Self Drive Tours FAQ

Can I rent my car elsewhere and book just the Accommodation/Tour with you?

Certainly, while we can offer excellent rates for our car inclusive packages, we understand that you may already have a preferred car rental agency that you enjoy working with. Of course, don't forget that we have a separate car rental online booking system on our homepage at

Is there a minimum number of days required for the Self Drive Tours?

There is a minimum of 5 days required in duration for our Self Drive Tours of Ireland based on 2 persons. There are no restrictions however on duration if there are 4 persons and over.

Can I customise my Vacation or do I have to follow your Itineraries?

Our Staff are here to help you plan the vacation that will work for you. If you can't find exactly what you're looking for on our website, just let us know and we will customise a trip that's specifically tailored to your interests, schedule, and budget. Even when your appointed travel advisor has sent you a suggested itinerary and prices, keep on coming back to your advisor with changes until you are happy with your overall tour itinerary.

Who chooses the accommodation?

IrishTourism will choose your accommodations after you have decided the style or standard of accommodations that you are interested in. While this does mean that you will not find out the names of the hotels etc., that you are staying in until after you have confirmed your reservation, rest assured that you will be happy with the choices that we have made for you. We know each of the areas that you will be staying in very well and as such, we know what lodgings will be most suitable for your chosen tour itinerary. While we do not deal with every hotel in the country, if there is a hotel or premises that you would like us to include in your plans, then make sure to mention this to your appointed travel advisor and they will do their utmost to include it in your plans.

What about Sat Nav for my car rental?

We highly recommend that you request Sat Nav for your car rental, whether or not you arrange your car rental with us or through other agencies. Please note that while we will inform the car rental agencies of your request for a Sat Nav device, we cannot give a guarantee that one will be available upon collection of your rental. While the units are available 95% of the time, occasionally, due to technical and other problems, a Sat Nav device may not be available at the time. It is for this reason that the car rental agency and not IrishTourism.com will charge for the device upon collection.

After I have booked, will I have access to my travel advisor?

From the moment you have the name of your appointed travel advisor through to the completion of your vacation, you will have access to them by e-mail and telephone (by international and Tollfree numbers).If you have any concerns about any aspect of your tour, no matter how minor a concern it may be, make sure to contact your travel advisor.

Do I follow your itinerary to the letter or can I see other locations not mentioned on the day to day itinerary?

Our day to day itinerary is merely a suggested tour route and in fact, depending on the day, there may be a number of different routes that you can take from one overnight location to the next. You will know where you are starting from and where your final destination is each day. How you reach that destination and what attractions you visit on route is entirely up to you.

After I book, can I make amendments to my tour?

There is a fee of Euro 25 per amendment should you wish to alter your route or hotels. In the event that you wish to alter your route and you need to change 2 of your hotels and locations, there will be a charge of Euro 50 for those 2 changes and so on.

What about support while on tour?

Throughout your time in Ireland, you will have the opportunity to talk directly with your travel advisor or their colleagues should you require assistance or advice. Your documents will have the contact numbers of our local offices in Ireland.

On the shorter 7, 8 or 10 night tours, it seems that we are only seeing 50 to 60 percent of the country. Ireland is a pretty small country. Why can I not tour the entire country in that time?

It is possible to tour the entire country in 7 days. However, it would entail staying in each location for just 1 night and you would spend the majority of the time in your rental as you travel from one area to the next with very little time for stops. Unlike other countries where you travel for 2 or 3 hours on long straight roads before you reach a particular attraction, in Ireland, there are attractions of historical, cultural or scenic interest every 20 to 30 minutes while you travel. There is so much to see and do throughout the country that you will find it much slower to traverse the country than you might have otherwise thought.

Add to this the fact that the roads in the South and West of the country are most likely narrower and more winding than the roads that you are used to and you have another reason why a 7 or 8 day tour of the complete country is unadvisable. If there are areas of the country that you wish to include in your itinerary, make sure to tell your appointed travel advisor of this when they he or she is putting together a suggested itinerary.

What about driving in Dublin?

While there are occasions when it cannot be avoided, we do suggest where possible, that you avoid driving in the Capital City. The combination of heavy traffic and confusing road systems mean that you could well spend far too much time trying to find your way around the city and in particular the city centre of Dublin itself.

If you are staying in Dublin at the commencement of your tour, we advise that you do not pick up your rental until you are departing the city. Likewise, when you are spending a night or two in Dublin at the end of your tour, we advise that you drop your car rental back to the depot prior to travelling to your hotel whether it be by public bus or taxi. It will ultimately save you time and worry. Again, if you have concerns in this area, make sure to discuss them with your travel advisor.

Cell Phones

Cell phones are called 'mobile phones' in Ireland. They can be purchased in many stores including some supermarkets and specialist shops that are called 'Vodafone', 'Meteor' or 'O2' stores. They cost in the region of 40 to 50 euro for the basic models and they usually come with some free call credit which you can top off at most convenience stores and service stations. They are very useful to have if you get lost or cannot find your accommodations.

Bringing in Euros

In terms of getting Euros - It is a good idea to bring a small amount of Euros with you for emergencies/necessities upon arrival. However, you should check with your bank and credit card company to make sure that your cards will work in the ATM's automatic cash machines that are everywhere in Ireland. That way, you will not need to carry too much cash with you at any time.