Ireland

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LJ1999

Well-Known Member
My sister and I are exploring taking a trip to Ireland. She has found "Vacations by Rail" which offers guided tours. I'll be looking into it and checking it out.

Anybody here have any experience with traveling to Ireland, Vacations by Rail? Any advice to offer or things that are a must do?

I am not much of a traveler, so any insider secrets are welcome as well
 
H

HemiHauler

Well-Known Member
Don’t know Vacations by Rail, but have been to Ireland at least a half-dozen times.

Best advice I have is that you’ll want to spend less time in Dublin that you may be planning. It’s a fine city, but the beauty of Ireland isn’t in Dublin. You can cover it in two days tops.

Galway, Cork, Killarney (nearby lake is unforgettable), Limerick, Wexford, and Waterford are all incredible, as is virtually everywhere in between. Don’t leave out Northern Ireland.

Don’t be afraid to drive; driving on the wrong side of the road takes about 5 minutes to adjust to it and is the best way to explore.
 
Clem72

Clem72

Well-Known Member
Not familiar with vacations by rail, but hopefully they give you several overnights in the cities as the nightlife is at least half the experience. If you are going with other big loud americans go to a comedy club, they will pick on you nonstop (good fun) and then the whole bar will buy you drinks afterwards.
 
Monello

Monello

Smarter than the average bear
PREMO Member
I wish the US had developed a rail system similar to what you find in Europe. You can pretty much get anywhere you want for a reasonable price. Plus your not all beat up like you get after a long drive.

FWIW, I drove 115 KM total on the left side when I was in Australian. I was puckered up pretty tight the entire time. My 3 passengers served as a sort of warning system letting me know if I needed to adjust. The first intersection I came to with a stop sign, I wasn't sure where I needed to go. Your brain is funny like that. I've been conditioned to do it a certain way for decades. Now I'm expected to do the exact opposite and the confusion is hard to describe.
 
L

LJ1999

Well-Known Member
Monello said:
I wish the US had developed a rail system similar to what you find in Europe. You can pretty much get anywhere you want for a reasonable price. Plus your not all beat up like you get after a long drive.

FWIW, I drove 115 KM total on the left side when I was in Australian. I was puckered up pretty tight the entire time. My 3 passengers served as a sort of warning system letting me know if I needed to adjust. The first intersection I came to with a stop sign, I wasn't sure where I needed to go. Your brain is funny like that. I've been conditioned to do it a certain way for decades. Now I'm expected to do the exact opposite and the confusion is hard to describe.
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Yeah, I'm not much of a city driver, so between that and the wrong side of the road could do me in!
 
L

LJ1999

Well-Known Member
Clem72 said:
Not familiar with vacations by rail, but hopefully they give you several overnights in the cities as the nightlife is at least half the experience. If you are going with other big loud americans go to a comedy club, they will pick on you nonstop (good fun) and then the whole bar will buy you drinks afterwards.
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It looks like the Vacations by Rails is going to be way to fast. New location each day with scheduled tours. Free drinks are always good!!!
 
spr1975wshs

spr1975wshs

Mostly settled in...
Ad Free Experience
Patron
LJ1999 said:
My sister and I are exploring taking a trip to Ireland. She has found "Vacations by Rail" which offers guided tours. I'll be looking into it and checking it out.

Anybody here have any experience with traveling to Ireland, Vacations by Rail? Any advice to offer or things that are a must do?

I am not much of a traveler, so any insider secrets are welcome as well
Click to expand...
Never been, but would like to visit. Tallied up that I have ancestors from 10 of the 32 Counties.
 
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Tech

Tech

Well-Known Member
Did an Ireland rail trip a few years ago. The one I took was self guided but they sent you vouchers for your reserved hotels and reserved train tickets along with ones for local bus tours. You're mostly confined to the cities, we did Cork, Killarney, Galway, Dublin and Belfast, a couple of days in each. As for driving, left side and most rentals are manual, narrow roads and complex roundabouts in urban areas.
 
L

LJ1999

Well-Known Member
Tech said:
Did an Ireland rail trip a few years ago. The one I took was self guided but they sent you vouchers for your reserved hotels and reserved train tickets along with ones for local bus tours. You're mostly confined to the cities, we did Cork, Killarney, Galway, Dublin and Belfast, a couple of days in each. As for driving, left side and most rentals are manual, narrow roads and complex roundabouts in urban areas.
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Which company did you use?

Never thought about "round abouts". Jesus, it would be a National Lampoon movie all over again!
 
Sneakers

Sneakers

Just sneakin' around....
I've done the 'roundabout' thing. Enter on the left, exit on the right...... :yikes:

Never been to Ireland, but my grandmother did, and she brought back the most beautiful Irish wool sweater for me. That was probably 50 years ago and the sweater is still in great condition. Gets used a lot.
 
Gilligan

Gilligan

#*! boat!
PREMO Member
Monello said:
I wish the US had developed a rail system similar to what you find in Europe. You can pretty much get anywhere you want for a reasonable price.
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Not just a reasonable price...amazingly comfy, great food, nice bars..... I've traveled most of Europe and Scandinavia by rail over the last 35 years and its always been a great way to go.
 
Tech

Tech

Well-Known Member
Sneakers said:
I've done the 'roundabout' thing. Enter on the left, exit on the right...... :yikes:

Never been to Ireland, but my grandmother did, and she brought back the most beautiful Irish wool sweater for me. That was probably 50 years ago and the sweater is still in great condition. Gets used a lot.
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Leave one roundabout to enter another.
 
RoseRed

RoseRed

American Beauty
PREMO Member
LJ1999 said:
My sister and I are exploring taking a trip to Ireland. She has found "Vacations by Rail" which offers guided tours. I'll be looking into it and checking it out.

Anybody here have any experience with traveling to Ireland, Vacations by Rail? Any advice to offer or things that are a must do?

I am not much of a traveler, so any insider secrets are welcome as well
Click to expand...
Be sure to post pictures! Scotland and Ireland are on my bucket list.
 
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