I found someone's wonderful suggestion to use www.aaroadwatch.ie to estimate travel time and indicate which roads, how long you are on each road, etc. How accurate are these estimations? I ask because I entered in start: Galway and finish: An Daingean and it estimated it would only take about 2 hours. One guide book estimated 6-8. Your thoughts? Thanks.

Most people will suggest that you add 20% or so to the aaroadwatch times, though we found them to be fairly accurate for our driving times, once we subtracted all of the time that we were stopped for sightseeing.

I just checked, and when I put in An Daingean, the program pulled up Daingean, County Offaly. I have no idea how accurate the 2 hours is for that. If, instead, you were referring to Dingle, you'll have to put that in instead. That comes up as 4 hours and 15 minutes. We travelled Galway to Stradbally, making several stops, in about 6 or 7 hours (if my memory serves me correctly).

oopsy

Traveling from Lisdoonvarna in County Clare via the ferry across the Shannon, it took us about 4 hours.

I agree that you need to add time to the estimates. The rodas have gotten better there and the estimates are still about the same so it's better than it used to be. Also, the more time you are there, the better you travel times will be. At first, fear will slow you down, not to mention the shrieking from the passenger seat (this will be the 1st get test of your marriage). Trust me, it's worse to be the passenger. That's why I always drive.

Bill

Another route planning site is viamichelin.com. However, its driving time estimates in Ireland are way too low. In general, increase the time by 50%. For example, viamichelin's estimate for Galway-Dingle is only 3hr19min.

oopsy: Yes, that might have helped if I made sure the county was correct Maybe I put in too many hours at the computer screen?

wojazz3: Hmmm, come to think of it, I might be said shrieking passenger. I'll be sure to warn the fiancee about that - he might quickly turn the wheel over to me.


TimS: Thanks!-I'll check out michelin's site.

I agree that drive times can be off by as much as 50% based on your abilities and if you figure that way, you may be pleasantly surprised by your arrival time. I was the passenger for only a short while and then I wrestled the sterring wheel from my wife's hands. I'll drive thank you.

Bill