You’ve got your car rental quotes lined up, but before you hit “book,” let’s make sure you’re not renting a car for longer than you actually need it. Trimming even a couple of days off your rental can save you money, reduce stress, and make your time in Ireland smoother.

Dublin is a wonderful city to explore – on foot, by bus, or on the Luas tram – but it’s a headache to navigate by car. One-way streets twist through the city center, lanes narrow down to the size of alleys, and buses and taxis dominate the roads. Parking is both inconvenient and expensive.

The truth is, a car will spend more time sitting in a paid car park than being useful. It’s often faster to walk between attractions, and public transport is easy to use, reliable, and well connected. Between Dublin Bus, the Luas, the DART coastal train, and even hop-on hop-off sightseeing routes, you’ll have no trouble getting around without a rental.

One of the best tricks is to plan your Dublin stay at the beginning or end of your itinerary. That way you can pick up the car only when you’re leaving the city or return it before heading back in. You’ll save on the rental, on insurance, and on fuel.

If your journey starts outside Dublin – Galway, Cork, Killarney, or elsewhere – and you don't want to drive around the city, it’s very easy to take an express bus from the airport or train from the city directly to your first destination and rent a car there.

Another option is to fly into Shannon Airport, where it’s much simpler to pick up a car without the hassle of Dublin driving.

If you do decide to take a car into Dublin, collect or drop off a car in the city, be sure to check:

The bottom line: don’t pay for a rental car you don’t need. Skipping just a day or two in Dublin can save hundreds of euros over the course of your trip. Rent the car when you need it – and don't waste money on when you don't.

Next in this series: booking smart. I’ll cover how car size, age limits, and timing can all affect the cost of your rental.

Traveling in Ireland podcast episode 301

The post When to Rent a Car in Ireland (and Why You Don’t Need One in Dublin) appeared first on Ireland Family Vacations.