With driving on the left-hand side, narrow country roads, and 5.5 million sheep to dodge, driving in Ireland can be quite an adventure.
At the same time, this adventure is extremely convenient, stunningly picturesque, and by far the best way to experience this exceptional country and the spectacular scenery it has to offer.
After driving to some of Ireland’s absolute highlights and some of the hidden gems too, I’ve come to the conclusion that there are only a few places more suitable for an adventurous road trip than Ireland.
It’s rugged, a tad unpredictable, and most of all, exceptionally beautiful, making it a dream destination for those who crave off-the-beaten-path adventure and untouched wilderness.
Add to that that the roads are easy to navigate and in excellent condition, and Ireland is the road trip destination you’ve been searching for all along.
To kick-start your own road trip, I’ve curated a list of useful tips for driving in Ireland – plus all the essentials in terms of car rental, costs, insurance and more.
Why rent a car in Ireland?
Ireland is an incredibly picturesque country and exploring it as part of a road trip is easily the best way to see everything it has to offer.
By renting your own car, you also have the possibility to cruise to some of the most secluded areas of the country, which to me, is an absolute must for anyone road-tripping Ireland.
Add to that, that you have all the freedom to explore at your own pace, and that public transport is slightly limited in some bits of the country, and it’s easy to understand why a road trip is the best way to experience this amazing island in the North Atlantic Ocean.
Cost of renting a car in Ireland
First things first; renting a car in Ireland isn’t by any means cheap.
I’ve rented cars in many different countries over the last few years, and the costs of renting a car in Ireland were some of the highest I’ve ever seen – which kinda shocked me at first.
However, after doing some proper research, I noticed that renting a car is still the cheapest, fastest and most convenient means of transport in Ireland.
Having said that, the price for car rental ranges from €400 to €600 per week in the high season, which comes to approximately €60 – €90 per day. This includes free cancellation, theft protection and collision damage waiver.
If you choose to opt for a car with automatic transmission (which I highly recommend if you haven’t driven on the left before), the costs of car rental will average out at €600 to €800 per week.
All in all, a road trip in Ireland is far from cheap, and with the above in mind, I’d advise booking your rental car well in advance to save a few bucks.
For car rental in Ireland, I’d highly recommend Rentalcars.com. They offer brilliant service, additional insurance options, as well as a wide selection of cars to choose from. Prices and availability here.
11 Useful tips to kick-start your Ireland road trip
1 | Drive on the left-hand side of the road
To me, the idea of driving on the left-hand side of the road sounded kinda frightening at first, but after a short phase of acclimatisation, it actually felt quite logical.
But it isn’t like this for everyone, so I’d highly recommend anyone to take it slow since it takes at least a couple of days to become fully accustomed to your new driving situation.
If it’s your first time driving on the left, make sure you do some test drives at the parking lot of your rental car supplier, as it will give you some time to get a feel for the car, while you also practice your new driving habits.
If you’re not completely comfortable with driving on the left, hiring an automatic car will make things a lot less complicated, as you don’t have to stress about changing the gears all the time.
Those preferring to drive automatic, be sure to book a car in advance since renting an automatic car is wildly popular within Ireland.
2 | Rent and drop off your car at Dublin Airport
Since there’s plenty of rental car companies established in Dublin Airport, there’s also significantly more competition, meaning you could find a rental at notably cheaper rates here.
However, it’s essential that you reserve your rental car online and in advance, and pick it up as soon as your flight touches down on Irish soil.
For the above reasons, I’d advise anyone to sort out their own rental car as soon as their flight confirmation pops up in their mail inbox – given that last-minute rates can be quite a shock, especially during the peak summer months.
When it comes to international car rental, I always make use of RentalCars; an excellent online car rental service that holds over 900 of the world’s leading rental car suppliers.
Additionally, if you do however wish to book a rental car spontaneously, make sure you check at the reception of your hotel, as it’s likely that they can offer your a small discount.
3 | Try to avoid parking your car in Dublin
If there’s one thing I’ve learned during my time in Ireland, it will be that you should try to avoid parking your car in Dublin at all times.
While some of the best day trips from Dublin are reached by car, I’d highly recommend bringing back your car to the rental car company before exploring the city itself.
Simply put, the parking fees in Dublin can add up quickly, especially if you park around museums or in one of the parking garages in the city centre.
I had my rental car in the garage for one night and paid around €25, which is a complete waste of money in my eyes.
4 | Mind the sheep
As you’ve likely seen on the cover of my Ireland itinerary, Ireland is teeming with sheep, and they often don’t give a damn about the traffic.
Instead, these sheep tend to wander on the side of the road, so make sure you keep an eye out when passing a herd – they have a tendency to cross the road without warning.
Lastly, with over 5.5 million sheep, Ireland is home to more sheep than humans, meaning there’s simply no way around this fact when driving through the Irish countryside yourself.
5 | Don’t forget to pay the M50 toll
First things first, make sure you put a reminder on your phone now to pay the M50 toll.
When renting a car from the Dublin Airport (which I’d highly advise you to do), odds are that you will pass the barrier-free tolling system on Dublin’s M50 motorway.
This innovative system grants drivers the ability to simply pass through, instead of stopping over to pay the toll at the booth, which makes the journey along this crowded area significantly faster.
The only thing that you’ll have to do is pay the toll online at Eflow by 8 PM the next day.
While this sounds pretty straightforward, I can tell from first-hand experience that it’s extremely easy to forget about the toll – I paid mine at home since I totally overlooked it.
If you forget to pay in time like me, don’t worry, you’re still able to pay it a few days later, just be aware that you will pay a small fine atop the initial toll.
6 | Consider renting a smaller car
While your rental car supplier will most likely present you with an upgrade that offers extra comfort when driving bumpy roads, I’m here to say that it’s better to stay with a slightly smaller car.
I say this because Ireland has no shortage of narrow country roads, and navigating these is far more easy in a smaller car rather than a huge SUV.
I opted for the Toyota C-HR, a medium-sized hybrid car, and had an easy time navigating the narrow country roads, while also having enough power to handle the steeper parts of my road trip through Ireland.
7 | The famous Irish weather conditions
Given Ireland’s position in the North Atlantic Ocean, the weather conditions can change rapidly, meaning all four seasons could occur in the blink of an eye.
One moment the sun is out and blazing, and the other moment, the rain is pouring from the skies.
While it doesn’t necessarily sound like an issue when sitting inside your car, it does requires some adjustment in the way you approach the roads.
For that reason, I’d highly recommend driving with your lights on at all times, since unpredicted rain or fog can easily restrict the sight of you and your fellow road users.
Lastly, when it starts raining or turns foggy, make sure you adjust your speed limits accordingly.
8 | Know your limits
Throughout Ireland, the speed limits include 50 km/h within urban areas, 80 km/h on secondary or regional roads, 100 km/h on national primary routes, and 120 km/h on motorways.
While it’s allowed to drive 80 km/h or faster on most roads, I highly suggest you to slow down a tad, especially when driving along narrow country roads.
Secondly, if it’s your first time driving on the left-hand side of the road, take your time and don’t mind letting local drivers pass you – your Ireland road trip isn’t a race.
9 | Plan your route in advance
As with all road trips, the best thing to do is plan out your route in advance, so you have a clear overview of how many kilometres you be driving each day.
While you should always keep some time and space for spontaneous stops, it is pretty damn convenient (and time-saving) if you thoroughly research the highlights, and then bundle them in a logical day-to-day itinerary.
However, if you’re not from the planning side of things, don’t worry – I’ve put together a pretty awesome 9-day Ireland road trip itinerary, so be sure you give that a read too.
10 | Fill up often
While the distances in Ireland are completely manageable, keep in mind that a lot of Ireland is merely countryside with not a single petrol station in sight.
To avoid stranding on the side of the road, make sure you live by the following rule of thumb; always fill up your car when driving long distances or stretches that take you through the countryside.
Not only is running out of gas a bummer, but ending up on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere, waiting for another car to pass is simply a waste of time.
By filling up on time, you will also never disrespect the golden road trip rule – never let your fuel tank go lower than ⅓.
11 | Sort out your insurance
As I would mention in all my road trip guides, it is wise to travel with your essential insurance sorted out, this also involves the full coverage of your rental car.
Though you might save some money when leaving out the full insurance of your car, these few bucks wouldn’t outweigh the benefits of the full insurance option, as it fully covers the car’s excess, as well as damage to the windows, mirrors, wheels and tyres.
On top of that, I also advise you to do a thorough inspection of the car afore taking it out on the road. If you don’t do this, chances are that you have to pay for pre-existing damage and that would be a pity.
Then there is your travel insurance, which, I believe, you should always purchase when travelling abroad, this is also highly recommended when doing a road trip in Ireland.
For travel insurance, I use Heymondo, as they offer full covid-19 coverage, as well as a handy app with 24-hour medical assistance. Make sure you check it out – readers of WTSW receive 5% off any insurance policy. Additionally, I also recommend World Nomads.
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