We will be leaving for Dublin, Ireland on Monday, June 7th and renting a car once we are there. We'll be travelling south to Killarney, on to Dingle, Bunratty, the Cliffs of Moher, Athlone, and back to Dublin. While reading various blogs, I've seen references to toll roads, but not really any specifics of how this works... something about having to go someplace to pay the toll??? Can anyone give specifics?

Thanks, Tori

We just got back from two weeks in Ireland. It was fabulous and we had wonderful weather. The toll situation in Ireland is really weird. We found out about it by accident from our B&B innkeeper in Kilkenny. We didn't realize we had passed through a toll, without warning and our innkeeper told us what to do. We went to a Topaz station and paid the toll. Be sure to check that they get the license plate number right when you pay. We were told if you don't pay in 24 hours, the toll doubles. There were other tolls that were normal where you can pay as you go through. Hope this helps. Enjoy your trip. If you need a good B&B to stay in Killarney, I highly recommend Kathleen's Country House.

If you didn't realize it, how did your innkeeper know?

Also, what did you like about Kathleen's Country House? We are headed there in Sept.

Most people viewing these posts will be hiring a car in Ireland. The simple answer for such people to ToriML's question is to ask the hire company for advice when collecting the car, as procedures for paying the toll that causes all the confusion can vary between companies.

Now for the more complicated answer, which also applies if you're taking your own car.

There are about ten stretches of road in the Republic of Ireland charging tolls. One stretch, on the M50 Dublin ring road, is almost unavoidable if you're driving between Dublin airport and anywhere west or south of Dublin. This operates by video recognition of number plates. In theory, you can acquire an E-flow prepay tag that debits you €2, or go to a pay station anywhere in Ireland within the next 24 hrs and pay €3 (or ignore it, in which case a penalty charge applies). But a hire co may have an arrangement by which they always pay and debit you, which is why you need to ask at the point of hire.

Other toll roads (list at http://www.nra.ie/GeneralTollingInfo...n/KnowTheToll/) follow the more common policy of a choice between paying at the time, or using an E-flow tag, which can offer savings.

If you're hiring, an E-flow tag is unlikely to be worth the hassle. If you're driving into the Republic from elsewhere, it might be worthwhile: www.eflow.ie

The answer to TPAYT's question is that the M50 toll is a national conversation piece, and it's almost certain a non-European tourist arriving at Kilkenny will have gone through the checkpoint.

Our innkeeper asked us the route we took and told us we probably had passed the cameras. We were grateful she warned us.
Kathleen, the owner of Kathleen's Country house was wonderful, charming, helpful. Her information was invaluable and made our time in Killarney so delightful. She is full of recommendations and I highly recommend the place. It is very clean, pretty grounds, etc.
Hope that helps.