Car rental in Dublin in 2017 might not be essential if you’re only planning a few days of pleasure-seeking in the central part of the city, but if you’re here for some time – and particularly intent on exploring more of Ireland – having your own vehicle is a boon.

Dublin is very much the gateway to the rest of the country; distances between major centres are nothing if not driver-friendly. The likes of Cork and Galway City are both less than three hours away so car hire in Dublin will add a lot to your Irish adventure.
 

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Where can I hire a car in Dublin Airport?

Car hire is easy to arrange at Dublin Airport. Hertz, Europcar, Avis, Enterprise, Budget, Sixt and local company Dooley, among others, have a presence both in Terminal 1’s arrivals hall and Terminal 2’s multi-storey car park.

In Dublin, car rental advice follows the normal rules: compare prices online and book early to bag a bargain. You should also be aware that if you rent a car in Dublin over the peak summer months, the rates can sometimes be steep (another reason to book well in advance for the cheapest rates).

City pick-up

You don’t have to rent a car at Dublin Airport; companies offering car hire in Dublin city centre include Europcar and Budget.

Unless you specify otherwise, the vehicle you’re given by a Dublin car rental firm will almost certainly be manual drive. Automatic cars are available from some companies – mainly to cater for the North American market – but you’ll generally pay a bit more.

Seeing the sights

Some sights and attractions outside Dublin are simple to reach with your own vehicle. These include Bram Stoker’s Castle Dracula in Clontarf, the 12th-century Drimnagh Castle and Johnnie Fox’s, a famous traditional pub in the mountains. 

Some things to remember

Back in Dublin proper, be aware that central thoroughfares, most notably O’Connell Street in the heart of the city, are sometimes closed to cars when major events take place. Easter weekend is a prime example.  

Basic rules of the road are very similar to UK regulations. Cars drive on the left and drink-driving limits are strict. Although distances on road signs are in kilometres rather than miles, speed limits differ only slightly: in built-up areas you’re usually restricted to 50kph (31mph), national roads have a limit of 100kph (62mph) and motorways have a maximum speed of 120kph (75mph).  

Find out more about other forms of transport in the city on our getting around Dublin page.