Ireland is a very popular tourist destination and it couldn’t be simpler to get here! Most travellers opt to fly into Ireland, but sometimes ferries and bus travel is the more suitable and convenient choice.

We’ve decided to help you with your travel plans to Ireland by compiling what we think are the best available options.

By Plane

Fly to Ireland and you’ll get here as quickly and as stress-free as possible. Dublin Airport is the main gateway to Ireland. It’s Ireland’s busiest airport with internal flights, flights from the UK, transatlantic flights, flights from mainland Europe and beyond, so no matter where you are, you should have no problem finding a flight into here. The airport is located about 10km north of the city centre but is very well connected to the city by the Aircoach. We’ve got car rental at Dublin Airport and we’ve also got some Dublin Airport hotels if you need overnight accommodation.

Major international airlines also fly into Shannon Airport, Cork Airport and Belfast Airport. Other airports like Donegal, Kerry, Knock, the Aran Islands and Sligo are much smaller and mostly deal with internal flights.

For flights within Ireland, look out for great deals from Aer Arann. As well as domestic flights, Aer Arann also operate flights from London Luton Airport, which takes about 1 hour to Dublin and about 90 minutes to Shannon or Cork. They also operate between destinations like Cardiff, Inverness, Edinburgh and some destinations in France and Spain, check out the Aer Arann website for more.

There are direct Aer Lingus flights to Dublin and Shannon from New York and Boston and the flight time is usually between 6-8 hours. And if you’re looking for a low cost airline to get you around Europe then check out Ryanair.

Dublin, Cork, Shannon and Belfast Airports have lots of facilities for when you touch down. You can avail of car hire desks, currency exchange facilities, taxis and excellent public transport connections from the airport to the nearest city.

By Ferry

Travel to Ireland by ferry and you won’t have to worry about luggage weight! This is a safe and affordable way to bring all the family to Ireland. There’s something for everyone on the ferry - cinemas, arcades, shops, bars and restaurants and great sleep options too!

So when heading to the isle of saints and scholars, choose the fun option and take the ferry. It’s also a great way of bringing your car to Ireland, or you can hire a car with our sister website Novacarhire.com and collect it at whichever port you sail to.

Stena Line and Irish Ferries are the two main ferries operating to and from Ireland. Stena Line has daily sailings between; Dun Laoghaire and Holyhead, Dublin Port and Holyhead, Rosslare and Fishguard, Belfast and Stranaer and Larne and Fleetwood. For times and prices check out the Stena Line website.

Irish Ferries operates daily sailings between Dublin Port and Holyhead, Rosslare and Pembroke, Rosslare and Cherbourg and Rosslare and Roscoff. For times and prices check out the Irish Ferries website.

By Bus

If you fancy travelling across Europe the cheap way, why not travel to Ireland via bus/ferry! EuroLine’s operated in Ireland by Bus Eireann, provides great options for you to see Europe at affordable prices but obviously being the most time consuming option of getting here. Your fare includes travel on Bus Eireann’s coaches and local bus services to and from the Bus Eireann/EuroLines departure point.

This is the best option if you’re a budget traveller and it’s also a very popular option amongst students.

Remember - Ireland is a very popular destination all year round especially during the Summer months and on Irish bank holiday weekends, so book your flight, ferry or bus early to avoid disappointment!

To make your holiday as stress free as possible let us book your accommodation for you! We’ve top Irish hotels, guest houses, B&B’s and self catering options listed - all of which are Tourist Board approved! Call us now for FREE!

If you want to explore and travel Ireland by car then why not hire a car in Ireland, click here for more information.

If you’ve any queries about travel routes to Ireland, just drop us a line in the comment box below and we’ll do our best to help!