By far the easiest way to get around County Donegal is by car.
One very important thing to be aware of for some renters including Americans:
If you normally decline the collision damage waiver on a car rental because it is covered by your credit card, CONFIRM with your credit card company that the Republic of Ireland is included in that coverage. For many credit cards there is a small list of countries excluded, for example American Express excludes Australia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, and New Zealand. For those few credit cards that do include coverage, there are frequently limits that might be too low to cover all the damage to the car.
Airport Rentals:
– Drive times below are courtesy of Google maps and assume normal traffic
Shannon airport:
- Approximately 350 km/225 miles
- About 5 hours
Dublin airport:
- Approximately 275 km/170 miles
- 3.5 to 4 hours depending on route
Belfast airport:
- 165km/102 miles to 205 km/128 miles depending on route
- 2.5 to 3 hours depending on route
Derry Airport:
- 85 km/53 miles
- 1.25 hours
Donegal airport:
- 21 km/13 miles
- 30 minutes
Informative links:
Republic of Ireland: Links to some articles for visitors who may not understand the differences between car rentals at home and in The Republic of Ireland. For example, “full coverage” does NOT mean that everything is covered. Another thing to note is that there might be an additional fee if you rent in the Republic and drive the car through Northern Ireland.
Trip Advisor: Renting a Car in Ireland
A Comprehensive Guide to Renting a Car in Ireland
Northern Ireland: The information in the article below on driving and renting a car in Northern Ireland is provided for that information only, not an endorsement of any company.
Car Rental Northern Ireland: Driving Information
Finding a Rental Company:
There are many car rental companies in Ireland including all the major names like Hertz and Avis. In addition there are smaller Irish companies. A Google search will show you all the possibilities available. For example:
