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Fotobug


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New Ireland traveler questions
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We arrive May 13 on our first visit and are starting to get down to some of the picky details - and I keep running into questions.  Can anybody help with these?

1 - I think I am correct that Concessions/ OAP/ Senior all mean the same thing?  Is there a "standard" age in Ireland to qualify?  Or does it depend on the specific venue? 

2 - Phones - somewhere I read, or was told, that if you have an unlocked quad band mobile phone (I do) one can buy a SIM card right at the Dublin airport, relatively cheaply (around E10 is what I remember) that will have free incoming calls and quite reasonable rates for outgoing.  Has anybody done this?  It seems it might be convenient for making reservations, contacting B&B's etc.

3 - Dublin transportation.  In London it was a "no brainer" to get a week-long tube pass but I'm having trouble sorting out the options in Dublin!  We will be there for 3.5 days and we know we want to do a Hop On, Hop Off tour.  But there are at least 2 companies offering this, and tickets are offered in various combinations with airport transfers and so on.  Right now it seems to me the Dublin City Bus 3 day "Freedom" ticket might be the way to go?    Does that really allow the Hop-On, Hop-Off for the whole 72 hours plus other city bus routes?

I'm sure the best deal for us depends on what we want to do - sigh.  We will be using a bus for sure to go to the Botanic Garden and since our traveling companions are not "hikers" they may want to use buses more around town as well. 

Any input or assistance in weighing those options will be appreciated!  Our hotel is very near Merrion Square if that helps.

I'm sure I'll be thinking of more questions as the countdown progresses!

Thanks!

Barb

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noshot9


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I can help you with Question No. 2.

Yes you can buy a sim card for your unlocked quad band phone just about anywhere in Ireland.  I bought mine at an O2 Shop in Shannon when we arrived.  You can buy various amounts to put on the sim card and it can be "topped up" at just about anywhere.  I found it vary useful to use in Ireland to contact the B & B that was next on our list to stay at to advise them about what time we would arrive, directions, meal reservations, etc..  It turns your phone into an Irish cell phone with an Irish phone number.  Incoming calls are free to you from outside Ireland and you pay for calls made from Ireland to USA, etc..  Once you get your sim card, you can either make one call back home to someone and give them the number and have them spread it around or you can stop at an Internet Cafe and email the number back home.  I personally think it is the best way to go as far as phone service in Ireland.

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Fotobug


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Thanks NoShot!  That is what I had understood, but I feel much better having it verified from someone who actually has done that!  Sounds like a great solution.

Barb

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Michele Erdvig


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Barb,

My thanks to noshot9 for answering your phone question. The hopper buses are good for 24 hours. You could stop at the tourist office at Dublin Airport and ask them what bus combo would work best for you. Be sure to make your list in advance because when you arrive jet-lagged you won't even know your own name. Will you be taking a bus from the airport to your hotel?

Michele



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Fotobug


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Will you be taking a bus from the airport to your hotel?

I don't know...  since there are 4 of us, you originally suggested that a taxi would be cost-efficient.  But we can certainly handle our own luggage and I'm told the bus stops right across the street from our hotel so if we can get the right combo we may do that.

You are definitely right about writing everything down!  I don't sleep well on those long flights and I'm sure aware of the "brain muddle" that results.  If nobody else knows for sure about the bus pass, I'll just wait and ask as you advise.  

What I saw on the Dublin Bus web site was a "Freedom" pass for E25 that said:
  • 3 days (72hrs) unlimited travel
  • Valid on all Dublin Bus scheduled services including Airlink, Xpresso and Dublin City Tours.
That was the origin of my question - does that mean we could use the Tours buses for the whole 3 days??  Quite a deal, if true. 

Thanks!

Barb



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Michele Erdvig


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Barb,

If it is good on all Dublin City Tours for 72 hours then it is a good deal. Right, I had forgotten about the taxi suggestion. Since there are four of you a taxi is cost effective and will whisk you right from destination to destination without the hassle of dragging luggage. Thanks for the reminder.

I still think it is a good idea to confirm on arrival because sometimes websites have out of date or contrary info.

Michele


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