Carli
Carli
Dublin is a great city but the best way to truly experience Ireland is by renting a car in Dublin and road trip through the countryside. You can see dramatic cliffs and have a pint with locals in charming small town pubs.
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What to know before renting a car in Dublin
Ireland drives on the left
Before you book a car for hire in Dublin Ireland, you need to know that in Ireland, cars drive on the left hand side of the road. For anyone that is not from the UK or a commonwealth country, driving on the left side of the road can be confusing and challenging. But, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t rent a car in Dublin, you’ll just need to be more aware of where and how you drive.
The obvious challenge is that for anyone used to driving on the right side of the road, is that all your movements are backwards. Not only that, the buttons and controls in the vehicle are backwards as well. This however varies with car manufacturers. In Thailand, the turn signals and windshield wipers were opposite, so every time I went to put on my signal I accidentally turned on the wipers instead. However, in Ireland, the signals were in the same spot which was much easier to use. Gas and brake pedals remain in the same order regardless of country.
The roads of Ireland
Once you get outside of large cities like Dublin, Galway, and Cork, you will not find large interstates or highways. The further out into the country you drive, everything becomes small (often) two lane highways. And if you’re REALLY in the boonies, the roads are more like single-lane roads.
Thanks to a very odd map route from Blarney to Dublin, we drove through small country roads. At one point the road was so narrow that a car in the opposite direction had to back up for nearly half a mile until there was enough space for them to pull over and let the cars in our direction pass.
Irish roads are also extremely windy and narrow with little to no shoulder, and tall bushes/brush right up to the lane markers. This makes it hard to see cars coming at you from the other direction when going around curves. This is not meant to deter you from driving in Ireland, but to set expectations.
The benefit of being in the countryside is there are fewer drivers than in the city and not a lot of traffic. So if you are cautious and staying well within the speed limits, you can enjoy some beautiful scenery on your drive.
The larger national roads (or closer to interstates in the US) will often have toll roads. The toll booths do accept credit cards, so you can easily tap and go without digging for change.
Ireland road rules
Most of the rules of driving are similar in Ireland as in the United States or other countries. There are road signs designating the speed limits which are in kilometers per hour. General road safety doesn’t change much in Ireland. Obey the speed limits, wear seat belts, and always stay to the left.
Renting a car in Dublin
When you book your car rental reservation make sure you check what type of transmission you are reserving. Manual transmission (stick shift) is standard for car rentals in most of Europe. Automatic transmission is available but costs almost 2x as much in Ireland. Whether you book directly or through a site like DiscoverCars, there are filtering options to select the correct option.
What documentation do I need for renting a car in Dublin?
When renting a car in Dublin as an American (or other nationality) you will need a valid driving licence and major credit card. An International Driving Permit was not required by Hertz during my recent visit. However, it doesn’t hurt to have it if other companies have different policies.
International Driving Permit (IDP): What to know
- May be issued up to 6 months prior to travel dates
- The International Driving Permit (IDP) must be issued in your home country
- The IDP is valid for 12 months
- The IDP is valid in 150 countries around the world
How to get an IDP?
In the US you can apply in person at a AAA location or apply by mail. The cost for the IDP is $50. Purchasing an IDP will vary from state to state. For example, I live in Washington state, where there is only (1) location to purchase an IDP in person for the entire state.
Need an International Driving Permit in Washington State? It’s Not Going to be Easy
In Canada, you can apply through CAA similarly to the AAA application process.
Renting a car from the Dublin Airport
Most major car hire brands are available in Ireland such as Hertz, Budget, Europcar etc. From the main terminal, follow the signs to the rental counters which is a short walk to the facility outside the terminal. Check with the desk to see if you have a car onsite, or need to take a shuttle to a different location.
We booked our rental with Hertz. Although they have a counter at the airport, only reservations with member status (booked directly through Hertz) will pick up the rental car at the airport. For all other reservations, ourselves included, we then had to go downstairs and wait for the Hertz shuttle to take us to the offsite lot. From there, you will check in and pick up your car before heading out to your vacation.
How to book your Dublin rental car
You can either book a car hire in Dublin directly with the rental company or through an aggregate site such as DiscoverCars.com. I almost always book through one of these sites because I’ve found they end up having the best rental deals compared to booking directly. Plus, they will give you all the options for car rental companies in Dublin in one place, with the bonus of seeing reviews. Just because you had a good experience with a company in one location, it doesn’t mean the service will be the same in all cities.
Car insurance is a must for renting a car in Dublin
I always decline the car rental insurance provided by the rental agency. The first reason is that I have a few different travel cards that include international rental insurance in the annual fees. For this trip I used my favorite beginner’s travel card. Always check with your card prior to the trip to make sure that the country you are traveling to is included in the coverage.
If you don’t have a travel card that includes car insurance, you can also get car insurance added onto traveler’s insurance. I’ve used Visitors Coverage on my last two international trips and the car insurance was needed during my trip to Guatemala. I never recommend travelers insurance purchased through the airline because it is always going to be very expensive and highly limited. It only will cover travel related to the flights whereas a more comprehensive insurance has travel, medical and you can add on rental coverage for a much lower cost.
Driving in Dublin
Personally, I recommend avoiding driving in Dublin for a number of reasons. Getting around the city center is confusing and frustrating. Parking is limited, even at hotels. It is very common in Ireland for a hotel to use an offsite parking lot that may not even be next to the hotel. And street parking is not only expensive, but has hourly limits.
To Have the Best Vacation, Skip Driving in Dublin
Instead, use public transportation, or Ubers/taxis in the city, then use your rental only for exploring the rest of the country.
Renting a car in Dublin FAQs
Where to rent a car in Dublin?
You can easily rent a car in Dublin at the airport upon arrival. However if you intend to start your trip in Dublin, there are rental locations available throughout the city.
Where to park a rental car in Dublin?
Parking in Dublin is challenging. Street parking is expensive and typically has time limits. It is best to park in a lot, if you can find one.
Can you rent a car in Dublin and drive to Northern Ireland?
Yes, you can cross borders between Ireland and Northern Island in a rental car, however the companies need to know ahead of time if you plan to cross borders. You can also expect to have fees for border crossings, and additional rental insurance may be required by the rental agency.
Can Americans rent a car in Dublin?
Yes! Renting a car in Dublin is easy, as long as you have a valid driver’s licence, meet the minimum age requirements and present a credit card for booking.
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