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Car Rental in Ireland

A rental car is how you actually see Ireland - the Wild Atlantic Way, the Ring of Kerry and a hundred villages the tour buses skip. But two things catch visitors out: driving on the left, and how scarce (and pricey) automatics are. Here's what to know before you book.

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By Sophie4 min readPublished
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The Wild Atlantic Way road curving toward a green Irish mountain
Photo: August Gresh · CC BY-SA 4.0

In Brief

Is it worth renting a car in Ireland?

Yes - for touring beyond Dublin, a car is the best way to reach the coast, the peninsulas and the small towns that make Ireland. Rates start around $20/day, but two things catch first-timers: you drive on the left, and the default car is a manual (stick shift), so automatics are limited and cost noticeably more - reserve one early if you need it. Also budget for the collision-damage excess and the credit-card hold. In Dublin itself you don't need a car; pick it up as you head out of the city.

Key takeaways

  • From about $20/day; automatics cost more and sell out - book early.
  • You drive on the left, and manual (stick shift) is the default.
  • Roads are narrow with high hedges - take it slow and mind wing mirrors.
  • Skip the car for Dublin; rent it when you leave the city.

$20/day

economy class, before extras

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How much does car rental cost in Ireland?

Rough daily prices by car type. Rates rise in peak season - book early for the best deal.

Car typePrice / dayGood to know
Small manual$20-45/dayCheapest and easiest on narrow lanes; fine for two people and light luggage.
Compact automatic$45-80/dayThe premium if you can't drive a stick - book early, they run out.
Mid-size / estate$50-90/dayMore boot space for longer trips and families; still manageable on rural roads.
SUV$70-120/dayComfortable for long distances, but wide for the narrowest hedged lanes.

Transmission: Manual is standard and cheapest; automatics are limited and pricier - reserve one well ahead if you can't drive a stick.

Driving in Ireland: what to know

  • Drive on the left

    Ireland (and Northern Ireland) drives on the left, with the driver on the right of the car. Roundabouts go clockwise. Give yourself an easy first hour out of the airport before tackling narrow roads.

  • Manual is the default

    Most rentals are manual, so automatics are fewer and cost more - and shifting with your left hand adds to the left-side learning curve. If you need an automatic, reserve it early; they sell out in summer.

  • The roads are narrow

    Rural lanes are hedged, winding and often barely two cars wide, with stone walls close in. Slow down, pull into passing places, and watch your wing mirrors - mirror and tyre damage is a common (and often excluded) claim.

  • Tolls are mostly automatic

    Most motorway tolls have booths, but Dublin's M50 is barrier-free (eFlow) - you must pay online by 8pm the next day or face a fine. Ask the rental desk how the car handles M50 tolls.

  • Mind the excess and the card hold

    The standard cover carries a high excess and the desk will place a large hold on a credit card in the main driver's name. Consider excess-reduction cover, and bring a physical credit card (not debit) with room on it.

Best drives in Ireland

The routes worth renting a car for - see our road trips guide for more.

  • The Cliffs of Moher on the Wild Atlantic Way in County Clare, Ireland

    The Wild Atlantic Way

    2,500km of Atlantic coast from Cork to Donegal - drive a stretch of it, not all.

  • The Ring of Kerry, Ireland

    The Ring of Kerry

    The classic day loop of coast, mountains and villages around the Iveragh Peninsula.

  • The Dingle Peninsula, Ireland

    The Dingle Peninsula

    Smaller, quieter and many travellers' favourite - Slea Head Drive is the highlight.

  • The Causeway Coast, Ireland

    The Causeway Coast

    Belfast to the Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland - dramatic cliffs and Game of Thrones scenery.

Best time to visit Ireland

Car rental in Ireland: FAQ

The questions travelers ask most before renting a car here.

Small manual cars start around $20/day and run to $45 in summer. Automatics are the big jump - roughly $45-80/day - because they're scarcer. Mid-size and estate cars are $50-90, SUVs $70-120. On top of the base rate, factor in collision-excess cover (or excess-reduction insurance) and a sizeable credit-card hold. Booking early, especially for an automatic, is the main way to keep costs down.

The main challenges are driving on the left and the narrow, hedged rural roads - both of which most visitors adjust to within a day. Take it slow, especially on single-track lanes with stone walls, use passing places, and watch your wing mirrors. Motorways and main roads are easy and well-signed. If you can't drive a manual, book an automatic in advance to remove one part of the learning curve.

If you can drive a manual (stick shift), it's cheaper, more widely available and the default. If you can't - or don't want to shift with your left hand while learning to drive on the left - book an automatic, but do it early: automatics are a limited part of the fleet and sell out in the busy May-to-September season, often at a meaningful premium.

Not for Dublin, which is walkable and well served by transit - rent as you leave the city. But for the coast, the peninsulas and the countryside, a car is by far the best way to travel: it reaches the Wild Atlantic Way viewpoints, small villages and remote beaches that buses and tours cover slowly or skip. A common plan is a few days car-free in Dublin, then a road-trip loop.

May-June and September give the best mix of long daylight, drier-than-average weather and lower prices than the July-August peak. Rentals (especially automatics) are cheapest and easiest to get outside high summer. Winter is cheapest of all but comes with short days and wetter roads. See our best-time-to-visit Ireland guide for the month-by-month detail.

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Photo credits (4)

Photos via Wikimedia Commons, used under their respective licences.