Budget travel in Ireland is not only possible, it's the best way to get to know the country and its people. It's an irony of travel that the more money you spend, the more you're able to isolate yourself from the places and people you've journeyed so far to visit. Bottom line: Don't lament that you can't afford a night in that luxurious hotel; you may not find the Ireland you're looking for there, anyway.
So, what do we mean by "from $60 a day"? Basically, we assume that you're traveling as a couple, with at least $60 each to spend per day on a double room and meals. The figure would have to be somewhat higher for a single traveler, because B&Bs either add a "single supplement" or simply charge the same amount whether the room is occupied by one person or two. The average B&B should run you about 30€ ($27) per person for a double room with breakfast, which leaves you about 36€ ($33) for lunch and dinner. Although eating out can be expensive in Ireland, this is plenty for two decent, filling meals or one extravagant splurge of a meal, especially if you can get used to eating your main meal at lunch. Of course, we all have our own preferences regarding where to skimp and where to splurge; I often prefer to sleep cheap at one of Ireland's fine hostels and use the pounds saved on a really good meal.
Transportation costs aren't included in our "$60 a day" premise, and how you choose to get around could be the biggest factor in determining the total expense of your trip. Public transportation is the best option in Dublin, where driving is usually more of a hassle than it's worth. Bus and train access to rural Ireland can be quite limited, though we've tried to highlight public transportation options wherever they're available. For the most part, when it comes to rural Ireland, we've assumed that you're traveling either by car or, if you're the intrepid type, by bicycle. If you think that cycling might be an option for you, check out any of these rental agencies with depots nationwide that permit one-way rental, including Irish Cycle Hire, Unit 6, Enterprise Centre, Ardee, County Louth (tel. 041/685-3772; fax 041/685-3809; www.irishcyclehire.com) ; and Raleigh Rent-a-Bike (Ireland's largest), Raleigh House, Kylemore Road, Dublin 10 (tel. 01/626-1333; fax 01/626-1770; www.raleigh.ie). Bike rental rates average 15€ ($14) per day or 70€ ($63) per week, with a one-way drop-off fee of about 20€ ($18), where available. If you decide to rent a car, though, be prepared to pay some hefty prices for gasoline (more than three times what you'd pay in the United States) .
In this list, we've collected the information you need to anticipate where you want to count your pennies and where you might want to forget your budget in the pure enjoyment of the moment. And now for the tips:
Getting to Ireland
1. Budgeting for transportation begins with your flight over--be sure to take advantage of discounted airfares that require advance booking.
2. There are numerous free Internet services that can help you find the cheapest regular fare. Keep in mind that because several airlines are no longer willing to pay commissions on tickets sold by online travel agencies, these agencies may either add a $10 surcharge to your bill if you book on that carrier--or neglect to offer those carriers' schedules. The list of sites below is selective, not comprehensive.
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Travelocity (www.travelocity.com) and Expedia (www.expedia.com) are among the most popular sites, each offering an excellent range of options. Travelers search by destination, dates and cost.
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Orbitz (www.orbitz.com) is a popular site launched by United, Delta, Northwest, American, and Continental airlines.
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Qixo (www.qixo.com) is another powerful search engine that allows you to search for flights and accommodations from some 20 airline and travel-planning sites (such as Travelocity) at once. Qixo sorts results by price.
- Priceline (www.priceline.com) lets you "name your price" for airline tickets, hotel rooms, and rental cars. For airline tickets, you can't say what time you want to fly--you have to accept any flight between 6am and 10pm on the dates you've selected, and you may have to make one or more stopovers. Tickets are nonrefundable, and no frequent-flyer miles are awarded.
3. Students and teachers are eligible for substantially reduced tickets through Council Travel; contact the national office (tel. 888/COUNCIL; www.counciltravel.com) where they can make your reservations or refer you to the Council Travel office nearest you. In Canada, Council's counterpart is Travel CUTS, 200 Ronson St., Ste. 320, Toronto, ONT M9W 5Z9 (tel. 800/667-2887 (within Canada) or 416/614-2887; www.travelcuts.com). In Australia, try STA Travel, 855 George Street, Sydney 2007 (tel. 02/9212-1255) .
4. Charter flights to Ireland are often available at bargain-basement rates, but be prepared for service that may not be up to the same standards as the big airlines. For a full list of recommendations, visit "Ireland > Planning a Trip > Getting There" in our destinations section.
5. Consider traveling off-season, when airfares (as well as the price of accommodations) drop substantially. Peak-season fares generally extend from June to late October; prices are low in November, then rise again from mid-December to mid-January; late winter and early spring fares are predictably low. But be advised that winter in Ireland can be truly miserable. May is often the most beautiful month of the year, with lots of sun, warm temperatures, and cheap airfares.
6. Check with travel agents for air/drive package deals--double transportation savings. Sceptre Tours regularly offers combined airfare, car rental, and/or accommodation packages at very reasonable rates (tel. 800/221-0924; www.sceptretours.com) .
Getting Around
7. Car rental and gasoline could be your biggest single expense. Public transportation is an option for major towns and cities--look up the places you'd like to go in our online destinations section to see if they're accessible by bus or train.
8. Travel by rail or bus becomes even cheaper with the Irish Explorer Pass, good for unlimited travel for 5 or 8 days throughout the Republic. In Northern Ireland, the Freedom of Northern Ireland pass is a recommended money-saver. For itineraries that encompass both the Republic and Northern Ireland, there's the umbrella Emerald Card, good on both sides of the border. These may be purchased from CIE Tours International (www.cietours.com) ; tickets must be purchased 3 weeks in advance of the first day of travel. The Emerald Card can also be purchased from any Irish Rail ticket office. You can view maps of the Irish rail system online through European Rail Guide (www.europeanrailguide.com) .
You can also add on to your savings by buying the recently introduced Join Ireland card, which brings the bearer a minimum of a 10% savings on hotels, restaurants, shopping purchases, transportation including buses, trains, ferries and rental cars, golf fees, museum entrances and more. The card cost $59 for a one-year membership. You can purchase the card online at www.joinireland.com, through your travel agent or by calling 866/J-IRELAND.
9. Be sure to ask about Bus Eireann (the main Irish bus company; tel. 01/830-2222; www.buseireann.ie) and Irish Rail (toll-free tel. 1850/366222 or 01/836-6222; www.irishrail.ie) promotional midweek, weekend, and excursion fares when you're buying your ticket.
10. You can save on both transportation and accommodations by booking Bus Eireann Breakaway holiday packages.
11. Bus Eireann's regional day trips cost far less than driving, and visit a tremendous number of places. Information on these trips is available from local Bus Eireann stations.
12. In Dublin, ask bus drivers or at the Dublin Bus Office or Tourist Office about city bus discounts during certain hours of the day.
13. Holders of an International Student Identity Card (www.istc.org) travel at a 50% discount on trains throughout the Republic with a Travelsave Stamp, obtained from the USIT Office, 19 Aston Quay, Dublin 2. The stamp also provides a 15% discount on bus fares outside Dublin, and substantially reduced weekly transit passes in Dublin.
14. Regional bus companies are often cheaper and more direct than Bus Eireann; so, ask at the bus station ticket office to find the cheapest and fastest service to your destination.
15. Always book your rental car before you arrive in Ireland, as last-minute rentals can often cost you an arm and a leg. Visit "Ireland > Planning a Trip > Getting Around > By Rental Car" for a detailed listing of recommended agencies, and don't forget to shop around before making a commitment.
16. If you'll be spending some time in Dublin, try to schedule your car rental so you don't have a car during your stay in the city. If, say, you're spending the last week of your trip in Dublin, drop off the car a week early and use public transportation for all your Dublin sightseeing--you'll save a week's rental charges, and spare yourself the worry and hassle of having a car in the city.
17. Some credit cards provide full collision and theft insurance for rentals paid with the card. This can save you up to $30 a day, but be sure to be clear with your credit card company about the exact circumstances of the rental, because you don't want to find out the hard way that you aren't covered. Important Note: Visa discontinued its insurance waiver policy for the Republic of Ireland in 1999, so be certain to verify before departure that your card offers this service in the Republic of Ireland, as well as Northern Ireland if you will be traveling there.
18. Consider renting a car with standard transmission. With most Irish rental companies automatic transmission isn't available on economy models.
Accommodations
19. Don't travel alone. Single rates can cost 10€ to 20€ ($9 to $18) more than what you'd pay for a shared room. During peak season and special events, many B&Bs will charge the full double rate even if there's only one person in the room. Single rooms, when available, are often tiny and substandard.
20. Hostels are Ireland's best budget option, and they're as diverse as the people who run them. Many have private rooms at about half the rate you'd pay in the average B&B. All have self-catering kitchens where you can save by preparing your own meals, and an increasing number have their own reasonably priced restaurants. Hostels aren't just for students; although most hostelers are young, you'll also meet families and travelers of all ages. An Óige, the Irish Youth Hostel Association, 61 Mountjoy St., Dublin 7 (tel. 01/830-4555; fax 01/830-5808; www.irelandyha.org), is the place to begin your planning. The corresponding organization in the North, whose hostels are maintained to a very high standard, is YHANI (Northern Ireland's Youth Hostels Association), 22-32 Donegall Rd., Belfast BT12 5JN (tel. 028/9032-4733; fax 028/90439699; www.hini.org.uk). When you come across related references to HINI (Hostelling International Northern Ireland), don't be confused. It's another name for the same organization.
21. When booking at a B&B consider forgoing that private bathroom--this sacrifice can save you 2€ to 6€ ($1.80 to $5.45) on each night's cost.
22. Renting a self-catering cottage can be a great budget option, especially for groups and families--the per-person rates are often cheaper than those of B&Bs, especially if you count the money you save by cooking some of your own meals. Rentals are usually weekly, although weekend rentals are sometimes offered.
Several recommended self-catering companies offer especially attractive accommodations throughout Ireland, mostly along the coasts. One is Trident Holiday Homes, 15 Irishtown Rd., Irishtown, Dublin 4 (tel. 01/668-3534; fax 01/660-6465; www.thh.ie). For alluring seaside properties in West County Cork, try Cashelfean Holiday Houses, Durrus, County Cork (tel. 027/62000; fax 027/62012; www.cashelfean.com). In the west of Ireland, from Kerry to Connemara, a selection of traditional Irish cottages, fully equipped to meet modern expectations, is offered by Rent an Irish Cottage PLC., 85 O'Connell St., Limerick, County Limerick (tel. 061/411109; fax 061/314821; www.rentacottage.ie). If you're interested in sampling the rural lifestyle, there's Irish Country Holidays, Discovery Centre, Rearcross, County Tipperary (tel. 062/79330; fax 062/79331; www.country-holidays.ie), with properties all over Ireland.
Finally, for self-catering in any of Northern Ireland's areas of outstanding natural beauty, there is one sure-shot recommendation: Rural Cottage Holidays Ltd., St. Anne's Ct., 59 North St., Belfast BT1 1NB (tel. 028/9024-1100; fax 028/9024-1100; www.ruralcottageholidays.com). Founded in 1994 by the Northern Irish Tourist Board, Rural Cottage Holidays has restored and refurbished more than 30 traditional homes of character and charm, and done so with remarkable care and style. Each of these gems is in an area of special beauty and interest and is hosted by a nearby local family.
23. Consider carrying a tent and some basic camping equipment. Ireland has many fine campgrounds, with rates averaging about 14€ ($13) for a campsite. Use of a kitchen and showers is usually included in this rate. You can buy a cheap tent once you arrive in Ireland, and campgrounds sometimes have used equipment for sale. Full listings for over 100 parks are online at www.camping-ireland.ie
24. The only instance in which hotels become a real budget option is in the case of a few chains, such as Jurys (www.jurys.com) and Forte, which charge by the room, not per person. For families or groups willing to share space, these rooms can be cheaper than a B&B, and often offer a great center-city location. Also, if you want to book accommodations for your first night in Ireland but don't want to shell out the bucks for an expensive international call, Jurys has a toll-free number from the United States (tel. 800/44-UTELL) .
25. Most B&Bs, farmhouses, and guesthouses offer reductions from 20% all the way up to 50% for children under the age of 12 sharing a bedroom with their parents. Be sure to confirm the discount when booking. More and more of these accommodations are providing at least one family-size room. The Irish Farm Holidays Association (www.irishfarmholidays.com) produces an annual guide to farmhouse accommodations throughout the country. It is available from the Irish Tourist Board (www.ireland.travel.ie.
26. Most hostels and B&Bs offer a discounted weekly rate, especially during the off-season, and some will even offer a discount for a stay of 2 or 3 nights. You'll benefit by saving the time and hassle of packing and unpacking each day, and you'll also get to know a town in a way you never would as a 1-day visitor.
27. Similarly, many hotels and guesthouses offer 2- and/or 3-day midweek discounts that bring the per-person rates down considerably.
28. The tourist board publishes the illustrated booklet Discover Ireland Holiday Breaks, which catalogs discount packages that sometimes offer substantial savings. Some apply to low-season months only, and all require stays of more than 1 day.
29. Bus Eireann and Irish Rail package holidays also offer substantial discounts on accommodations.
30. As you read through our online accommodations listings for Irish destinations, look for the "Ask about possible discounts to our readers". Reductions can range from 5% to 15%. For additional tips online, click here.
Dining
31. Prepare your own meals in the kitchen of your hostel or self-catering cottage. Also, consider bringing along picnic meals while you're on the road, instead of stopping at a restaurant for lunch.
32. There's an increasing number of hostel restaurants that offer good food at budget prices. A few of the better ones are Mainistir House on Inishmore (one of the Aran Islands), Maria's Schoolhouse in West Cork, and The Old Monastery in Letterfrack, County Galway.
33. Eat your main meal at lunch. The lunch menu is often affordable at restaurants where dinner would be out of the question.
34. Have your evening meal early to take advantage of early bird specials offered by many restaurants between 5:30 and 7pm.
35. Moderately priced hotel coffee shops will feed you well at prices far below more expensive hotel dining rooms.
36. Choose high tea instead of a dinner menu. Typically, high tea is a "mini-dinner" of only two courses--meat (often in a salad plate) and vegetables, but no soup or dessert. Nowadays, however, high tea is a rather ambiguous term. I've had a high tea that offered more nourishment than I could comfortably handle. On the other hand, I've had a high tea that consisted of one or two skimpy sandwiches and maybe a sweet. If your B&B or a local restaurant offers high tea, ask what it consists of. Having high tea rather than dinner can save you as much as 50%.
37. Take advantage of the half-board rate in B&Bs, guesthouses, and farmhouses, which includes bed, breakfast, and dinner each night at a reduced price. For additional dining tips, go here.
Sightseeing
38. A Heritage Card entitles you to unlimited admission into the more than 50 attractions all over Ireland operated by the Office of Public Works (also known as Duchas). These include castles, stately homes, historic monuments, national parks, and more. The card costs 19€ ($18) for adults, 12.70€ ($12) for seniors, 7.60€ ($7.25) for children/students, and 47.50€ ($43) for families. It's available at all Duchas sites, on www.heritageireland.ie, or by calling tel. 1850/600601 (within Ireland) or 01/647-2461. If you plan to see many of these sights, this is a wise purchase. It's far more pleasant to pick up one of these cards the first time you visit a Heritage site than to realize a week later how much you would have saved if you had.
39. Ireland at a Glance, a guide to 100 major Irish attractions, North and South--museums, zoos, castles, historical parks--also contains discount vouchers to each listed site, usually in the form of "buy one, get one free" adult admissions. The current cost of the booklet is 16.45€ ($14.95) ($19.95 in Canada). Contact Britnell Books (tel. 800/387-1417; fax 416-362-9177) to order.
40. Most sightseeing attractions have family discounts for parents traveling with two or more children. If they are not posted at the entrance, be sure to ask. Do the math before buying a family ticket, though, because it can be cheaper to buy the individual tickets if you have a small family.
41. Student discounts can cut admission prices by as much as 50%--bring a valid student ID. In addition, if you're in the 55-and-older age bracket, never pay an admission fee without asking for the senior discount granted by almost all sightseeing highlights.
42. Look for combination tickets to closely associated sightseeing attractions. In Dublin, for instance, you can get a combination ticket to the Joyce Tower, the Writer's Museum, and the Shaw Birthplace. (Other combination discounts are noted throughout this site.)
43. Focus your attention on Ireland's free attractions. Ireland has far more historic sites than it can afford to develop for tourism, and many of the country's most interesting archaeological remains are there for you to discover. Look out for the many "open sites" mentioned in this guide, and get ready for some great adventures!
Shopping
44. Dunnes' Stores, located in most major cities and many of the larger towns, is a good chain to look for if you are in need of an extra shirt, skirt, trousers, etc. They carry a good line of clothing at excellent prices.
45. Seasonal sales can be real money savers. Large department stores in Dublin, Cork, and Limerick run spring and fall sales with reductions of up to 50%. Sale items often include Waterford glass, Royal Tara china, and the like.
46. Whenever possible, use credit cards or debit cards. The exchange rate given by these cards is often better than that offered in Irish banks, and you don't have to pay a commission (try to choose a bank in your home country that doesn't charge for each use of the debit card) .
General Advice
47. Take advantage of pub meals at lunch. We've highlighted the best of Ireland's pub grub throughout--it's hard to top a fine bowl of Irish stew served with freshly baked brown bread and pint of stout.
48. Always cash your traveler's checks at a bank, or even better, get cash from an ATM. Bureaux de change at airports and elsewhere often charge high commissions and may inflate rates, so avoid them if possible.
49. Instead of using your calling card, use phone cards, sold at most newsstands, for short international calls. The advantage of the phone card is that you don't pay anything for the connection, while most calling cards charge $4 to $5 for the first minute. Because the per minute rate is often a bit lower on the calling card than the phone card, especially for daytime calls, it may be cheaper to use a calling card for calls longer than 20 to 30 minutes.
50. Buy all the film you're likely to need before you leave home. It'll almost definitely be cheaper, and in the rural areas of Ireland slide film or any film with speeds other than ASA 400 can be hard to come by.
