• To enter Ireland, you need a valid passport with an expiration date of at least 6 months after your return date.
• US citizens do not need any additional VISAs to enter the Republic of Ireland or Northern Ireland (U.K.).
• If you are not a U.S. citizen, please check with your government for travel requirements into Ireland.

• The Euro is the official currency of the Republic of Ireland. In Northern Ireland (U.K.), the British Pound is the official currency. US dollars are not accepted.
  Foreign currency converter: http://www.x-rates.com/calculator.html
• Our recommendation is to use ATMs and avoid traveler's checks. Banks have odd opening and closing times and smaller towns may not have the capability to exchange foreign currency. But, most of the smaller towns have ATMs!
  

ATMs

• ATMs are available in the Dublin Airport http://www.dublinairport.com/
  and across all of Ireland.
  
• Make sure you have a Cirrus or PLUS account. You also need a 4 digit PIN number. If you have any questions about using ATMs abroad, please check with your local bank.
• Credit or debit cards. MasterCard and Visa are commonly accepted.
• At many American banks, you can exchange U.S. dollars for Euros or British Pounds prior to arriving in Dublin.
• You can also bring U.S. dollars/traveler's checks and exchange these once in Ireland. There is a currency exchange area in the Arrivals Level at Dublin Airport.
    http://www.dublinairport.com/at-airport/airport-maps/arrivals.html
• Safety and Security Information

• Pack lightly! There is limited space on the bus for luggage.
• You will need to carry your own bags from the bus into a guesthouse and up steps. Remember, pack lightly!
• If you need to lighten your load, items/luggage may be left at the Dublin hotel
  **Remember, Ireland is a modern country. If you forget something, you can probably buy it there!
• Passport (with photocopies)
• Airline tickets (with photocopies)

• Shoes
  • 1 pair waterproof hiking shoes
    • We will be doing easy hikes in valleys and trails, which may be wet/muddy.
  • 1 other pair of shoes your choice
• Shirts, long pants, shorts, socks, underwear
  • Irish weather is quite changeable. Be ready for a variety of sun and rain most days. Therefore, it is good to layer your clothing and be adaptable to the changing weather.
  • Casual attire is fine in Irish restaurants.
    
• Fleece top or 1 warmer sweater
• Waterproof/windproof jacket
• Sunblock
• Sunglasses
• Watch or alarm clock
• Personal effects (medications and bathroom stuff)
  
• Optional:
  • Swimsuit
  • Face cloth / Small towel
  • Sun/rain hat
  • Lightweight, small, travel umbrella
  • Flashlight
  • Rain poncho/waterproof pants
    

Want to blend in with the Irish?
Here are some useful tips:

• The Irish tend to wear darker clothes like black, gray, brown, jeans. Khakis and baseball hats are not that popular.
• American sports team related gear, i.e. sweatshirts, baseball hats, jackets, etc., will make you stand out in a crowd.
• Fanny packs are a dead giveaway that you're not a local.

Electrical

• Irish electricity is 240 volts AC, enough to ruin any North American 110 volt appliance. If you bring electrical appliances, you will need an adapter (which changes the shape of the plug) and a converter (which changes the voltage from 240 volts Irish to 110 volts U.S.). These can be purchased at a hardware store.

Fitness level

• You should have an average fitness level and good mobility. You can go on walks along uneven surfaces, up hills, carry your bags to your room, etc. Many accommodations are not handicap accessible and most do not have elevators.

When to Arrive: Tuesday

• If flying from the continental USA:
  • Take an overnight flight leaving on Monday and arriving on Tuesday
  • Do not take a flight leaving Tuesday night and arriving Wednesday morning. You will miss the tour's departure on Wednesday morning.
• If you are arriving from outside the USA, be in Dublin by Tuesday evening to enjoy your night's accommodation.
• Your Inroads Ireland trip begins with your check-in to your Dublin hotel on Tuesday. We will work with the hotel to allow an early check-in. If that's not possible, you can leave your bags at the front desk and return in the afternoon to check-in. The rest of the day is yours to enjoy. Click on our Useful Links page for helpful Dublin Sight-Seeing tips.
• If you took an overnight flight, take a short nap. For some people, this helps with jet lag. On that Tuesday night, try to go to bed at your "regular" time.

Jet Lag Tips:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/jet-lag/SL00012

Airport to the Hotel

• We recommend that you take a taxi to get to your hotel. There is a taxi stand just outside the Arrivals Hall. Your journey will be within the Dublin Taxi Metered Area. The driver must charge the fare shown on the meter, plus extras if applicable.
• We will contact you closer to your departure date with details of your Dublin hotel.

Returning to the USA

• Your return flight to the USA should depart on Wednesday. The tour ends on late Tuesday afternoon and your Tuesday night accommodation is included in the tour price. With most flights to the continental USA, you arrive home the same day.

Airlines

• AerLingus flies directly from several U.S. cities to Dublin: http://www.aerlingus.com/

• Most major air carriers fly to Dublin (Airport code = DUB)

• Flying into Dublin from Europe?
  • RyanAir http://www.ryanair.com/
  • EasyJet http://www.easyjet.com/
  • AerLingus http://www.aerlingus.com/

Dublin Sight-Seeing Tips

• Explore Dublin! Trinity College, St. Stephen's Green, Temple Bar, Guinness Storehouse...they all await you!
    http://www.dublintourist.com/popular_dublin/
• Do a hop on / hop off bus tour of Dublin http://www.dublintourist.com/tours/city_tours/
• Head over to the Guinness Storehouse at St. James Gate for a tour and possibly a pint at The Gravity Bar with uninterrupted panoramic views of Dublin
    http://www.guinnessstorehouse.com/
• Enjoy some good craic! (pronounced "crack", an Irish word meaning good fun)
• Do a walking tour...literary tours, Georgian district...you can do a tour independently or with a guide
    http://www.dublintourist.com/walks_around_dublin/  or
    http://www.visitdublin.com/seeanddo/tours/GuidedWalkingTours/
• How about a literary or traditional Irish music pub crawl?
    http://www.dublinpubcrawl.com/
    http://www.creativeevents.ie/musicalpubcrawl/mpcindex.htm
• For shopping, check out Grafton Street or Henry Street http://www.dublintourist.com/directory/shopping/
• Walk up O'Connell Street, check out the Spire of Dublin, and the General Post Office (GPO) with remnants of the 1916 Easter Uprising
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/O'Connell_Street
• Hang out in the Temple Bar area and have a cup of tea or a pint whilst listening to traditional Irish music
    http://www.dublintourist.com/towns/temple_bar/
  

Travel Insurance

• Inroads Ireland takes no responsibility for delayed airlines and missing the tour's start, lost baggage, or any injuries that may occur while on tour. We recommend purchasing travel insurance. Below are some links:
    http://www.statravel.com/
    http://www.totaltravelinsurance.com
    http://www.travelguard.com/

Trip Cancellation / Transfer / Refund Policy

Transfers

If you have booked your Inroads Ireland tour and then need to transfer your trip start date to a different tour, we are happy to do that as long as there is space available on the new tour. If you transfer your tour within 14 days of the original tour start date, you are responsible for accommodation cancellation fees.
If no space is available on another tour and you must cancel your trip, please see below.

Cancellations / Refunds

If you must cancel your reservation, a cancellation fee will be determined using the following table:

Exceptions to this policy cannot be made for any reason, including those of weather or personal emergencies. There is no refund for arriving late or leaving a trip early. Single room supplements are considered part of the trip price and are subject to cancellation fees.

On the rare occasion that Inroads Ireland must cancel a trip due to natural disaster, terrorism, or civil unrest, or any other circumstance, all payments received to date will be refunded. Inroads Ireland is not responsible for expenses incurred in preparation for any cancelled trips, such as airline tickets or for costs incurred due to travel delays, flight cancellations, or illness.

• Irish time is 5 hours ahead of U.S. Eastern Standard Time
• Ireland can have a mix of sun and rain on any given day. Irish temperatures are in Celsius.
    http://www.ireland.com/weather/
• Temperatures are moderate year round with warmer summers and cooler winters.
• A good summer's day will see temperatures in the 70s (Fahrenheit) and a mix of sun and short periods of light rain.
• July and August tend to be the nicest months.
• The Gulf Stream comes along the southwest coast of Ireland, making this area somewhat warmer.
• Winter temperatures can range from 35-50 Fahrenheit with rain, wind, and dampness.
  

• Make photocopies of your passport, airline tickets, write down the account numbers of items in your wallet along with phone numbers to call if lost/stolen. Bring a copy of this information with you PLUS leave a copy of this information with a trusted person at home.
• Minimize financial risks by leaving expensive jewelry, watches, and electronics at home.
• If carrying a purse, sling it across your chest or hold it close to your side with the clasp towards you.
• If wearing a backpack, swing it around to the front if in a crowded area.
• Keep your passport and other important items in a money belt that is under your clothing
• Carry small amounts of money on you.
• Don't put a wallet with money in your back pocket.
• Split up your cash. Only carry what you need for that day. If you're carrying a purse, put some money in your front pocket.
• When walking about town, take only the items you needsome cash, a credit card/ATM card, photo ID, etc.
• If using an ATM after dark, go to a well lit ATM with pedestrian traffic.