Travelling in Ireland is both fun and safe, throughout the country. We drive on the left and have good quality motorways but country roads do abound if you want to go exploring.
We have included a few useful hints and tips below when staying in Northern Ireland (NI) or Ireland (IE). Also, don’t forget, Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom and therefore follows the UK road laws, telephone system and address post codes.
In Northern Ireland, the police service is called the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI).
In Ireland, the police service is called the Garda Síochána.
The emergency number in Northern Ireland is 999 but the European 112 also works.
The PSNI non-emergency number is 101.
The emergency number in Ireland is 112.
Telephones
Land line calls within Northern Ireland, the code is 028 (xxxx xxxx).
Land line calls within Ireland, the code is 0xx (xxx xxxx).
To call a Northern Ireland number using a mobile or from abroad the code is UK +44 28 (xxxx xxxx)
To call an Ireland number using a mobile or from abroad the code is Ireland +353 xx (xxx xxxx)
Main Airports in Northern Ireland
George Best Belfast City Airport
Belfast International Airport
Main Airports in Ireland
Dublin City (East coast)
Cork Airport in County Cork (South Coast)
Kerry International Airport County Kerry (South West Coast)
Shannon Airport in County Clare (South West Coast)
Sligo Regional Airport
There are also a few Regional Airports where flights and schedules are more limited:
Donegal Airport County Donegal
Ireland West Airport Knock County Mayo
Waterford Regional Airport County Waterford
Passenger Ferries – NI
Ferries from Northern Ireland to England
There is currently just the 1 ferry route running between Northern Ireland and England operated by 1 ferry company – Stena Line. The Belfast to Liverpool Birkenhead ferry crossing operates weekly with a scheduled sailing duration from about 8 hours.
Ferries from NI to Scotland
There are 2 ferry routes operating between Northern Ireland and Scotland offering you combined total of 84 sailings per week. P&O Irish Sea operates 1 route, Larne to Cairnryan which runs 7 times daily. Stena Line operates 1 route, Belfast to Cairnryan which runs 5 times daily.
Passenger Ferries – IE
Ferries from Ireland to England
There are 2 ferry routes operating between Ireland and England offering you combined total of 20 sailings per week. P&O Irish Sea operates 1 route, Dublin to Liverpool which runs 6 times weekly. Stena Line operates 1 route, Belfast to Liverpool Birkenhead which runs 14 times weekly.
Irish Ferries operates 2 routes, Dublin to Holyhead runs 4 times per day & Rosslare to Pembroke about 14 times weekly. Stena Line operates 2 routes, Dublin to Holyhead runs 4 times per day & Rosslare to Fishguard about 14 times weekly.
Ferries from Ireland to France
Irish Ferries operates 1 route, Dublin to Cherbourg which runs 4 times weekly. Brittany Ferries operates 3 routes, Rosslare to Cherbourg runs 1 time per week, Cork to Roscoff about 2 times weekly & Rosslare to Roscoff about 1 time weekly. Stena Line operates 1 route, Rosslare to Cherbourg which runs 3 times weekly.
Bus & Rail Travel
Buses in Ireland: www.buseireann.ie
Buses & Railways in Northern Ireland: www.translink.co.uk
Railways in Ireland: www.irishrail.ie
Belfast – Dublin uses the Enterprise service: http://www.translink.co.uk/Services/Enterprise/
Currency
NI: Pounds Sterling £ (GBP)
IE: Euros € (EUR)
Weights, Measures and Distances
NI & IE Food products: Metric; milligrams (mg), grams (g), kilos (k).
Occasional foods can still be found in imperial measurements; ounces (oz), pounds (lbs), stone (st).
NI Roads: Imperial; Miles (m), yards (y) and inches (in).
IE Road: Metric; Kilometers (km), meters (m) and centimeters (cm).
NI Speed Limits – Miles Per Hour (MPH)
Cars & Motorcycles: mph – (Km/h)
Built-up Areas: 30mph (48) (20mph (32) in central Belfast and signposted cities and towns)
Single Carriageways: 60mph (96)
Dual Carriageways: 70mph (112)
Motorways: 70mph (112)
IE Speed Limits – Kilometers Per Hour (Km/H)
Cars & Motorcycles: km/h – (mph)
Urban areas: 50km/h (31)
Regional roads: 80km/h (50)
National roads: 100km/h (62)
Motorways: 120km/h (75)
Northern Ireland Tourist Board
www.discovernorthernireland.com