Are you planning a visit to County Kerry? One of the first questions you’ll probably ask yourself is how you’ll get from A to B - car or public transport? We’ve put together a list of the pros and cons of each mode of transport which should leave your decision making a little easier.
Pros and Cons of Public Transport
The main public transport option in County Kerry is the bus.
The buses themselves are quite comfortable and you’ll probably be amazed at how the drivers expertly negotiate those tricky hairpin bends, and narrow windy roads. They’re also fairly punctual with most leaving on time.
The fares aren’t bad either. The best value would be a weekly (10 journey ticket). Also you’ll have no worries about running out of petrol, road conditions, punctures etc. All you have to worry about is whether the bus leaves on time.
The main problem is probably the timetable though. Outside of the larger towns, such as Killarney and Tralee, many Kerry towns and villages are poorly served by buses, especially at weekends.
If you’re planning a family day out the bus is a fantastic idea. There’s no doubt about it the kids find the bus a great adventure. They’ll love sitting up high and looking down on everything.
Again value for money on a family ticket would be the main plus point here. But what would be a definite minus is being stuck to a timetable!
Trying to organize the kids so you’ll make the 1st bus out in the morning can be a little tricky as well. And then of course not really being able to relax as we are continuously clock watching all day - conscious that the fun is going to come to an end when you have to run for a bus.
Again the frequency of the bus service is quite poor. For example if you’re heading to Dingle from Tralee - if you want to leave early you’re only option is the 9am bus out of Tralee, getting into Dingle at 10.15am. The last bus out of Dingle was 4.00pm which doesn’t give you much time to spend in Dingle, especially when there’s so much to see including Dingle World of Leisure, Oceanworld, and weather permitting a boat trip to say hello to Fungi, the town’s resident dolphin.
A plus point of the bus is that you can relax and enjoy the breathtaking scenery on the way to Dingle.
For more information on bus timetables in Kerry have a look at the Bus Eireann website.
Why is it better to travel by car?
Regarding family days out, having a car is a definite bonus. It’s just a matter of looking up the directions, allowing enough time for the journey, packing the kids into the car and off you go. You’ll definitely have more freedom and flexibility.
Coming home time is not an issue either. You can leave whenever you want to leave. No howling from the kids either, as they know they have had their full quota of fun and there’s no hanging round for the bus.
Probably the main disadvantage to having the car is when everyone is commenting on the wonderful panoramic views and you have to keep both eyes firmly on the road. There are a few places you can pull in and take in the stunning views though. And as you’re in a car you’ll be able to stop anywhere you want and you can spend a much time as you like in any given spot.
Another benefit of the car is that you can pack as much as you like. Bring a picnic and so on.
We hope this helps you make your mind up.
Need somewhere to stay in Kerry. Have a look at our Kerry accommodation page.
