Welcome to Your Practical Driving Toolkit
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Friendly intro video (2 mins max)
Short paragraph: who it’s for, how to use the guide
IRELAND Road Types at a Glance
Motorways (M-Roads): Speed limit 120 km/h. Ireland’s smoothest roads with multiple lanes, clear exits and wide visibility. Marked in blue on your GPS. Fast, simple and generally stress-free.
National primary roads (N1–N33) (N-Roads): Now 80 km/h. Narrower and more unpredictable, with hidden turns, uneven surfaces and farm traffic. Still shown in green, but often feel more rural.
National secondary roads (N51–N82) (N-Roads): These link smaller towns and are usually single-lane. Speed limits have been reduced to 80 km/h, and they vary in condition.
Regional roads (R-Roads): Limit 80 km/h. Winding, scenic routes through villages and countryside. Expect tight bends, stone walls and slower traffic, but the views make it worth it. Marked with white signs.
Local (unclassified) roads: These are the tiny ones. Dead ends, laneways, roads to a pier or a farm. Often, there are no signs, no numbers, and now limited to 60 km/h. Don’t aim to end up on them, but if you do it is important to remain calm and drive at a comfortable speed.
DO'S & DON'TS of Roundabouts
Here are the key rules to remember when using Irish roundabouts.
Turning left (first exit): Stay in the left lane, indicate left as you enter, and keep signalling until you exit.
Going straight: Use any lane, don’t signal when entering, but indicate left once you’ve passed the first exit.
Turning right or full loop: Use the right lane, signal right as you enter, and keep that signal on until you’re ready to leave. Then switch to the left indicator when you pass the turn before your exit.
If you miss your exit, don’t panic! Just go around again. Locals do it daily, there is zero shame in it. And always watch for cyclists and pedestrians, especially near exits.
IRISH PETROL STATIONS MUST KNOW'S
Self-Service: It is important to remember that all petrol stations are self-service. Fill up your fuel, make note of the number pumb you parked at and pay with the shop assistant.
Fuel Types: Before leaving your car rental company, make sure to confirm the type of fuel the car takes.
Diseal = Black Nosel
Petrol = Green Nosel
Services: Most larger stations will have fast food options and most stations (excluding the extremely rural) will have Deli's and Bathrooms.
PETROL STATION MAP INSTRUCTIONS
This petrol station map will come in handy when driving around Ireland, especially if you are in need of an out-of-hours top-up or a public bathroom.
INSTRUCTIONS:
Click the rectangle brackets in the right-hand corner to open the expansion of the map. This will open Google My Maps,
TOLL ROADS IN IRELAND
There are 11 toll roads across Ireland, found mainly on major motorways, bypass routes, and tunnels.
I’ve created a Google Maps list with every toll plaza marked, perfect to save for your trip.
Most tolls accept cash, cards, or electronic tags, but the M50 in Dublin works differently. It’s a barrier-free system that scans your licence plate as you drive through.
Before setting off, ask your rental company how they handle M50 payments.
If you need to pay it yourself, you can do so at eflow.ie or in most Centra, Spar, or Circle K locations.
Make sure to pay by 8 p.m. the day after you travel to avoid penalty charges.
