travel information

Travelling within Ireland

Bus Eireann - busses to and from Galway to all major Irish destinations ( http://www.buseireann.ie/)

Irish Rail - trains from Galway to Dublin, with connections to Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Belfast, etc. ( http://www.irishrail.ie/home/ )

Citylink - busses from Dublin and Shannon Airports to Galway ( http://www.citylink.ie/)

Car-Hire - car hire is widely available; we recommend that you book in advance with your travel agent. Please note that speed limits and distances in Ireland are measured in kilometers. The speed limit on most national roads is 100 KM/hour – roughly 60 miles/hour.  The website http://www.aaroadwatch.ie/routes/ provides a useful route planner.

Travel to Galway from within Ireland by:

If you arrive at Galway Airport -

Galway Airport is served by Aer Arann. It is possible to fly directly to Galway from Dublin, London, Manchester, Birmingham and Edinburgh.

Once at Galway Airport, you can take a taxi into the city. Taxi fares are likely to be in the region €20, depending on luggage and the number of passengers.

View the Galway Airport Website – http://www.galwayairport.com/

View the Aer Arann website – http://www.aerarann.com/

Aer Arann also offer flights to the Aran Islands.

If you arrive at Dublin Airport -

Option A: Travel directly to Galway from the Airport

You can travel direct from Dublin Airport to Galway by catching a CITYLINK coach. These leave between 9 am and 9.30pm (approximately) from the Dublin Airport coachpark. Coaches are air-conditioned. Journey time varies according to traffic and other considerations, but normally your journey should not last longer than 4 hours.

Visit the Citylink website to book online and view timetables and ticket prices. http://www.citylink.ie/ It is strongly advised that you book in advance if you wish to take this option.

Option B: Travel to Galway by TRAIN

The train from Dublin to Galway runs from HEUSTON STATION.

Dublin Bus runs a direct bus service from Dublin Airport to HEUSTON STATION. Take ROUTE 748 from Dublin Airport to Heuston (view all timetables for Dublin Bus airport services here).

Once you reach Heuston Station, you may take a train direct to Galway. View timetables and fares on Irish Rail’s website – http://www.irishrail.ie/. Journey time is typically 2.5 - 3 hours from Dublin to Galway, and the service is usually reliable.

Option C: Travel to Galway from Dublin by Bus Eireann

Take the appropriate Dublin Bus service to Busaras, the central bus station- a full listing of Dublin Bus services from the airport may be viewed here – www.buseireann.ie/

Once you arrive at Busaras, you can take a coach to Galway. Busses leave on the hour from 8 am to 9 pm. Journey time is typically 4 hours. Fares vary. At present, Bus Eireann provides discounted fares on its website.

Option D: Fly from Dublin to Galway

Aer Arann offers flights from Dublin to Galway, frequently at low prices. Journey time is usually less than 45 minutes.

If you arrive at Shannon Airport

You can take a bus direct to Galway by using Bus Eireann or Citylink. Both services are regular, and run directly to Galway city centre.

There is no train service from Shannon Airport to Galway.

Depending on traffic, the journey from Shannon Airport to Galway by car takes approximately 1.5 hours.

Once in Galway

Galway is a relatively compact city, and it is possible to walk to most destinations. If you travel to Galway on a Bus Eireann coach or an Irish Rail train, you will arrive at Ceannt Station in the city centre. Citylink coaches arrive at the Galway Tourist Office. Both locations are close to Eyre Square, in the centre of Galway.

A local bus service is run within Galway by Bus Eireann. Private tour operators provide coach tours to Connemara, the Aran Islands, the Burren, etc. daily.

An information desk will be accessible during the conference.

Some notes on Ireland

Weather in Galway in June is usually mild - but rain should be expected. Light clothing will usually be sufficient, but bring sweaters too. Clothing appropriate to rain is essential. Average daily temperatures in June 2008 were 16 degrees Celsius during the daytime.

Traffic in Ireland - travelling by road within any Irish cities, including Galway, can often involve lengthy delays due to traffic congestion and road works.

Currency – Ireland is a eurozone country. Some sample prices are listed below as a general indicator of prices. There will be exceptions to these guidelines, with both cheaper and more expensive options available, but delegates may find them useful.

Cup of coffee in a city cafe - €2.00 - €3.00
Bottle of mineral water sold in a newsagents - €1.50
Daily newspaper - €2.00
Sandwich in a cafe - €4.00-€5.00
Pint of beer - €4.00-€5.00
Fast-food meal (burger and fries) - €6-€8
Evening meal for two in a city restaurant (three courses with wine) - €80-€100
Theatre ticket in Galway - €20
New paperback book - €12
New CD - €20

These prices are given from a random sample of retailers in Galway in May 2008.

Student/Senior Citizen Prices - student concessions are available on many services, including cinema tickets, tours, theatre tickets, etc. Bring your Student ID to avail of these discounts. Generally speaking, the usual concessions are available for senior citizens aged 65 and older on production of appropriate ID.

Smoking in Ireland - as of 29 March 2004, it is illegal to smoke in any workplace in Ireland. This includes pubs, restaurants and all university buildings. Accordingly, smoking is prohibited by law at all conference events.

Useful Galway Links

Irish Tourist Board – http://www.irishtouristboard.ie/

Tourism West – http://www.irelandwest.ie/

Newspapers, Media, Event Listings

The Galway Advertiser (includes an Eyre Square webcam)

Galway Bay FM

Galway.net Guide

Connaught Tribune 

Theatre and the Arts

The Galway Arts Centre

The Town Hall Theatre

Macnas

Druid Theatre

The Galway Arts Festival

Booksellers

Charlie Byrnes

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