When I think about visiting Ireland, all I can imagine is listening to traditional Irish music, sipping a pint with my travel companions in a local pub, and visiting some of the most amazing castles in the world. However, if you are planning on getting around Ireland by train, it might require you to plan a little bit ahead.
If you are thinking about getting around this amazing country by train, you will want to plan everything before you arrive in Ireland. And, if you are in this situation, this article might help with understanding how you can organize this type of trip, as well as some tips for doing so. Let’s take a closer look:
First things first – The Basics of Planning Any Trip
Image source: technews88.com
Before taking a look at train traveling in Ireland, it is worth mentioning some of the tips for planning the basic things for your trip. Let’s take a look:
When Should I Visit?
Keep in mind that it is never smart to visit during the peak tourism periods – which are June, July, and August – especially since your flight and accommodation fees will be quite high. During late spring, summer, and fall, daylight starts early and it will last long into the evening, which is amazing since you will be able to explore longer.
What Clothes Should I Bring?
Image source: tourismireland.com
You should know that the weather is quite unpredictable during spring and summer. However, this country has a mild climate, hence, it will not reach the minimum or maximum during winter and summer. Usually, the temperature around summer is somewhere between 15 to 20 degrees Celsius.
Now, a lot of people planning a trip are worried about the rain. You should know that it occurs more often on the west coast and the capital, Dublin, has more dry days than the west. That is why you should pack both warm and light clothes since you will never know what the weather might be like.
Do I Need To Purchase Travel Insurance?
To put it simply – yes, you will want to do that. And not just for your trip to Ireland, but for every single trip that you take abroad. You never know what might happen during your trip, especially if you enjoy doing activities that might be dangerous. These activities include hiking and climbing mountains, however, you also might simply get sick and need medical attention.
When you are opting for an insurance package, make sure that you read and understand what you will be covered for. Especially if you will be doing the previously mentioned activities. If you want to see what are some of the best travel insurance quotes, check out theaa.ie website for more information.
Where Should I Stay?
Image source: tripsavvy.com
This will primarily depend on what type of accommodation you want to have. If you want to stay in a hotel that has 3/4/5 starts, you can easily book it like any other hotel in the world – which is to go to a booking website and choose what fits your needs and wishes best.
However, you might also want to stay in castles which is an amazing experience if you ask me. If you want to stay in a medieval castle, you will need to find places that offer these services. Keep in mind that it might be a bit expensive, but it will give you an experience that you will fondly talk about for many years.
What Should I Know About Getting Around by Train?
The first thing you will need to know is that there are two railway networks working in this beautiful country. The first one is the Irish Rail, while the second one is Translink. The points that connect tourists with bigger and smaller towns and cities are Dublin and Belfast, and the fastest and efficient way to get from Dublin to Belfast (or vice versa) is to take the Enterprise train. The other things that you should know include:
The Ticket Prices
Image source: kclr96fm.com
Now, if you chose to travel by Irish Rail, you should definitely reserve your ticket or tickets online since it will allow you to save a lot of money. However, keep in mind that Translink tickets cannot be reserved online, hence, you will need to buy them on the train or at the station.
Both websites will provide you with a wide range of information on the fare information, so, you will be able to choose the tickets that are cost-efficient – which is good since you will probably travel a lot on this green island.
How to Plan The Route
This might be a bit difficult since everyone wants to see something different while in this country. If you made a list and if it features more than 20 or 30 places that you want to visit, you will need to begin paring back a little bit – especially if you are staying for one week or ten days.
Your goal should be to visit a maximum of three attractions per day. Hence, if you are staying for a week, you will be able to see 21 attractions. That is why you will need to look at the map of Ireland, more specifically, the places you want to visit, and you will need to plan what attractions you can see in one day. This will help you stay organized and get the most out of your trip.
Conclusion
Ireland is the home of Saint Patrick, Guinness, amazing literature, Riverdance, the Pogues, incredible nature, and amazing people, hence, visiting it, and experiencing all of these things will be something that you will never forget – as well as something that will leave you craving for more experiences in Ireland.
As you can see, it is not difficult to plan a trip by train, however, it is important to plan these things before arriving in Ireland. So, now that you know how you will need to plan your trip, do not waste any more time, and start creating an itinerary that will take you to the places you want to see in this amazing country.
