“All aboard for Hogwarts”: Many readers of this blog will soon be sending sons and daughters back to school for the semester. Your child may or may not be headed to Hogwarts, but Hogwarts is just one of the many destinations serviced by Scotrail.
When I talk to people about a trip to Ireland and the rest of the British Isles, travel by rail is seldom a topic of conversation. It should be, especially for a couple. For a larger group, hiring a driver often makes sense economically. Americans are more comfortable on the road but in the British Isles, rail is often the way to go.
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Driving in the the UK and Ireland is not a relaxing or familiar experience for most Americans. Drivers sit in the passenger seat. Rotaries (traffic circles) require the driver to travel clockwise. When you take a left hand turn, you return to the left side of the road, not the right. Parking lots? Forget it. You’re on vacation. Who needs the stress and confusion.
Traveling by rail combined with local tours and guides is a great option to consider when planning a trip to the British Isles. Call us today and we’ll help you put together a stress free trip that you’ll be talking about for years (or at least until your next trip with Old Sod Travel).
Ireland by Rail — It sure beats driving
Although the Irish rail system is nowhere near as well developed as those of Scotland or England, traveling by rail can be a great way to explore the Old Sod.
Around Dublin, public transportation abounds. There really is no reason to have a car. You can get wherever you want to go around Dublin using trains, streetcars (the LUAS) and buses.
Outside of Dublin, most every city and larger town has a railroad station, usually in the middle of town. From the town’s railroad station you will usually have a short walk or cab ride to comfortable accommodations and lively restaurants.
The only apparent drawback is getting out to see the countryside. Not a problem! Local guides can be found in every city and most towns. In Galway, there are tours that will take you out into the Connemara Region, to the Aran Island or the Cliffs of Moher and the Burren. In Killarney there are tours up to the Gap of Dunloe, around the Ring of Kerry or over to the nearby Dingle Peninsula. From Belfast you can get a tour up to The Giants Causeway or the Coastal Causeway.
Taking the train may require a little more creativity once you get to your stop, but that’s what we’re here for. Call us today for a trip around Ireland by rail.
Ireland Rail
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The World’s Oldest Railroad System
The first steam powered rail engine was invented in 1804 in England. In 1825 Stockton & Darlington pioneered the first public passenger railway in the world. As a result, England has one of the most extensive rail systems in the world.
In its entirety, England’s rail system encompasses 11,000 miles of track, 2500 stations and around 1500 trains per day. Clearly the system is vast, but due to millions of pounds of investment in the past decade, the system is also very fast. In other words, it’s a great way to see England and Wales.
Speed is not the only reason to consider a train trip in England. Honouring George Mortimer Pullman, the father of luxury train travel, the Belmond British Pullman carriages are the height of train luxury. Each is individually named with a unique story to tell.The Belmond British Pulman offers day and weekend trips throughout the year. Champagne breakfasts, tasting menus complemented by fine wines, a murder mystery or an overnight trip to the Ritz.
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Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA)
Only in Ireland: People may remember the old TV program called the Wide World of Sports. From 4:30 until 6:00 PM every Saturday, Jim McKay would go “Spanning the globe to bring you the constant variety of sport… the thrill of victory… and the agony of defeat… the human drama of athletic competition”. Barrel jumping, badminton, curling, cliff diving in Mexico - all of them memorable. The broadcast that I couldn’t wait for each year came live from the Kilkenny or Croke Park. Hurling was the craziest sport I had ever witnessed. Make a point of trying to work a GAA game into your next trip.
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Family Trips
We see a big surge in inquiries around the holidays, many of them from families. During family get togethers people often talk about travel and summer plans begin to emerge. The excitement generated over dinner or drinks begins to ebb as talk transitions to planning. It doesn’t take too long before a great idea turns into “how are we going to do this”?
Money of course is the other big obstacle. In most extended families you are going to have some for whom money is no object. For many others, it is a big obstacle. This of course puts even more stress into the trip planning.
So how can we help? Call and talk to us for 15 to 20 minutes and we can get enough information from you to develop a preliminary itinerary. Once you’ve recieved this customized itinerary and preliminary pricing, you share it with the group. Gather the feedback and share it with us so that we can revise the itinerary as much or as little as needed until you have the perfect trip for your family or group.
More often than not, families are surprised at how affordable we can make these trips. One group of 18cousins is headed to Northern and Northwest Ireland for nine nights staying in four and five star accomodations for $1635 per person sharing. A multi-generational family of 20 is traveling in the south staying in four star, centrally located hotels for less than $1000 per person. These prices include hotels, private vehicle with a driver and breakfast each morning.
Ireland and Scotland are a lot more affordable than many people think. Give us a call today. We’ll take your family holiday conversations and turn them into vacations that you’ll be talking about for years to come.
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