Travelling Without a Car - Dublin, Cork, Belfast, and Galway

Hello! I am looking to travel with my boyfriend in Ireland for about 11 days.
We would like to travel without renting a car, if possible. We don't really like tours and would like to stay on a budget. Any advice?
It seems like it would be easiest to fly into Dublin and then visit Cork, Belfast, and Galway from there. We would like to visit cities but also experience the country and coastline. So far were were just thinking of visiting only Belfast in Northern Ireland. Any advice about Northern Ireland specifically? I have also read that there is a good Connemara hop on hop off bus. Thanks! 

Hello Sarah,

It is indeed possible to travel around the island of Ireland without renting a car or choosing an organized tour!

Transport for Ireland has a wonderful journey planner that you can use to find the most suitable method to travel from destination to destination. You can enter your chosen places to and from, a time and day to travel and the options will appear. Simply select the most appropriate and the information on the provider will be shown.

There are indeed hop on hop off bus tours in Dublin, Belfast and Connemara. These are a super way to see around the cities and surrounding area from Belfast and also Connemara from Clifden Town. Dublin has excellent public transport services, please take a look at our article on 10 Day trips from Dublin, many of them are possible without a car.

We also have several tour operators who would be able to offer day trips from the various locations. This gives you the opportunity to travel from your chosen location and still see some of the wonders we have to offer.

There is plenty to see and do during any visit to Northern Ireland and Belfast is one of many wonderful locations to see. The Causeway Coastal Route has lots of super attractions all the way to Derry~Londonderry. Whether traveling by bus or train, Translink has a service to get you around and see the wonders that await you.

We hope this helps you with your plans and that you can create a wonderful itinerary.

Please feel free to get back to us with any further questions, maybe some of our fellow members and industry partners will add some suggestions too!

Speak soon,

Martin

Hi Sarah,

If it were me, I would like the flexibility of having a car while in Ireland. You can cover a lot more ground and work more to your own timetable. Also, in order to save on accommodation, you can stay in more out of the way places like farmhouses or bed and breakfasts that aren't easily accessible on public transport. You can see registered houses on www.bandbireland.com - they are really helpful.
Driving the Causeway Coast in Northern Ireland is amazing, it was listed by Lonely Planet as one of the top drives in the world. You can head North out of Belfast towards Larne, then follow the road up through the little coastal villages to Ballycastle or further on to Bushmills or Portrush. If you watch the HBO show Game of Thrones, you will recognise some of the scenery as there are some locations used in the show around this coastline.
If you continue around the top of Ireland, into Donegal, you will see some of the most beautiful landscapes and you can follow the Wild Atlantic Way signposting if you want to stick to the coastline. The Wild Atlantic Way stretches 2,500kms around the West coast of Ireland.
Good luck, you will have an amazing time!
Sandra.

Hi Sarah,

I would like to give you a few ideas about what you could see and do when visiting Northern Ireland.  Belfast is a great city to sightsee in, as many of the varied attractions are within easy access.  There is a Hop On - Hop Off bus service that regularly tours the city to take visitors round the main attractions. 

If you decided you would like to explore more of Northern Ireland you might consider taking a trip north to the Causeway Coast and Glens region.  There you can clamber over the unique rock formations at the Giant's Causeway, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, traverse Carrick-A-Rede Rope Bridge, sample a single malt at the Old Bushmills Whiskey Distillery, see Game of Thrones film locations to take a few photos of your own and walk on beautiful sandy beaches.  If this sounds appealing it is easily achievable by public transport.  You would take a train from Lanyon Place Train Station in Belfast to Coleraine.  The service is hourly and the journey takes 1 hour 20 minutes.  From Coleraine Bus Station there is a Causeway Rambler bus (172/402) that takes visitors to all the places mentioned previously. This is also a hop on - hop off service.

If you would like to find out more about the public transport in Northern Ireland please visit: www.translink.co.uk 
To find out more information about the Causeway Coast and Glens region our web site is: www.visitcausewaycoastandglens.com 

I hope you and your boyfriend have an amazing adventure in Ireland!

Anne

Hello Sarah!

You've already received great pieces of advice and, if that helps, I'm happy to share those useful articles with you:

• Any suggestions for Dublin on a budget?
  
• I want to visit Belfast but I’m on a budget. Any tips?
  
• I plan on visiting Galway, but I am watching my spends! Any suggestions?
  
• I want to visit Cork but I’m on a budget. Any suggestions? 
  

When are you planning on visiting us? 

Cheers,

Francesco