So, here I am about to take the vacation of a lifetime, Ireland (My castle settings in my campaign world will probably never be the same). And I was wondering if any of the folks who visit these forums have some advice for me regarding the Bus Eireann service? I decided that an Open Road pass was a better option then renting a car (I hear parking fees are high, and roads are narrow - I'm not as young as i used to be and really don't need the stress, I am already terrified just thinking about being there in the first place).
So does anyone have experience with the Bus Eireann service and would like to offer a fellow gamer some sage advice?
Hi.
I'm a native of Ireland and I'd be more than willing to offer any advice I can.
Where are you planning to go when you're over here.
-Charlie
Thanks, Lezard
My plans are nebulous now, and I know I'm running out of time. I hope to get from Dublin to Carlingford, by way of Dundalk, then to Drogheda (and newgrange)and then back to Dublin in the first two or three days.
Then From Dublin to Enniskillen for two days. While in Enniskillen I am hoping to get over to Cong.
Back to Dublin for a weekend (must see the Book of Kells) and then I am thinking of taking a train to Cork,then a bus from Cork to Kinsale, and then on to Garretstown, where I have booked the Blue Horizon B&B for three days.
The time tables seem easy to follow, but when I try to look at ticket fares some of the services dont appear, especially route 161.
But yes, any advice on the bus service, and how it works for you, would be wonderful.
Carlingford? going to visit the Cooley Distillery by any chance? (the Tyrconnall Sherry/Madria/Port casks are by far may favaroute Irish whiskeys)
Driving can indeed be stressful over here for someone not familliar with the area, particularly the country roads and parts of the Dublin city centre ,so the Bus/Train is your best bet.
I've used the service several times, no big complaints.
I'll have a look at the pricing system now and try and shed some light on it for you.
btw, here's a general purpose Irish chat forum that might be able to answer any questions that I can't. http://www.boards.ie/
Lezard wrote: btw, here's a general purpose Irish chat forum that might be able to answer any questions that I can't. Irish Chat Linkified....nothing else to add except that going to Ireland (and Scotland) has been a long-time dream of mine and I would love to see a billion pictures when you return Terquem. A little living vicariously never hurts.....
If only we could post pics to these forums. I'm taking an 8 gig card and a back up 2 gig just in case. I will probably take more pics than I'll know how to manage. It's the wife and I's thirtieth anniversary, (she is my one true Anam Cara!)so we've been planning for a while, but the cost of the plane tickets just about wiped us out. We decided to go, no matter what, so we are going.
I think the Open Road pass will be the option we take. I'm just not sure I can use it to go across the border into the North. I don't want to have to buy seperate Ulster Bus passes.
The Distillery is on my list, now. We were hoping to see King John's castle, and hike around the peninsula, other than that we left a day open. But we are going to try to see Newgrange while we are at the Highlands B&B (that's the B&B we are staying in). Seems like an easy one, two, three bus ride to get there.
Our bookings are, Highlands B&B - Carlingford (two days,) Arch House B&B - Enniskillen (two days), Four Corts Hostel - Dublin (two days), and then Blue Horizen B&B - Garretstown (three days) - definetly not enough time to see all I want to see, but it's all I can put on a credit card.
I'd definitely second not driving, especially if you're used to driving on the right. Country roads are often about 1.5 US lanes wide with stone walls on either side, so when two cars approach each other, both slow, pull over, and inch around each other; you really don't want to be reflexively dodging the wrong way at such times (not to mention on roundabouts).
I don't have a lot of specifics to add about taking the bus, save that when I was last there, bus schedules for some regions were... impressionistic (particularly in some of the smaller towns in the West Country). That was about 5 years ago, so it may be different now, but I'd try to confirm routes with locals whenever possible. But other than that, it's definitely a good option. Have a great trip!
I'd say the open road pass would be your best bet, If you can plan arround the the time contraints.
The fare's for all the indivual journeys can be found with the journey planner.
You're right about some route fares being strangly absent, the site isn't nearly as user friendly as it should be but the staff in person tend to be quite helpful and the stops are clearly marked so It'll me much easier the get arround when you arrive.
And that open road pass would certainly have you covered for the destinations you've mentioned.
So all I can say is that you appear to have everything sorted out already.
So just take it easy and make sure to pack some rain gear :D
céad míle fáilte \m/
PS might be worth a look.
http://goireland.about.com/od/dublinschurches/gr/saint_michans.htm
Thanks Judy! and thanks again Lezard!
Oh and does anyone know the right things to pack in my "Fairy Catching" box. I want to make sure I come home with at least a dozen.
When I was very young, many thousands of years ago, I read W.B. Yeats, "Irish Fairy and Folk-Tales," so I know I'll find them eventually, just have to figure out how to get them in the box.
Sorry, we only use Fairy Catching Apps these days...
And if you go round asking people where to find fairys you can expect to be sent to some pretty intresting locations...
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