Helpful tips for Driving in Ireland

Ireland is such a charming country, and the best way to explore it is by driving in Ireland.  I’ve got helpful tips to make sure your vacation is fun and safe. 

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What to know before driving in Ireland

Driving in Ireland: Ireland drives on the left

Before driving in Ireland for the first time or renting a car,  you need to know that in Ireland, cars are driving 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 should avoid driving in Ireland, 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, 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. 

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Driving in Ireland: 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. 

Driving in Ireland: 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 larger national roads (closest to interstates in the US) will often be toll roads.  The toll booths do accept credit cards, so you can easily tap and go without digging for change. 

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 quarter of 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. 

Renting a car in Ireland

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 3rd party site (like DiscoverCars.com), there are filtering options to select the correct option. 

What documentation do I need for renting a car in Ireland?

When renting a car in Ireland 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 $20.  Requirements can be found here.  

Renting a car from the Dublin Airport 

Most major rental companies are available in Ireland such as Hertz, Budget, Eurocar etc. From the main terminal, follow the signs to the rental counters.  Check with the desk to see if you are onsite or need to take a shuttle offsite.  We booked our rental with Hertz.  Although they have a counter at the airport, only reservations with member status (booked directly through Hertz) can pick up the rental car at the airport garage.  For all other reservations, you then go downstairs and wait for the Hertz shuttle to take you to the offsite lot.  From there, you will check in and pick up your car before heading out to your vacation. 

If you plan to drive to Northern Ireland, there are additional fees required by the rental agency as you will be crossing country borders into the UK. 

I highly recommend that if you are staying in Dublin at the start of your trip, that you wait to rent a car until after you leave Dublin.  Read why: To Have the Best Vacation, Skip Driving in Dublin

Car Insurance while driving in Ireland

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 Chase Sapphire 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.  

For more credit card information read: The Best Travel Credit Card for Beginners

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 which included car insurance. I had to use my policy for my trip to Guatemala, and I’m very thankful I had it.  I never recommend travelers insurance purchased directly 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 plan has travel, medical and you can add on rental coverage for a much lower cost. 

Driving in Ireland has its challenges, especially for those uninitiated to driving on the left, and driving along small winding roads.  But you’ll miss so much of the landscape and countryside that makes Ireland special.  This also gives you the freedom to enjoy an Irish road trip on your own terms. 

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