Dublin to Galway, Galway to Dingle

saigespirit · Newbie

Dublin to Galway, Galway to Dingle

Michele Erdvig · Host

Saige,

Welcome to my forum. Will you be departing from Dublin as well? What time of year are you visiting? Will you need to spend one of those 5 days near an airport for departure next morning?

You will have many more choices of car companies in Dublin than in Galway. You could also make some sightseeing stops on the drive if you had a car, such as Belvedere House & Gardens and Clonmacnoise Monastic Site. Depending on your departure city there may be a drop off charge if renting in Galway. All things to check out. And before you rent be sure to read my Car Rental Page.

You can view a route planner at AA. For drive times you can get mileage and divide by 35 for approximate times.

When going from Galway to Dingle I would take the coastal route through Co. Clare and visit the Cliffs of Moher. Then take theferry across the Shannon River. If you get a map from Tourism Ireland your route will be pretty straightforward. Just connect the dots.

And my book is great for figuring out what you want to see, accommodations, food, etc.

Let us know if you have any other questions. We are here to help.

Michele

saigespirit · Newbie

Hi Michelle,

Thank you for the welcome. We will be arriving next week on the 30th. We have until Jan 3 in Dublin and then plan to head to Galway that day. Our flight out is in the late afternoon on Jan 9, so we have 6 whole days to explore. Would it be silly to rent a car in Galway and after going to Dingle, return it to Galway even though it would be back-tracking? Just trying to figure out the best route without spending the whole time driving.

Thank you

S

Michele Erdvig · Host

Saige,

With only a few days to see the majority of Ireland I would look into not doing so much backtracking. Check on some car rental companies to see if you can find any that don't have Dublin drop off fees if renting in Galway. Or the fee just might be worthwhile for you. Balance the cost of the fee with the train fare. Only you can determine what is right for your circumstances.

Many accommodations will be closed at the time period you are traveling. But hotels are an option. Usually if you book into a hotel for 2 or more days you can get special offers and lower prices.

Dingle should be pretty quiet at this time of year. But Dublin and Galway will be bustling.

Enjoy your trip! And let us know how it goes.

Michele