Originally Posted by
worldiswide
The wedding is at renvyle house hotel
Well they could have picked a more remote location. Maybe.
So in some ways, she's going to be lucky with public transit to a point, then very unlucky. But if you absolutely don't want to rent a car, then my advice (and somebody correct me if I'm off here) is:
1. Get the bus from Dublin Airport to Galway, either BusEireann or CityLink. Probably
Citylink, though, because this seems to set you up for the next step
2. Get the citylink bus from Galway to Cliffden, get off at
Letterfrack. I think BusEireann probably goes here as well, but didn't find a schedule.
3. Get a cab from Letterfrack. Get a taxi number in advance or call the hotel and ask if they can pick her up. Before you rent a car, see if they'll do it. They may. Or, alternatively, if she's feeling adventurous, just start talking to people and somebody will maybe give her a lift. I've heard of a third option of just getting into cars stopped at lights, but that's only ever happened to a friend of mine... and he gave them a lift anyway.
To get back, do the reverse.
Originally Posted by
worldiswide
And what is the deal with CDW and Ireland exclusion on credit cards. Is it driving conditions or drivers?
If I can answer your question with a picure...
Originally Posted by
worldiswide
Btw the guidebooks are fodors and eyewitness that are indicating transportation options as not reluable I like to double check with people in the know and as usual you get better information here.
The guidebooks shouldn't list anything in Ireland as "reliable"
This is, of course, only because the North American definition of reliable usually implies a simple progression of needs to fulfillment of those needs. Instead I would say: You will get where you are going. You will eventually get what you are looking for. It may not come in the way you expected or be what you thought, but it'll happen and it'll all be grand. Have I waited hours for a bus that never came? Absolutely. And not rural either. City centre. But I got there in the end. The unreliability is backed up by the reliability that even if you think something didn't work, something will probably work in the end.
Originally Posted by
worldiswide
She hasn't been to Ireland before but she's an experienced traveler in other parts of europe and a great driver. Just trying to provide some additional details and support like any mother and most especially an ft one!
Driving in Ireland is not like driving in Europe, but that's not said to scare you. It's just different. Drivers are (especially in rural areas) extremely courteous. But especially up in Connemara you will find roads that are nothing more than a paved sheep track through a peat bog. Speed limits are (as I hope you realize from my image above) completely a suggestion. You can do it, though. People do it all the time. If she's driven in Europe she's got a big advantage, although all my coworkers in Poland who have been there have commented on the driving conditions in Ireland. Not necessarily bad, just ... different. Sometimes surprisingly so. What it comes down to is if she wants to experience some very new driving or if she wants to relax on the bus with friends (assuming they're going together) and probably meet some new people.
Originally Posted by
worldiswide
She's got an award ticket into Dublin and out of London as one of her friends has never been there and wants to split the time. What's the best option for flights between Dublin and London?
Depends what you want to pay and what you want to see in London. But if she doesn't have a car and doesn't
need to be back in Dublin, then go from Shannon (or Knock). Both of them are closer and saves on a long trip across the midlands. Plus, you can avoid Dublin.