m planning on being there about 2 weeks. If it doesn’t seem possible, what would you change? Thank you?

DUBLIN (3 nights)

Day Tour to Glenadough/Wickslow/Kilkenny

Dublin Zoo

Guinness Storehouse

Musical Pub Tour

Trinity College

Grafton Street

Iveagh Gardens (?)

St.Stephen’s Green

National Museum (?)

Chester Beatty Library

Christ Church Cathedral

Dublin Castle

Kilmainham Gaol

St. Patrick’s Cathedral

Old Jameson Distillery

Teelings Whiskey

Various Breweries

CORK (1 night)

Blarney Castle

Jameson Experience

Franciscan Well Brewery

KILLARNEY (3 nights)

Gap of Dunloe Tour

Ring of Kerry Tour

Ross Castle (?)

Dingle Day Tour (?)

GALWAY (4 nights)

Galway Bay Brewery

Bunratty Castle (?)

Cliffs of Moher day trip

Connemara day trip

Aran Islands trip (?)

Craft Beer Tour

BELFAST (3 nights)

Wild Rover tour to Giant’s Causeway, Bushmill’s visitor center, Carrick a rede rope bridge

Crumlin Road Gaol

Titanic Belfast Visitor Center

Titanic’s Dock and Pump House Tour

Belfast Castle

Aircoach Bus from Belfast to Dublin Airport for afternoon flight

just a quick comment now -- you may need to recalculate your plans a tad. When you say 'DUBLIN (3 nights)' - assuming 1 night is on your arrival day means you have 2 full days and maybe a few usable hours for that long list.

Cork 1 night will net you less than half a day in the city itself after accounting for travel/checking in/etc.

>>BELFAST (3 nights)<< will give you 2 free days and an early AM bus to DUB . . . etc.

Do you think I would be wise to cut out Cork completely, and just extend my Dublin stay to do a Belfast day trip rather than stay there? I wouldn’t be heartbroken to cut some stuff out of my Dublin list. Is Blarney Castle a huge thing to miss?

>>Is Blarney Castle a huge thing to miss?<<

Not IMO.

I'd still try to keep a Belfast stay in the mix if possible -- If I had to decide: Giants Causeway vs. Blarney Castle . . . I'd sacrifice Blarney.

Travel without a car
 

Hi!

I just got back from Ireland a month ago and I was there for about 2 weeks. I had no problem getting around Ireland without a car!

I would highly recommend looking into getting a Visitor Leap Card. It allows you to get unlimited travel on the bus, the Laus, and the Dart (Train/Tram services) for a flat fee( It saves you money). You can get the card for 1 day, 3 days, or 7 days. This is what I used and I was able to travel all over Dublin so easily. I also felt that Dublin was pretty walk-able.

Also, if you love hiking I would definitely recommend taking a day trip to Howth. It's about a 20 min ride from Dublin on the Dart. It's a really great village with great food, people, and views. I went on the most amazing hike here. Every turn had views that takes your breathe away.

I hope you have a great trip!!

Solotravelera--
First, let me be your public transport cheerleader. We have taken four trips to Ireland, and we never once rented a car. Of course, on three of the trips, we cycled, but still, most things are doable by public transport if you're willing to be creative.

Yes, as the above posters indicated, if you cut out Cork, everything becomes much more doable. Then you can adjust your time as needed in the three areas you've wisely chosen: Dublin, Belfast and Galway.

Most of your Dublin and Belfast and other Northern Ireland sights should be a lay-up. I'm planning my Belfast/NI leg of my Cornwall/Northern Ireland trip right now using trains and buses, and we plan to return via train from Belfast to Dublin. I have to iron out wrinkles, but I'm not seeing obstacles.

As to all the sights you listed in Dublin, you might want to cut out a few to allow you to enjoy the fantastic bits even more. Here's the link to our trip to Dublin a few years ago, where we concentrated mostly on trad music, but we did cover so much of what you want to see: https://www.fodors.com/community/eur...dublin-970755/
You can get an idea of what we did not think was worth much (Guinness Storehouse was a total waste--and we drink gallons of beer; the little tour to Wicklow/Kilkenney was not high on our list, although it still might be high on yours).
You should note that while in Dublin we used the two-day HoHo as our transport to see the things we wanted to see. It made our lives simple.

Getting a train from Dublin to Galway is easy, and you certainly can do some good daytrips from Galway. Here's what I'd exclude, though:
--Bunratty Castle--Tourist trap.
--Dingle Day Tour--Trafficky. Further south than you think. I suggest you save this for when you dedicate yourself to a SouthWest tour of Ireland (because you'll be back).

The Cliffs of Moher is just about as far south as you need to go from Galway to make your day worthwhile AND enjoyable, and that tour would included the Burren. If the weather is good, do enjoy an Aran Islands crossing. And we loved Connemara so much, we've hiked and and biked it on two separate trips, once even in the rain. And no matter where you tour each day, you'll be coming back to the music on the streets of Galway. Divine.

Good luck!

Did you look at the Ireland by train tours offered by McKinlay Kidd
They are a very highly regarded Scottish company. The small group tour I had booked with another UK company was cancelled, but if I am able to secure the dates I want on McKinlay Kidd's train/bus tour, I think I'll enjoy travelling on my own in this way rather than with a group, so the cancellation may have been a blessing in disguise.

Also check Rabbies, another very good Scottish company that does small group tours in Ireland. They offer 1 day up to 11 day tours in vans with a max of 16 passengers, often fewer. https://www.rabbies.com/en/ireland-tours/from-dublin