Thursday, 26.06.2008
Travel & Transport in Ireland

There are many choices available for getting out and about around Ireland. We at Learning.ie know how important it is to find transport that will suit your finances, needs and comfort; here’s a guide on what’s out there…

Cars
If you plan to drive in Ireland there are a few things you need to be aware of. The Rules of the Road book is available to buy in any post office for the very reasonable price of €2.54; anyone considering taking to the roads should read it carefully and familiarise themselves with it's contents.

There are two types of drivers licence in Ireland; the provisional and full. The provisional licence gives those over the age of 17 the opportunity to legally learn to drive for a one year period. A learner must take the test for their full licence on or before their fourth provisional licence; it’s important to note that provisional licence holders must have a fully licensed driver with them in the car; second provisional licence holders are no longer able to drive unaccompanied; they too must have a fully licensed driver in the car.

Certain EU and Australian licences can be exchanged for Irish ones; those that do not satisfy the regulations will have to take part in a practical and oral test. International licences may be used for a certain amount of time; you should check with your insurer about the implications of this. Each driver must be insured; you will need to show proof of insurance to get motor tax which is required to be displayed on a valid insurance disc; a failure to do so will result in a fine of €65.

It is worth mentioning the large volume of cars on Irish roads; traffic can be extremely heavy in urban areas so for the impatient among you, public transport might be a better option.

Taxis
There are plenty of taxis on the roads in Ireland. In cities and large towns most people tend to hail them on the streets however there are many centres that provide a service for the allocation of taxis. If you call one of these cars, or walk in to get one, you will be charged a call out charge which is usually an initial charge of €3.80 on entry into the car; before the meter starts running. They are an expensive option but if it’s late at night or a you're in a mad rush to work it may well be the best one for you.

Public Transport:
Córas Iomnpai Éireann (CIE) is the state owned transport company that provides Ireland with its public transport system. The various options are:

Trains
Trains in Ireland are run by Iarnód Eireann; choices are the Railway, Intercity, DART, Suburban and Rail Freight services. Trains are provided on a nationwide basis while the Inter Cities cater for the major cities and towns around the country. Commuter rail routes are also established as is a DART (Dublin Area Rapid Transit) service which is a railway line that runs from Greystones to Howth/Malahide.

Discounts on these are given to all students who can produce a valid Student Travelcard. This card costs €12 but could save you up to €17.50 in one journey on Inter City Rail  or €7.50 on Bus Eireann.

Buses
Bus Eireann is one of the largest bus providers in the country; however bear in mind that there are others in specific localities. Bus Eireann runs nationwide routes with discounts for various consumers. There are special student fares for single, return or bulk journeys; a valid student card must be shown; this includes an international student card, a Translink student ID card and those which are recognised by a third level college.

Bus Eireann also offers Tourist Travel Passes to suit your different travelling needs. For example the Open Road Pass will entitle you to unlimited travel on all Bus Eireann routes. The Rover Bus Pass will give you this plus access to Ulsterbus services.

The company invariably provides transport for a lot of the major concerts and festivals of the summer; for example Oxegen and Bon Jovi giving those attending a hassle free way of getting home.

Bus Baile Átha Cliath (Dublin Bus)
Dublin Bus is the provider of all bus services for the city and county of Dublin and the adjoining areas. The company also offers the must-do Dublin Sightseeing Tour.

Different tickets are available to suit all; a Rambler ticket can buy you unlimited travel on all of the Dublin Bus fleet for either 1, 3, 5 or 7 days. A Travel 90 Handy Pack will issue you with 90 minutes of travel on any of the buses; the handy pack contains 10 individual packs. Other choices include Adult Short Hop tickets (for bus and rail) and Family tickets.

Potential bus users should be aware that exact change is necessary. At the time of writing the fare for a general bus trip (four to seven stops) is €1.50. If you pay more than your fare you will be given a refund receipt for overpayment; you should then present your pass refund ticket along with your travel ticket to the Dublin Bus Headquarters, a time-consuming process so we recommend that you make sure you have the right change before hopping on. Notes are not accepted at all by the bus driver.

Luas
The Luas (translated literally as ‘speed’ in Irish) is the newest addition to the Dublin public transport system. The light rail tram has two lines; the green and the red. The green line runs from Sandyford to Stephens Green and the red goes from Tallaght to Connolly; the walk from Stephen’s Green to Connolly is under 20 minutes (there is no public transport connecting the two). The standard fare is €1.50 per trip however there are certain discounts and deals on offer.

So choose one of these means of transport and you’ll be where you want to be in no time!