Overview
Ireland is a country in Europe according to philosophynearby. Ireland is a soft green carpet, dotted with sleepy little villages and bustling cities, offering the visitor both natural beauty and sophisticated culture. Ireland also offers a wide range of activities for outdoor enthusiasts, from exciting hikes in Killarney National Park to great surfing fun at Lahnich Beach. History buffs will be delighted by idyllic walks past ancient stone houses and prehistoric buildings such as the tombs in the Boyne Valley. The cities of Cork and Dublin enjoy international cultural significance. Dublin, the dynamic capital of Ireland, has completely transformed in the last few decades and is now a major city geared towards upscale tourism, with expensive shops and an eclectic nightlife. From fresh Galway Bay oysters to hearty cuts of black pudding from Cork’s best butcher shops, Ireland’s food is as tempting as its landscape. As evening approaches, fiddle music or traditional singing can often be heard in Ireland’s pubs, leading to lively conversation over a glass of frothy ale, smoky whiskey or – of course – a slug of Guinness.
Getting there
Arriving by plane
The national airline, Aer Lingus (EI), offers non-stop flights to Dublin from Berlin, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt am Main, Hamburg, Munich, Vienna, Geneva and Zurich. Aer Lingus (EI) also flies directly from Munich to Cork. Direct flights to Dublin also offer: – Lufthansa (LH) from Munich and Frankfurt/M.; – British Airways (BA) from Berlin, Munich, Frankfurt/M., Dusseldorf, Geneva, Vienna and Zurich; – Ryanair (FR) from Berlin and – Swiss (LX) from Geneva and Zurich.
Flight times
Frankfurt – Dublin: 2 hours 5 minutes; Vienna – Dublin: 2 hours 40 minutes; Zurich – Dublin: 2 hours 15 minutes
Arrival by car
Car: There are car ferries between Le Havre/Cherbourg and Ireland, among others. More information from ADAC. Good inland connections from all Irish ports. Long Distance Bus: Eurolines buses travel to and from the Republic of Ireland. Timetable and fare information is available from the Irish Eurolines general agency, Bus Eireann, or in German-speaking countries directly from Eurolines, Tel. +49 6196 2078-501. Tolls: Motorways, sections of the N6, N8 and N25 trunk roads, the East and West Link Bridges in Dublin and the Dublin Port and Limerick Tunnel are all subject to tolls. Except for the M50 motorway, tolls can be paid in cash and only cost a few euros each. Documents: The national driving license is sufficient.
Arrival by train
There are daily train connections to the French ferry ports with direct services to Ireland or via London to the towns of Pembroke, Fishguard, Holyhead and Liverpool with ferry services to Ireland. Deutsche Bahn, ÖBB and SBB provide information on train connections to the Irish Republic. Good inland connections from all Irish ports.
rail passes
The Interrail One Country Pass and the Interrail Global Pass are valid in Ireland.
Arrival by ship
Ireland’s main ports are Dublin, Cork, Galway and Rosslare. Regular ferries connect Ireland to the UK and France. Various shipping companies start their cruises from Germany and other countries with stopovers in Dublin and Cork, among others.
Cruise ships
Cruises to Ireland are offered by AIDA, MSC Cruises, Mein Schiff (Tui Cruises), Cunard and Royal Caribbean, among others.
Ferry provider
From France: Brittany Ferries operate the Roscoff – Cork route (journey time: 14 hrs). Irish Ferries connects Cherbourg with Dublin in the summer. From England: P&O Ferries connect Liverpool to Dublin (journey time approximately 8 hours). From Wales: Irish Ferries operate multiple daily services on the Pembroke – Rosslare (journey time 4 hrs) and Holyhead – Dublin (journey time 3 hrs 30 mins) routes. The Stena Line operates the Holyhead – Dublin (journey time 3 hrs 15 mins) and Fishguard – Rosslare (journey time 3 hrs 15 mins) routes. From the Isle of Man: Steam Packet commutes between the Isle of Man and Dublin (Journey time: 2 hours 55 minutes).
Traveling by car/bus
A good road network of motorways, federal and regional roads opens up all parts of the country. The Dublin ring road (M50) bypasses the Irish capital in a semicircle for 40 kilometers. There is a north-south motorway link (M1/M50/M11) from Dundalk near the Northern Ireland border past Dublin to Bray about 10km south of the capital. Dublin is also linked to Galway (M4), Limerick (M7), Cork (M7/M8) and Waterford (M7/M9) via motorways. Tolls: Motorways, sections of the N6, N8 and N25 trunk roads, the East and West Link Bridges in Dublin and the Dublin Port and Limerick Tunnel are all subject to tolls. Except for the M50 motorway, tolls can be paid in cash and only cost a few euros each. Further information is available from Transport Infrastructure Ireland. Gas stations: There are enough gas stations in larger towns. In rural areas, petrol stations are sometimes closed entirely on Sundays and as early as 6 p.m. on the other days of the week. It is therefore advisable to refuel in good time. Credit cards are not accepted everywhere. It is therefore advisable to refuel in good time. Credit cards are not accepted everywhere. It is therefore advisable to refuel in good time. Credit cards are not accepted everywhere.
