I always planned to travel as a study abroad student, so when my friend asked me in late September if I wanted to go to Scotland with him, the answer was immediately yes. But that created more questions that were harder to answer, like “How will we get there?” and “How long will it take?” Getting from your doorstep to your destination can be a daunting part of the travel experience. I hope my journey to Scotland can help you visualize what international travel can look like, with insights and tips learned the hard way, so you don’t have to.
We decided to start our trip in Edinburgh during the four-day bank holiday weekend in October, and the first step was finding airline tickets to fit our plan. We booked our tickets a month in advance using Ryanair, which is known for their cheap European flights. The early morning and late-night tickets are often the cheapest, with some tickets starting as low as €16.99. My 6:00 am basic ticket to Edinburgh cost €51.26. Ryanair boarding passes have moved completely online, so you need to download the Ryanair app to see your flight information and boarding pass.
Our flight departed Dublin airport, which meant the next step was planning a very early morning ride to Dublin. (I prefer flying out of Shannon airport because it’s closer to the university and less busy, but a smaller airport means fewer flights/dates to choose from). There are 2 bus services I’ve used that go to Dublin airport; Citylink and Dublin Coach. There is also the Flightlink.
The Citylink bus stop is near The Hurlers bar (which is a 24-minute walk from the UL Student Centre) and drops off directly at the airport. When you buy online with a Leap Card, the 2 hour and 25-minute journey is €15. One thing to note is that the Citylink airport route only runs every 2 hours, which is why my friend and I went with Dublin Coach.
The Dublin Coach picks you up from the UL Student Centre, which is a convenient meeting point when I’m traveling with friends. But there isn’t a bus that goes directly from the university to the airport. The 300 runs every 30 minutes to the Dublin city center, and you have to get off at the Red Cow Luas stop to get a connection to the airport. However, the Dublin Coach website makes it easy to see your exact journey. When you buy ahead with a Leap Card, the 2 hour and 25-minute journey (not including wait time for the connecting bus) costs €11.50. I would always recommend ordering Dublin Coach tickets online. It’s cheaper and guarantees you a seat. And I enjoy the peace of mind that comes with having a ticket in advance. I got mine 3 weeks before, but you can order them as close as 3 hours in advance – and if you miss your bus, as long as there’s seats free, bus drivers will let you use it for a later bus.
On the day of our trip, my friend and I got to the bus stop 10 minutes early to catch our 2:00 am bus. It arrived on time, and with our ticket and Leap Card scanned, we were on our way. Make sure to bring your Leap Card with you, as you’ll get charged full price if you don’t. I’d rate the bus napping experience 6/10. The bus was dark and quiet, but a city bus seat can only be so comfortable – and if you’re desperate, there is a toilet on the bus. We made our connection without a problem, getting to the airport at 4:30. I’d actually recommend planning to get to Dublin airport 2 hours before the flight since public transport timing can be unreliable.
An hour and a half was enough time to catch our flight though. The Ryanair app prompts you to check in for the flight and verify your passport 24 hours before takeoff, so we didn’t have to visit a check-in desk. The security line took about 20 minutes, and then we found our way to the gate. One note about Ryanair baggage. If you’re traveling with a basic ticket, you only get one small bag that measures 40 x 30 x 20cm to put under the seat in front of you. If you bring a bag bigger than that to the gate, the attendant may require you to pay up to €75 to put the bag in the aircraft hold. Awkwardly standing at the gate counter waiting to pay for my bulky backpack as everyone filed by was not an experience I’d wish on anyone else. One alternative is upgrading to a regular ticket beforehand for a smaller fee and putting your bag in the overhead locker. After we settled our luggage, we were ready for takeoff.
We landed in Edinburgh at 7:05 am excited to visit a café we had found. Our maps showed it was a 35-minute bus ride away. We followed the signs to the exit/bus pickup area and got our tickets from a kiosk right at the exit. One bus ride later and we were in the heart of Edinburgh, ready to explore the city. Now that you’ve learned about traveling across Ireland and abroad, you’re that much closer to planning your own trip and traveling with confidence.
Study Ireland - Stories & Guides from International Students 
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