Rental car in Ireland/ drop off in Belfast?

I'm planning a trip to Ireland in 2020/ June.

I'm assuming that I can rent a car in Shannon & drop it off in Belfast, at the ferry to Scotland... is that right?

Thanks for your help!
Lot's of planning ahead!

Hello Tom, 

It sounds like you've got a wonderful trip planned for summer next year! :) Are you thinking of making your way up to Northern Ireland from Shannon along the Wild Atlantic Way, or do you have a different itinerary in mind?

I have collected a few other threads from visitors who were planning on crossing the border with their rental car for you below: 

• Rental Car and Ireland Road Trip
• Can I travel both in Eire and Northern Ireland by a rented car?
  
• I'm thinking of renting a car in Ireland - what do I need to know?
  

Thanks so much for the feedback!


I'll end up visiting long-lost family in Omagh, but want to do some bicycle touring before I get there.

I will check out the links right away.

It's wonderful to hear you've got family in Omagh! Do you have Irish roots yourself? If you want to do any research while you're on the island, the genealogy section here on the Community is a great place to start. 

You'll also have loads of lovely bike routes to choose from. Are you thinking of renting a bike? You can find some suggestions, as well as helpful information on this cycling page. There is for example the Waterford Greenway, or the famous Kingfisher Trail to follow, and you can also read all about other peoples cycling trips here for more inspiration and ideas. :)

Keep me posted on your plans, and you're always welcome to ask questions or discuss your ideas here!

This very helpful!

Thank you. I may still have distant cousins there- somewhere.....

I appreciate you sharing the cycling links!!

It would be great if you could connect with distant relatives while you're here, Tom! Feel free to get in touch with Ireland Reaching Out as well. It's a wonderful organisation where volunteers attempt to connect Irish descendants to their roots, through reverse genealogical research. :) 

One of the conditions of returning a rental vehicle to a different location is a compulsory charge known as a one way car rental fee or "drop fee." This varies in price depending on the rental car company's rate for a prearranged drop-off at a domestic or international location.  So It is best to check out the rental fee that you will have to pay with your chosen rental company as it can be expensive.

Is it too much to ask for a link to Irish auto rentals... from Shannon to Belfast ( ferry)...??


I wish there were still  Travel Agents who could deal with all the necessary logistics of a n extends trip!

We have a very helpful article on vehicle rental that you may be interested in. It has lots of useful information and a link to rental car companies that you may wish to contact. Please keep in mind the need to have an office at the Belfast port to drop off your car before sailing over to Scotland.

As Visit Belfast mentioned, please check with the terms and conditions of the many rental companies about oneway rental and also the requirement about informing them of crossing the border for insurance purposes.

Also, the ferry port in Belfast has the service provider Stena Line who you will need to contact regarding a crossing and times.

It is also possible to find tour operators who can help you with your trip. We have a list of tour operators some of which can offer self-drive options which may be a good idea, although I'm sure you will be able to sort it out before you come over next June!

I hope this helps and you can turn your focus onto your itinerary while here on the island of Ireland.

You can try the following car rental companies websites which seem to offer one way rentals, in alphabetical order :
- Avis, - Budget, - Easyrent, - Europcar, - Hertz, - Sixt (there may be others as well).
You can go on their Irish websites and fill in Shannon as Pick Up and then click on something like "different return location" which allows you to fill in Belfast as return location. Please pay attention to the inclusions of the quote to make sure the quote includes the one way fee. There may also be other restrictions such as drivers age, driving license etc. Please note: as Northern Ireland may leave the EU before you hire the car this may or may not affect the Terms and Conditions of the Car Hire companies. 
We hope you find this helpful and are looking forward to welcoming you soon.