Road network

Ireland drives on the left, which takes real adjustment for visitors from continental Europe. The motorway network linking Dublin to Cork, Galway, Limerick, and Waterford is modern and well-maintained. Several motorways carry tolls, including the M1, M4, and sections of the M7 and M8. The M50 ring road around Dublin uses fully electronic tolling with no barrier: cameras read your number plate and payment must be made online within a few days. Check current toll rates before travel. Rural and regional roads range from decent two-lane tarmac to single-track lanes between stone walls, where passing another vehicle means one car reverses to a lay-by. Expect tractors, livestock, and tour buses on popular routes, especially in summer.

Speed limits are 50 km/h in towns, 80 km/h on rural roads, and 120 km/h on motorways. The blood alcohol limit is 0.05 g/100 ml. The minimum driving age is 17. Headlights are required at night. Winter tires are not legally required. The emergency number is 112. Crossing into Northern Ireland requires no passport check, but speed limit signs there are in miles per hour, not kilometers. The Wild Atlantic Way, a signed coastal route of around 2,500 km along the entire west coast, is the country's defining long drive. One detail that surprises many visitors: on the M50 around Dublin there are no toll booths, and missing the online payment deadline results in an automatic fine.