persevere

We will be visiting our son in London July 24-30 and would like to spend a few days visiting Ireland July 30-Aug 3, specifically Dublin and the surrounding area. Does anyone have info on the sail rail pass providing transportation between London and Dublin? Rates, suggestions? It appears that the trip is an all day experience, but sounds scenic for something we have never done. Allowing 1 day traveling and 1 day returning to London, what would a good itinerary/hotels/pubs/tours/trips to countryside be for 3 full days in Dublin?

mjdh1957

The Man In Seat 61 is a god resource for all things related to train and ferry to Ireland

http://seat61.com/Ireland.htm

jamikins

Depending on what you want to see there, you could just fly. There are lots of cheap flights from London to Dublin daily. You wont want a car IN Dublin either. Check out www.aerlingus.com and www.ryanair.com (not the luggaged restrictions and extra charges on ryanair).

flanneruk

"but sounds scenic for something we have never done."

Hmmm.

It's 3.5 hrs by train, followed/preceded by 3 hrs or so on a boat. It's "scenic" for the last 45 mins of the train and the 15 mins of boat just outside Holyhead. The rest is frankly ho hum.

Highly partisan details at www.seat61.com/Ireland.htm: an utterly honest and objective site - but run by a train enthusiast

Now there are posters on this site addicted to trains who'll rave over how much nicer lugging your bags through the foot passenger bit at the ferry terminal is than an an airport (about which the most polite comment is "debatable").

The truth is centre to centre takes twice as long by SailRail as by plane, which means you're losing half a day in each direction for highly underwhelming scenery. Prices are on average comparable, though less predictable by plane.

If you're time-rich, it's a no brainer: you can do useful stuff by boat/train (like read a couple of novels). If you're time poor, as almost all transtlantic tourists are, the train/boat is rotten value for the hours spent - unless, like me, catching up on reading is a crucial part of your holiday objectives.

persevere

Thanks for everyone's suggestions so far.

One aspect of consideration for travel to Dublin is our baggage. We will be traveling with our son and will be traveling with 4 pieces of luggage as we are traveling on separate trips upon our return to London. Considering the cost of checking luggage on Ryan Air, checking 4 bags would not be cost effective. We have never traveled across the sea, and only once by train from Munich to Paris, and feel this would add an element out of the norm for our travels. We may extend our trip a day should time necessitate.

Cowboy1968

Can't you at least fly open-jaw to London, and back from Dublin to where you live?

Or leave some of your luggage at your son's place in London and take only one suitcase with you to Ireland?
What on Earth will you be dragging in altogether 4 suitcases across England and to Ireland and back for just 5 days in Dublin?

persevere

My son is a summer law associate in London and his lease is up end of July. He has 2 bags packed for the summer and his Fall semester in Germany(6 months of travel essentials), including a trip to Africa after Dublin. We each have 1 suitcase, but the airports do not allow storage since 9-11. Upon return to London on the 4th, we will fly back to the States and son flies to Africa, thus the luggage goes with us.

I have checked open jaw rates which are a few hundred dollars more for the 2 of us and flight times are not as good.

Anyone familiar with storage facilities close to Heathrow to temporarily store baggage?

BigRuss

Have you checked open jaw or just multiple one-ways? Open jaw means using the multi-city option on whatever booking site you use and they're usually not that much more expensive, if at all.

persevere

Yes, multi-city is exactly what I have done for the past 2 months of researching and as of 1 hour ago, the option was higher on both travelocity and expedia. I have a great rate that has come up in the last 2 days.

persevere

Big Russ, I just checked Expedia again and sure enough a pop up just surfaced within the hour for the exact flight I anticipated booking R/T to LHR for $40 more. Thanks for putting the thought in my head for a second time this morning.

persevere

Flight is booked; thanks Russ and Cowboy. Still anticipate taking Sail/Rail over so we will enjoy that experience. My son can elect which route he chooses for his return to LHR, most likely air.

We extended our return date so we have potentially 2 more days in Ireland(potentially 5 full days exclusive of travel days), should we choose to depart London as planned. Thinking of car rental/bus/train to Shannon for an overnight.Lodging in a castle or B&B?? Suggestions? Any other sites to visit outside of Dublin? Any suggestions appreciated.

alanRow

The Sail Rail thing seems to be limited to Stena Lines now. For getting between London & Dublin I would recommend flying from Heathrow or London City as the cost of getting to any other London airport will significantly reduce the savings that you MIGHT make by flying a low costs airline

"We will be traveling with our son and will be traveling with 4 pieces of luggage as we are traveling on separate trips upon our return to London."

Another reason for flying with a legacy airline - you'll get a 20kg checked luggage allowance. Alternatively find a storage company (not the ones at stations or airports) and store them for several days for a few quid

persevere

Alan, we plan on taking the SailRail over and then departing for USA from Dublin, rather than returning to London. We thought the SailRail sounded like fun for one way. There is a current website for Man In The Seat 61, referred by mjdh, which details trips directly from London. Am I mistaken?

janisj

Sounds like you've made up your mind -- but just in case "<i><blue>but the airports do not allow storage since 9-11</blue></i>" simply isn't true.

There are left luggage facilities at most UK airports/London train stations, etc.

alanRow

"which details trips directly from London. Am I mistaken?"

Yes. In most cases there will be three train journeys & a ferry ride to reach Dublin from London in addition to any ride to Euston to get to the first train.

Typically you'd take a train to Chester, then another to Holyhead, then onto the ferry, off the ferry, onto the train into Dublin - at each stage you handle all your luggage.

Cowboy1968

There is one direct train from Euston to Holyhead, leaving London at 8.50am.

You should check Stena Lines for reservations:
http://www.stenaline.ie/ferry/rail-and-sail/holyhead/

By the way:
If you intend to (also) visit the Southern parts of Ireland and not only Dublin, it could be worth while to check the other ferry route to Rosslare, to see if it works for you to rent a car there, and drop it off in Dublin on your way back.
http://www.stenaline.ie/ferry/rail-and-sail/fishguard/

Cowboy1968

P.S. Times for direct train to Holyhead mentioned above are for July 30th only. Could be other times on other days.
Check www.nationalrail.co.uk for your respective dates of travel.

irishface

I used to do the London/Holyhead/DunLaoighare/Dublin jaunt, but in 1984, it seemed incredibly wasteful and flight prices were coming down. I vowed never to do the boat thing again. And I haven't. Enough said.

irishface

I used to do the London/Holyhead/DunLaoighare/Dublin jaunt, but in 1984, it seemed incredibly wasteful and flight prices were coming down. I vowed never to do the boat thing again. And I haven't. Enough said.

Tony2phones

Rail and sail either through Manatseat61 (Irish ferries, Swift) or Stena line rail and sail will not give you a choice of trains but match them to meet the ferry. Tickets can however be purchased at any main line UK station to Dublin at a fixed price (again Irish Ferries I believe)It will take longer than flying but without baggage restrictions. Has your son no friends he could leave bags with, or can you not freight any surplus baggage directly back.