As an Amazon Associate and members of other affiliate programs, we may earn a commission on qualifying purchases made through links on this page. All opinions expressed are our own, and all photos are owned by MPA Project Travels. Visit our privacy policy for more information.
Published on December 19, 2024. Last Updated on March 14, 2026.
Are you planning a family road trip around Ireland? Road tripping across Ireland can enhance your travel experience by offering flexibility and the freedom to uncover hidden gems at your own pace. However, before setting out on your Irish adventure, it’s important to prepare yourself with some essential driving tips that will ensure a smooth journey. Whether you’re a seasoned road tripper or new to international driving, these five simple tips for tenting a car in Ireland will help make your Irish driving experience safe and enjoyable.
Quick Links for Travel Made Easy! 🏨 Find Hotels 🚗 Rent a Car 🎫 Book a Tour
For our Irish vacation, Sal and I rented a car at Dublin Airport. We had an incredible time on our nine day road trip around the Emerald Isle. It was important that we had a car because our plan was to follow Buddy’s choir around on his tour of Ireland and watch him perform in various places. We also wanted to do some of Ireland’s famous road trips like the Ring of Kerry, the Dingle Peninsula, the Wild Atlantic Way, and the Causeway Coastal Route in Northern Ireland. We also included a day trip to Kilkenny as well. It was an incredible time! And we hope our tips are helpful for you in your travel planning.
Why rent a car to explore Ireland
Driving through Ireland is like stepping into a fairy tale, where every turn uncovers breathtaking landscapes and charming villages. Known for its rugged coastlines, rolling green hills, and historic castles peppered throughout the countryside, this beautiful island invites exploration beyond the cities.
Trains and buses were great options for exploring Ireland. But for us, renting a car (or car hire!) gave us the flexibility and freedom to travel at our own pace. As such, we saw the sights we were most interested in.
Driving on the left side of the road
In the Republic of Ireland, they drive on the left side of the road. If you are coming from a country that drives on the right side of the road, this may take some time getting used to. This is, after all, the opposite side of the road!
A recommendation that I heard in preparation for this trip was to find a nearby parking lot and drive around to get used to navigating on the left side of the road.
In fact, in our post about Swords, Ireland, which is a convenient 10 minute drive from Dublin International Airport, I include this tip as one of the reasons to visit Swords. Swords is a good place to practice driving on the left side of the road if you are visiting from a country that drives on the right.
As I said in the Swords post, I cannot take credit for this tip. This travel tip is courtesy of my favorite family travel YouTuber Wolter’s World. Swords is a great place for international drivers to practice driving on the left side of the road. This is because Swords is close to the airport and a small enough town that the traffic is manageable as drivers get used to things in reverse.
Full disclosure, I did not drive during this road trip. My travel partner, Sal, loves to drive on long road trips and this trip was no different. I was just a passenger along for the ride. So, I personally do not have any experience driving on the left side of the road – yet!
Where’s Buddy?
Unfortunately, Buddy could not join us on our road trip adventure around Ireland. Buddy was on tour with his choir at this time and did his road trip on a large tour bus. We followed his general itinerary around Ireland so we could see him perform at various cities and towns. A few times, we even passed his tour bus on the road.
But the long and short of it is that Buddy was not with us when we road tripped around Ireland. For that reason, this post will not share his thoughts on road tripping in Ireland with a teen. Buddy loves road trips and I think that he would have loved this one as well.
However, Buddy and his choir did visit a lot of the same places that we did. Check out our series on both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland to see the teenager’s thoughts and perspectives. And for more on Buddy’s teenage perspective on surviving long road trips, read this post!
5 Simple Tips for Renting a Car in Ireland
1. Check to see if you need an international driver’s license
Before hitting the roads in Ireland, one of the first things you should do is confirm whether you need an International Driver’s Permit (IDP). For most travelers from North America and Europe, a valid driver’s license from home is sufficient for renting a car in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. However, if you’re visiting from countries outside these regions or plan on staying for an extended period, double-checking this requirement could save you time and hassle at rental counters.
Coming from the U.S., Sal and I did not need an International Driver’s Permit to drive in Ireland. Our U.S. issued license worked just fine for driving and renting the car. U.S. visitors to Ireland can check the embassy website for more information on what you need to drive in Ireland.
2. Be prepared to drive manual transmission
In Ireland, manual transmission vehicles are more common than automatics when renting cars. If you are visiting from a country where manual transmission vehicles are not as common, and it has been a while since you drove a stick shift, you might want to brush up on your skills before renting your car in Ireland.
Manual transmission vehicles are much more common in Europe than in countries in North America, so visitors from these countries may be out of practice! If you have a chance to brush up on driving stick shift before your trip to Ireland, it will help you feel more confident navigating a manual transmission on the left side of the road!
For travelers who prefer renting an automatic transmission vehicle, make sure to specify this preference when booking your car rentals. And make sure you budget accordingly. Automatic transmission rental cars cost a lot more than standard transmission car rentals due to limited availability! So be prepared to pay!
Before our trip, I was keen on borrowing my father-in-law’s truck so Sal could brush up on his manual driving skills before road tripping through Ireland (and Scotland after that!). But he declined. Naturally left-handed, Sal handled the transition to manual transmission on the left side of the road swimmingly.
3. Be prepared to drive on narrow roads
Ireland’s scenic routes often take travelers through narrow winding roads lined with picturesque stone walls or lush hedgerows. This is a quintessential part of its charm but also potentially daunting for drivers who are not used to driving in these conditions. These narrow lanes require vigilance and patience. Remember to share the road and yield when necessary—especially on one way bridges and roads in rural areas. Keep an eye out for passing places where vehicles can safely pass each other without incident—courtesy goes a long way here!
After driving on those narrow roads, our best advice is to go slow and be prepared to back up.
4. Yes, you can drive your rental car from the Republic of Ireland to Northern Ireland.
A unique aspect about traveling around Ireland is seamlessly crossing borders between two countries —the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. This is because both belong within the Common Travel Area which allows for the basic right to travel between the two countries. For that reason, there are no passport checks or border crossings between the two countries. And car rentals may pass between both countries.
When renting vehicles within either region most companies allow for cross-border travel. But make sure that you check with your car rental beforehand and confirm at the counter when you are picking up your car to ensure that no unexpected fees arise afterward.
I did A LOT of research on this before our trip to make sure that this was the case. Living in the U.S.-Mexico borderlands where you cannot cross rental cars from the U.S. to Mexico, I wanted to be absolutely sure that we could drive our rental car from the Republic of Ireland into Northern Ireland. All my online research said that we could but I made sure to double check with the agent renting us our car.
The answer was: Yes, you can. And we did. Without any issues other than the change in road signs and measurements from the metric system to yards. The posted speed signs also change from kilometers per hour to miles per hour so watch your speedometer.
When you cross the border from the Republic of Ireland to Northern Ireland, there is just a sign. A sign that I missed because I fell asleep. A few other things to note, the stoplights going from red to yellow to green them back to yellow before the red is different. And we found it more tricky to navigate into Belfast than to navigate into Dublin. But that could have been unique to our trip and where we were staying.
Bonus Tip: Don’t drive into Dublin unless you really need to
Dublin is a busy city and traffic can be hectic. This can be stressful for drivers visiting Ireland for the first time. Most likely, you will need to pay for parking at your hotel or hostel. And if this was not reason enough to not bring a car to Dublin, the great news is that you don’t need a car when you visit Dublin. Dublin has great infrastructure so a car is not needed to explore the city.
In fact, when Sal and I visited, we left the car parked at the hotel and explored everything on foot. I really did not want to drive into Dublin but given our itinerary, it did not make sense to travel to Dublin then return to the airport to drive to Kilkenny. So we took a rental car to Dublin. But it is not necessary!
5. Look for a great deal on your rental car
Keep an eye out for great deals on car rentals when planning your road trip. Many car rental companies offer discounts for extended rentals or if you book early enough. So be sure to shop around and compare car rental prices to save money. Don’t forget about promotional offers like discounts for booking online or loyalty programs that can save you more money!
Shop around for cheap rental cars and compare the best car rental companies. And, if possible, try and book directly with the rental company instead of through an online agency as this could not only save you money, but also the hassle of going through a middleman if the booking goes sideways. We used points from our travel credit card to rent our cars in both Ireland and Scotland. It saved us a lot of money! But there are lots of ways to get a car rental deal. Costco Travel is a good place for car rentals. And you can always shop around!
Pro Tip: Research the car rental insurance you will need for your rental car ahead of time. Make sure you are covered!
Some travel credit card insurance will cover your rental car insurance abroad. But if you go the route, you may need to ask for documentation from the credit card company ahead of time. Make sure to do you research on the insurance coverage you will need.
I spent some time on the phone and was mailed a large document demonstrating that my credit card company would cover the car rental insurance abroad. It was an ordeal but worth the effort. In case you are curious, we used the points from our Chase Sapphire travel card to save money on the rental car. We also used their insurance coverage.
Rent your car today! Compare prices on Rentalcars.com and DiscoverCars!
What to bring on your Irish road trip
These are a few of our suggestions. Feel free to add to this list as you see fit!
- Offline road maps
- Refillable water bottles
- Sunscreen
- A daypack
- Snacks
- And some good music or podcasts!
Embarking on a road trip across Ireland promises not only stunning views and the ability to freely explore far off beaten path places. So pack up your bags and get ready to see firsthand the beauty of the Emerald Isle.
FOLLOW US!
Traveling to Ireland?
Compare prices on Expedia and Booking.com!
Book a tour!
Pin this post for later!
If you enjoyed reading this, check out these blog posts!
- 10 Simple Tips for Driving the Dingle Peninsula
- Ring of Kerry One Day Road Trip: The Ultimate Adventure!
- Day Trip to Kilkenny: 5 Interesting Things To Do
Discover more from MPA Project Travels
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
As someone who loves renting cars when I travel – thank you for this!! I haven’t visited Ireland yet, but it seems like a fantastic road trip county. And super dope that it can cross the “technical border” between Irelands haha, that makes things a lot easier!
You are very welcome!