Without having done any research yet (ie correct me if I’m wrong), I’m starting with the assumption that there are more flights from the U.S. to Dublin than there are from the U.S. to Shannon.
Therefore, as I start looking for flights to attend the damned wedding of my damned friends who insist on getting married in damned Ireland (actually, I am in fact thrilled about the experience and expect it to be the most beautiful wedding I will have ever attended) I further assume that I will find cheaper Dublin flights than Shannon flights.
But if I find comparably priced flights, should I immediately go for Shannon? Shannon is closer geographically to West Cork than is Dublin, but what about ease of travel from the airport to West Cork? Are there any reasons why I might be better off flying into Dublin?
I will not be renting a car (unless Dopers insist I must). Will it be as easy to arrange travel to West Cork from Shannon as it would from Dublin? Would Dublin, being such a big fancy major city that it is offer more economical options for travel?
Your public transport options from Shannon Airport are limited. For example, if you were heading for Skibbereen, you’d have to take one bus into Cork city centre and then another out to Shkib.
Dublin city centre to Cork city by bus takes just under 4½ hours (see the Bus Eireann website; by train it’s a bit quicker (for some reason my PC won’t let me access the Irish Rail website at the moment but there’s a link from the Bus site). Both services are pretty regular.
I’d strongly recommend renting a car, because you may well feel quite restricted without one.
Also, depending on where you’re coming from, flights into Cork might well be reasonable (connecting at London Heathrow or possibly elsewhere such as Amsterdam)
There is a lot of US-Shannon traffic, so I don’t think there’ll be too much of a price problem. IIRC Aer Lingus flies to Dublin via Shannon, from Boston at least.
Definitely definitely hire a car. Public transport is limited and painfully slow. The drive from Shannon to Cork is definitely going to be quicker than that from Dublin.
On the other hand, there’s the whole driving-on-the-left thing, and cars and roads are both much smaller in Ireland than in the US (lanes there are typically about 2/3 the width they are here), either of which might make you a bit uncomfortable with driving.
Do your friends have any other guests coming in from America? You might be able to carpool, or possibly charter a bus or something like that, if there are enough of you.
You’re not the only ones who have to drive on the wrong side of the road when you go abroad - and while you’re right that the roads can be narrower, they’re also likely to be empty and you can stick to fairly sensible speeds.
I maintain that being stuck with sharing lifts and taxis will be frustrating, or at least will prevent you getting the most out of the trip.
Part of the reason I’m not thinking of renting a car is that I’m sure there will be plenty of people to share rides with, and more than a few who will have cars of their own (the bride’s family is in Ireland). I was more concerned with getting to West Cork from whichever airport city I choose.
Turns out flights to Shannon are pretty comparable to flights to Dublin (and if I lived in Atlanta I could easily fly direct).
However, based on GorillaMan’s suggestion, I checked and there are flights pretty well priced (but a bit more than Shannon or Dublin) that’ll take me directly to Cork. KLM will fly me directly from Los Angeles to Amsterdam, I’ll have a brief layover to do some drugs, then less than two hours directly to Cork. Might be what I end up doing.
- before making that suggestion, I looked on Expedia for NYC-Cork and LAX-Cork to make sure I wasn’t talking nonsense, on the betting that you’d be on one coast or the other…
You’re right that you’ll be able to do a lot of sharing lifts etc. on the day of the wedding. But for the rest of the time there, even if it’s only a day or two, you’ll find yourself very limited without a car. Seriously, what is the reluctance? If it’s cost, then don’t forget to factor in a few taxi journies into the equation.
O.K., now I’m going to do without a car just to spite you.
The wedding’s in April, it’s not clear yet who from the States will even be able to make the trip, so I’m pretty far from really thinking about the car thing. When I find out what kind of company I’ll be keeping, what other people’s plans are, then I’ll start thinking about a car.
Thanks again for pointing me in the direction of the Cork airport!
To make a point I think noone else has,West Cork doesn’t have good roads (nor should it have…it’s a special,blessed place that should be hard to find and get around,goddammit). Distances on maps will take longer than you think to travel.
Cork airport sounds like a good idea. Also,if you have a few hours, go visit the site where Michael Collins was killed, in Beal Na Blath… it’s one of the the eeriest,sadest places in the world.
There’s a Bill Bailey sketch about the security guards liking his guitars…in reality, Amsterdam is a decent place to make a transfer, being one big building, designed to cope with lots of international flights and transfers and stuff.
- and while you’re right that the roads can be narrower, they’re also likely to be empty and you can stick to fairly sensible speeds.
- before making that suggestion, I looked on Expedia for NYC-Cork and LAX-Cork to make sure I wasn’t talking nonsense, on the betting that you’d be on one coast or the other…