Your driver is usually your guide on the tour so you will know them intimately by the end of the trip, he will be like family. We have buses that range from a 53 seater to a 9 seater depending on the group in question. If you are on a day trip you may be on one of the larger buses but on the longer tours with us, the biggest you will be on is a 16 seater. There is plenty of leg room for everyone so that they are all comfortable on our journeys between location. You may be expected to sing a song or two on the bus however. We keep a small bottle of honey just in case!.

If you have a look at the itineraries that we have on offer you will see that we endeavour to try and stay in each place for more than one night. This gives you time to relax, unpack your clothes and really see the village or town you are staying in. We try to keep the travelling to the minimum but obviously we have to get to the best sites for walking. The driving is an integral part of the tour also as this is where you really get to meet your fellow travellers as well. I like to split groups up so they are sitting beside people that they dont know for different sections of the day and let them introduce themselves. Maybe have a quiz about them later that day! All our buses have stereo systems fitted so if you have an ipod or cd's with you I am sure the guide will be happy to play them for you. This is up to the disgression of the driver however, so please dont ask him to play any "Michael Bolton" or they may just bolt themselves!

Enjoy your bus driver telling stories and singing songs, playing games on the road. It will be like you are a child again on a road trip.

Getting to Dublin or Galway:

If you wish to join the Extreme Ireland premier tour, The Emerald" for the second half or as we call it "The Northern Gem" you can commute quite easily to Galway where your guide will welcome you with open arms at the bus or railway station. The journey takes between 3 and 4 hours from Dublin to Galway.

Boat, Rail and Air

Getting to Ireland is easy by boat from Britain and France: and there are international flights to and from the USA, mainland Britain and the Continent. There are also many ferries arriving at four ports in Ireland from Britain and France.

Passports: British passport holders do not need a passport to come to Ireland although some form of identification is advisable. Travellers from the United States and non-European citizens will need a passport and, in some cases, a visa. Please check with your nearest Irish embassy

BY AIR:

The Republic of Ireland's national airline is Aer Lingus. Flights from London to Dublin take approx. 50 minutes. There is a wide range of promotional airfares to Ireland from Britain. An increasing number of airlines connect regional UK airports with Ireland.

Dublin Airport lies 8km north of the City Centre. Opening hours vary throughout the year. The 41 bus and the Airlink Express Bus connect the airport with the city centre. Taxis are also available. Travel time from the airport to the city is approx. 20 minutes.

Shannon Airport is situated 26km west of Limerick City. Travel time is approx. 25 minutes. Public transport is available to the city centre and a daily express coach service travels between Limerick and Shannon and between Galway and Shannon. Cork Airport is located 8km south west of the city. Travel time is approx. 15 minutes. There is a public bus service from the airport to the city centre. There is also a taxi service available.

Knock International Airport is situated 11km north of Claremorris (Co. Mayo) and 30km from Castlebar. It receives international flights from the UK only. Bus and taxi services are available to Claremorris from where onward rail and bus connections to the rest of the country are available.

Waterford located 9km from the city centre. Bus and taxi services are available into Waterford City.

Galway, approx. 8km from the city centre. Bus and taxi services available.

Sligo situated 8km from Sligo. Bus and taxi services are available into Sligo.

Kerry located 19km from both Killarney and Tralee. Taxi service available to both these towns and to the nearby railway station.

The following are other Irish Airports, which receive international flights:

• Donegal International Airport
• City of Derry Airport
• Belfast International Airport

BY SEA:

B&I Line, Sealink Stena Line, Swansea - Cork Ferries, Irish Ferries and P&O Ferries all operate regular car ferry sailings to Ireland.

Ferry routes from the UK are:

• Cairnryan and Stranraer to Larne (Northern Ireland) - 2 hours 20 minutes
• Douglas (Isle of Man) to Dublin - 4 hours
• Holyhead to Dublin - 3 hours 50 minutes
• Holyhead to Dun Laoghaire - 3 hours 30 minutes
• Fishguard to Rosslare - 3 hours 30 minutes
• Swansea to Cork - 10 hours
• Pembroke to Rosslare - 4 hours 15 minutes

There are also ferries available from Le Harve and Cherbourg in France to Rosslare and also from Le Havre to Cork.

BRINGING YOUR OWN VEHICLE:

It is all very easy. You will need your motor registration book, a Green Card or insurance certificate and a driving license. Note that your car must not be driven by an Irish resident except by a garage hand.

BY RAIL:

Rail links serve Ireland from all of the above mentioned ferry ports as well as from Northern Ireland.